THEORY RESOURCES
PERFORMANCE STYLE GUIDE
Every piece of music was written in a specific historical context. I am in the process of putting together a quick outline of how that context affects performance. Look for a link soon!
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For a fantastic overview on the history of western classical music, check out this video by Katherine Louderback.
GUIDE TO MUSIC THEORY
Everything you need to know (and maybe a bit more) in music theory
This isn't everything that you can learn, nor does everyone need to know everything in here, but this is a basic level guide to the theory that I think will be most helpful in improving your ability as a flutist and a musician. While every section in here can be seen independently, all segments of this section rely upon the understanding of the previous links. Not all the links are up yet but they will be soon!
SCALES
There are lots of ways to talk about music theory, such as solfege, scale degrees, and diatonic tonal naming. In this reference, I will be using scale degrees because I think it is the simplest and most accessible. For a review on scale degrees, click here.
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Key signatures are something every western classical musician will encounter. This is a quick guide to what they are, how to memorize them, and how they all relate.
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What is a scale? How do major and minor scales differ? How are they related? Why are there so many more minor scales than major scales? These questions are all addressed here.
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For tips on practicing scales, check out the Practice materials.
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INTERVALS, CHORDS, AND PITCH STRUCTURE
Music is made up of intervals and chords, and understanding these are important to understanding the music you play.
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For a simple introduction into intervals, look here. To go a little more in depth about how intervals are used and why they sound the way they do, click here.
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Triads are the 3 note chords that most music is based on. Click here for a simple introduction or overview, and here for some more in depth information.
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What other kinds of chords are out there? Here is some information on the other most common chords you will encounter.
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HARMONIC PROGRESSION AND FLUTE SPECIFICS
Now that you know the most basic mechanics of notes and pitch, its time to get into the more interesting stuff.
Harmonic progression is the reason some music feels complete, and others leave you hanging on for one more note. For an overview on harmonic progression, click here.
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This is all super cool, but how does this apply to my performance? Understanding harmonic progression not only allows you to understand what you are performing, it helps you to play more in tune. Click here for more information.
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Keeping in mind that harmonic progression from earlier, lets think about all the different minor scales and their function.
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Flute is pretty unique in its method of tone production. If you want to know a bit about the physics of sound and how the flute makes music, click here.
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Where does this theory fit in the grand scheme of western music history? If you're interested in how this theory was developed and where its headed, click here!
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