Latest about Music Theory And Songwriting
“It’s a favourite with jazz and funk players, but it's just at home in hits by artists such as Jessie Ware”: Expand your chordal colours with 9ths
Building an extension to a chord doesn’t require planning permission, but it might require a degree of design. We add 9ths to our extension palette
“The net result of this process is a progression which sounds smoother, calmer and more musical”: The value of adding chord inversions
If your chord progressions sound a little clunky, try approaching your harmony in an inverse way.
“Technology is cool, but you’ve got to use it as opposed to letting it use you”: Why Prince never allowed gear to lead the way and how we can take back control of our tech
It’s pretty easy to be daunted by the sheer quantity of music technology at your disposal, but always remember - it's there to serve you
“When used in conjunction with other unextended chords, it will sound amazing”: How to enhance your songwriting with major sevenths
From bossanovas to Carole King and even James Bond villains, the major seventh can completely change your song’s mood.
Why Paul McCartney’s intuition-led attitude to songwriting is worth taking onboard
The Beatles’ legend has long been open about how his songwriting workflow is guided by ideas and not a rigid format
A music professor breaks down Brian Eno's Ambient 1: Music For Airports
Following the release of Gary Hustwit's long-awaited Eno documentary, our resident music prof puts the fabled producer's most celebrated release under the musical microscope
How Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe! went from album cast-off to global smash
Tweaked and perfected for months, Roan’s breakthrough track was a three-way labour of love
How to create low-key ambient techno beats in your DAW
Creating an ambient techno groove can be far from a chilled affair, so we take you through the basics of generating a low-key pattern.
