Homophony
Homophony is a musical texture in which a primary melody is supported by chordal accompaniment. It contrasts with monophony, polyphony, and heterophony, and is a dominant texture in much of Western tonal music.
Music Theory
Explore Music Theory with clear music dictionary guides to notes, scales, chords, rhythm, harmony, melody, and musical structure.
Read More →
Blues Scale
The blues scale is a six‑note (hexatonic) scale derived from the minor pentatonic with an added flattened fifth, creating the characteristic “blue” sound used in blues, jazz, rock, and many other styles.
Suspended chord
A suspended chord replaces the third of a triad with a second or fourth, creating an open, unresolved sound. It is common in pop, rock, and jazz and often resolves back to a major or minor chord.
Relative Minor
In tonal music, the relative minor is the minor key that shares the same key signature as a given major key, located a minor third below the major tonic. It provides a closely related tonal alternative without changing accidentals.
Augmented chord
An augmented chord is a triad built from a root, a major third, and an augmented (raised) fifth, producing a distinctive, tense sound used in many musical styles.
Diatonic Scale
The diatonic scale is a seven‑note musical scale consisting of five whole steps and two half steps in a fixed pattern, forming the basis of most Western tonal music.
Perfect Octave
A perfect octave is the interval between two pitches whose frequencies have a 2:1 ratio. It is classified as a perfect interval in Western music theory and is considered the most consonant interval after the unison.
Phrygian mode
The Phrygian mode is a diatonic scale built on the third degree of the major scale, characterized by a half‑step between its first and second scale degrees. It is used in a variety of musical traditions, from Western classical to modern rock and metal, to convey a distinctly dark or exotic sound.
Transposition (music)
Transposition is the process of shifting a piece of music, a passage, or a single note to a different pitch level while preserving its intervallic relationships. It is a fundamental technique used by composers, arrangers, and performers across many musical styles.
Time Signature
A time signature is a notational convention that defines how many beats are in each measure and which note value receives one beat. It shapes the rhythmic feel of a piece and is a fundamental element of Western music notation.