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1500 questions
19
votes
4 answers
Why do melodies have harmonies?
It seems to me that every melody can be assigned chords. Although different people may assign different chords, in many cases, only certain chords (a small subset of all possible chord choices) seem to fit a melody better than others.
What are the…
cyborg
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19
votes
14 answers
How much does an electric guitar's body physics affect the tone, playability, etc?
It makes sense to me based on having some knowledge of physics that on an acoustic guitar the body (and neck, bridge, etc) materials and design has a huge effect on what the guitar sounds like.
But on an electric, as I understand it, the strings…
themirror
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19
votes
5 answers
Why do harmonics sound good?
Harmonics, as in multiple of a fundamental frequency, sound good to our ears. A few examples:
Octaves, i.e. doubling the frequency. We assimilates pitches separated by octaves to a same pitch class. The octave of a B♭ still is a B♭ ; the octave of…
Édouard
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19
votes
6 answers
How do you care for your guitar?
A guitar that is used regularly will sooner or later show signs of wear and tear. How do you best care for your guitar and make sure it stays as good as it is for as long as possible?
Håvard S
19
votes
1 answer
How does pitch bending work on keyboard percussion
There is a less known technique for keyboard percussion that allows some form of pitch bending.
For example:
These are some way of getting it, but a similar effect is also possible by keeping the bottom of the mallet, and pushing it on a key by…
musicamante
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19
votes
2 answers
What does this sharp sign with an arrow mean?
I've seen this symbol (that looks like a sharp sign with an arrow sticking out of it) in some meme videos, but I don't know what it means:
Ian Miller
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19
votes
12 answers
Uses for augmented chords in composition
I've been studying for music theory for many years and I enjoy just writing little chord progressions and melodies to see what certain progressions sound like and how interesting I can make them. The only chord I don't really use is the augmented…
Dom
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19
votes
7 answers
How to know if it's a mode or scale?
How do I differentiate between modes?
Suppose a person is playing "D Dorian". How do I know that it's "D Dorian" and not "C Major/Ionian" or "E Phrygian" and so on, and in fact "A natural minor" because it has same notes as C major.
mihirjoshi
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19
votes
10 answers
Why do two identical notes never cancel each other out?
If we consider a note as a sine function with a certain frequency (ignoring timbre), if you start playing another sine function, even with the same frequency but starting at a different offset, assuming the result is just a sum of the individual…
Powereleven
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19
votes
3 answers
How many notes are in an octave in Indian classical music? Is it 7, 12, or 22?
What is the logic behind dividing an octave into 22 notes?
Sadhana
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19
votes
4 answers
Is it bad for a piano player to work out?
I'm not sure if this is a myth, but is it bad for a pianist to work out (e.g. lift weights)? I've heard that building strength this way will reduce fine muscle control.
user2066880
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19
votes
5 answers
What's the difference between a Flanger and a Phaser?
Every Multi-effects pedal comes with a bunch of different Phasers and Flangers. While I can hear the difference between them when comparing directly, I could never point out what it is that makes them different.
What is it that they do differently…
Gabe
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19
votes
8 answers
"Wrong" key signature for a score in F dorian?
TL;DR I'm a bit confused on which key signature to use for a score in F dorian: 4 flats or 3 flats?
I wrote this arrangement of Mad World by Gary Jules back in 2012 using 3 flats as key signature. There were no accidentals in the score.
Then some…
melfnt
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19
votes
4 answers
Who was listening to Bach's compositions in his lifetime?
Who ever encountered his work? Was his music played somewhere else in Europe, or only where he lived? What strata of society had any chance of coming into contact with his music? What might be the approximate number of people who encountered his…
aaron
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19
votes
3 answers
What is the best way to play a chord larger than your hand?
I've seen and attempted to play multiple songs on the piano that include chords that are tenths or sometimes even elevenths or twelfths (rarely), and these chords have four or five notes.
If I were to come across a chord like this, as I can only…
violetorigin
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