Music theory

What is music theory?

What is music theory?

Music theory is the foundation of great music, and the all-important set of rules that most music follows – from harmony and melody, to rhythm.

Find all our latest music theory features and analyses here.

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Music theory features

‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ as music theory

A genius professor rewrote ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ as a lesson on music theory

QUIZ: Could you pass Grade 5 music theory?

QUIZ: Could you pass Grade 5 music theory?

Lifestyle

muses greek mythology

Modes: What are they and how do I use them?

Tone Deaf Comics theory sheet

This genius music theory cheat sheet is all you’ll ever need

Music theory analysis

david cameron humming musical analysis

We’ve done a musical analysis of the tune David Cameron was humming outside Downing Street

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Lady Gaga sings at Joe Biden's Inauguration

We asked a professional soprano to appraise Lady Gaga’s national anthem at the Biden inauguration

How good is Billie Eilish’s singing voice, from a classical music perspective?

How good is Billie Eilish’s singing voice, from a classical music perspective?

All I Want For Christmas Is You

A music theory analysis of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’

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Most shared music theory features

Key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar - pictured: Ed Sheeran and Miloš Karadaglić

What are the key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar?

Why do pianos have 88 keys?

Why does a piano have 88 keys?

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Pachelbel’s Canon in D is one of the most famous canons

What is a canon?

What are microtones in music?

What are microtones in music?

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sing 'Defying Gravity' at the 97th Oscars

We break down Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Oscars duet from a classical music perspective

A ‘sonata’ often refers to a piece of music performed by a solo instrument with piano accompaniment.

What does ‘sonata’ mean in classical music?

Why does classical music make us cry? Pictured: Yukiko Ogura (Philharmonia Principal Viola)

Why does classical music make us cry?

German bass Ivan Rebroff had a vocal range of over four octaves

Hear the record-breaking range of German bass Ivan Rebroff, down to his earth-shuddering low F

What is an earworm?

What is an earworm and how do you get rid of one?

Maxim Vengerov – here’s why musicians use vibrato

Why do musicians always use vibrato?

How did music notation begin?

How did music notation begin?

What is a scale?

What is a scale?

Violinist name Ava Bahari plays with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

What’s the difference between a symphony, a concerto, and a sonata?

Why were piano keys once white and black – and why did they reverse?

Why are piano keys black and white? And when did they change?

A 150-year-old Beethoven symphony helped to invent the CD.

A CD can hold exactly 74 minutes of music, thanks to Beethoven

Beethoven

Latest on Classic FM

Donald Trump says he could have been a ‘brilliant musician’ after receiving flute lessons as a boy.

Donald Trump’s flute-playing career cut short: ‘I didn’t particularly like it, wasn’t for me’
Julie D'Aubigny

Meet the sword-fighting opera singer who burnt down a convent to rescue her gay lover

LA Philharmonic cancels concerts as city curfew enforced after protests

LA Philharmonic cancels concerts as city curfew enforced after protests

LA Phil

Composer proposes to his partner with live 78-piece orchestra at Abbey Road studios

Composer proposes to his partner with live 78-piece orchestra at Abbey Road studios

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Jamie Barton, John Holiday and Adrian Angelico: just three of the incredible performers who also happen to be lighting up opera stages around the world with rainbow colours.

20 brilliant LGBTQ+ opera stars you should know

Inventor creates piano doorbell

Inventor replaces his ‘boring’ doorbell with a miniature piano

Pak chois grow better with classical music

Bach-choi? Researchers find plants grow leafier when played Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos

Win tickets to see Ludovico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall with a Marriott hotel stay

Win tickets to see Ludovico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall with a hotel stay

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The Vienna Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Johann Strauss II’s ‘The Beautiful Blue Danube’ was broadcast into space, in partnership with the European Space Agency.

Strauss’ ‘Blue Danube’ waltz has been sent to space... and The Simpsons already predicted it
Physicists create ‘the world’s smallest violin’ using nanotechnology

Physicists create ‘the world’s smallest violin’ using nanotechnology

Latest music theory features

Are you a true musician?

Answer yes or no to these questions and we’ll reveal if you’re actually a musician

Ages ago

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Teach children music theory

16 wonderfully creative ways to teach children music theory

Ages ago

Music geek transcribes the sound of closing doors on the London Underground

Music geek transcribes the sound of London Underground tube doors closing

Ages ago

Videos

Snowmen chords by ClassicJenny

Chords, cadences and inversions, described by snowmen

Ages ago

Music theory ‘True or False’ quiz

Can you score 12/15 in this music theory ‘True or False’ quiz?

Ages ago

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Latest quizzes

See more Latest quizzes

Are you smarter than a musical 18-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these A-Level music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Ages ago

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Who are Sideshow Bob and Bugs Bunny playing in these operatic parodies...

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Ages ago

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What song did Olivia Olson sing in Love Actually? Take our quiz if you know the answer...

The Ultimate Christmas Movie Music Quiz

Ages ago

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We can accurately guess your birth month from your classical music preferences

We can accurately guess your birth month from your classical music preferences

Ages ago

Lifestyle

How far can you get in this classical music ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ quiz?

How far can you get in this classical music ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ quiz?

Ages ago

Lifestyle

Latest features

See more Latest features

11 of the best LGBTQ+ community classical music ensembles around the world

15 of the best LGBTQ+ classical music ensembles around the world

10 days ago

Pope Levo XIV at the Vatican

Resurfaced footage shows Pope Leo singing ‘Feliz Navidad’ with church band in Peru

11 days ago

Videos

Girl revising and piano keys

10 pieces of classical music to help ease exam stress

15 days ago

The Phoenician Scheme: Wes Anderson’s ingenious use of Stravinsky and other classical music

New Wes Anderson film ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ is scored with Stravinsky’s music

16 days ago

Hundreds of musicians protest Cardiff University’s proposed music school closure

Cardiff University scraps plans to axe music department

17 days ago