Classical dissonance begins with a consonant preparation, continues to the dissonance in question, and finishes with a consonant resolution. Wikipedia says as much. But as I was falling asleep I started wondering about the topology of suspensions — which suspensions work in which situation. There are three basic suspensions: 9-8, 7-6, and 4-3. In the […]
Continue readingMore TagTag: harmony
How to Make an Easter Hymn from Pachelbel’s Canon
“I don’t know how you could possibly write music!” It’s a refrain I hear often, even from talented musicians. And I can understand why they say that. Writing music might seem like organizing thousands of isolated pitches and rhythms. For example, my latest arrangement included 2320 notes, 1273 rhythms, and 281 rests. That’s daunting. But there is another way, and […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Why are Alto and Tenor Parts so Boring?
Why do altos and tenors often get saddled with parts like this? Don’t composers know that singing the same two notes over and over again is boring? To understand what composers are possibly thinking, let’s dive into some music theory . . .
Continue readingMore Tag