The lazy person’s tour of the triads
Six, three-note chords form the foundation of nearly all Western music. If you're a keyboard player, you need move only one finger at a time to find them.
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That critical second chord
The second chord in any progression can have a big influence on where that piece goes. Here are some unusual examples.
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Four chords seem enough for most people
New research shows that your typical Billboard hit has an average of four chords. Is that too many or too few? Does it matter?
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How tasty is your timbre?
Timbre is the tonal quality of a sound. Some instruments have a naturally wonderful timbre and we had a listen.
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How harmony changes everything
If you’ve come up with a melody you like, it’s easy to think that the creative process is now over. But a melody only takes you half the way there.
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It started with a drone
The drone is the most ancient of all musical forms. Why is it so powerful? Can you create a piece of music with a single note?
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Minor keys dominate global top 20
We analysed the top 20 tracks in the Apple Music Global Top 100 on February 25, 2021. Here’s what we found …
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I bought a new guitar
How many guitars does a guitarist need? One more. In this case a Martin 000C.
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Lockdowns are for learning
Explains how the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 provided an opportunity for an acceleration in personal learning which in turn led to the Instrumentality project.
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In praise of the major seventh
Some chords don't get enough outings. One of those is the major seventh. Here's how it sounds.
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