Music Theory
Using Music Theory For Songwriting
Music theory is an incredibly useful tool and its role is to simplify music into a written format so musicians can communicate with each other easily.
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Even knowing a small amount can improve songwriting speed, knowing which chords work together and how key signatures work can improve a musician's harmony and melody composition.
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One of the most useful tools in the singer-songwriter's arsenal is the Circle of Fifths. In one diagram there contains the chords in any major key, its relative minor and the key signature.
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Below are some examples of music theory which can help any musician.
To the left is the Circle of Fifths. In the outer layer you can see the key signatures written in musical notation. The second layer then has the name of the key and increases in fifths going clockwise round the circle. The inner layer tells us the relative minor.
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For example, at the very top of the circle is the Key of "C". To the left and right of it are the other two major chords within the key of "C", F (the fourth) and G (the fifth). We then move to the inner circle and add the three relative minors, Am (the relative minor of C), Dm, (the relative minor of F) and Em (the relative minor of G). Finally, if we move one more space clockwise in the inner minor circle we get our final chord which is turned from a minor chord to a diminished chord.
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So for the key of C, starting at C, we know our seven chords in total, three major, three minor and one diminished chord. This gives us the chords, C maj, D min, E min, F maj, G maj, A min and B dim. Starting at any point on the outer edge and you can find the seven chords any key.