| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| how to start writing a song? | 11/25/2009 | Bill Pere |
Q: How do I start writing a song? I have been trained as a classical singer/pianist. But I am very ...
A: Paula, Thank you for your question. I get this a lot from many people, so you're not alone. There ...
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| music theory query | 11/23/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Annette here. You mentioned that you had music students doing exams, I hope this is okay sending ...
A: I'd write it in 4/4 rather than 2/4 so as we have a 4-bar (rather than an 8-bar) phrase. Of course, ...
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| music theory - making a rhythm pattern | 11/22/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Annette again! If I could ask for your input. This is rather a long one I might warn you. It is a ...
A: We've hardly had any rain in London - just a couple of showers yesterday. The flooding's up in the ...
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| music theory - making a rhythm pattern | 11/18/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Annette again! If I could ask for your input. This is rather a long one I might warn you. It is a ...
A: and thanks for being patient. You've got most of these right. If you're setting words to music, ...
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| Harmony in composition | 11/17/2009 | Dr Colin |
Q: I want to try to compose some short choral pieces - initially some suitable for a small church ...
A: As you rightly suggest towards the end of your message, this could be a complete course! But since ...
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| Octave Creep | 11/17/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: My brother is an amateur trumpeter. I played him the opening notes of "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom ...
A: I've never come across the term "octave creep", but I've listened to "Cherry Pink" on Youtube and ...
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| Time Signatures | 11/16/2009 | Dr Colin |
Q: Iam taking an introduction to music class and I've been asked to convert the song "Try to Remember" ...
A: Well, I don't know why you have been asked to convert a 3/4 song into some other time signature, ...
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| Time Signatures | 11/16/2009 | Chuck |
Q: Iam taking an introduction to music class and I've been asked to convert the song "Try to Remember" ...
A: Carlos: First of all, the IDEA of a professor GIVING you the assignment is for you to do the ...
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| ear monitors | 11/15/2009 | Penny Nichols |
Q: I have begun singing with a band and experienced feedback and other noises (finger/whistling at ...
A: You are walking on broken glass my friend. First, go get your hearing checked to make sure there is ...
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| key transitions | 11/14/2009 | Phil Kelly |
Q: How do I transition smoothly from G minor to B flat, then from B flat to F? ANSWER: Hi Cheryl: ...
A: Yes, a "broken chord" is also a form of an arpeggio. ( the term comes from the the Italian referring ...
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| harmonic analysis | 11/12/2009 | Dr Colin |
Q: Iam having a problem finding out where the modulation is in Weber's (1786-1826)Der Freischutz, Act ...
A: I am afraid that I can rarely answer questions about individual classical works. This is because I ...
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| key transitions | 11/11/2009 | Phil Kelly |
Q: How do I transition smoothly from G minor to B flat, then from B flat to F?
A: Modulation ( i.e. transition ) is accomplished by moving as smoothly as possible to the dominant ( V ...
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| compositional techniques | 11/10/2009 | Dr Colin |
Q: i am 14 and going to the hunter school of performing arts broadmedow and i just got a beethoven ...
A: Many thanks for contacting me. The question you have been given seems a rather difficult one, for ...
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| questions on theory papers Grades 1-5 | 11/10/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Annette here again! How are you? Hope you are continuing being well? How is the leg? Grade 5 - ...
A: Well, the good news is my foot's finally healed and I've now got to learn to walk again in support ...
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| developing stylishness | 11/8/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I compose average sounding r&b and pop, but keep giving up on songs because I'm not satified with ...
A: I had a similar query from Adam - for some reason his reply hasn't been published yet so I'll repeat ...
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| developing stylishness | 11/8/2009 | Phil Kelly |
Q: I compose average sounding r&b and pop, but keep giving up on songs because I'm not satified with ...
A: Unfortunately, the way you phrased your question makes it difficult to answer, becaause semantically ...
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| developing stylishness | 11/8/2009 | Chuck |
Q: I compose average sounding r&b and pop, but keep giving up on songs because I'm not satified with ...
A: James: As I understand your desire to compose music that is good R & B or Pop, you wish to know ...
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| Counterpoint | 11/3/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I have a few questions: one how can I use counter point in a orchestral arrangement? two, what are ...
A: and thanks for being patient. The counterpoint question is easy - if you've got one ...
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| questions on theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/28/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: How did you like the marathon effort of the last correspondence? I seemed to be typing for ages, ...
A: You seem to be spending every waking moment studying theory<g>! Addictive, isn't it? I'm sorry the ...
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| How can a young violinist find work? | 10/27/2009 | Steven L. Rosenhaus |
Q: My son has a master's degree in violin performance from a major conservatory. He has worked in ...
A: First of all, I wish your son good luck in his endeavors. It sounds like he's doing much of what all ...
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| theory | 10/27/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: bass clef: 2 nd bar: G dotted crotchet (given) E crotchet /// 4 crotchets F D F F /// dotted ...
A: Isabel, I wondered what had happened to you. You've still got a problem with minor keys. We're in ...
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| Writing Harmonies for Chords | 10/26/2009 | Phil Kelly |
Q: My question is very basic I am trying to get a better understanding on harmonies for chords. For ...
A: You're already on the right track if you are studying theory, but you obviously haven't got as far ...
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| blouse | 10/25/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I DONT KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER ME, IM SURE YOU DO, YOUR DRIVER WHO LOST HER TROUSERS DRIVING YOU HOME ...
A: When I turned up at the hospital for my next appointment they told me you weren't working there any ...
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| questions to theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/22/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Hopefully giving you enough time to answer more questions without rushing you. I'll warn you ahead ...
A: You'll find the correct order of sharps and flats in the alto and tenor clefs at the end of this ...
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| Arranging by hand | 10/21/2009 | Phil Kelly |
Q: my name is Alex Higgins and im 15 years old and I am a junior at monmouth high school in St. Louis, ...
A: Well.. the method you describe is the one I used for close to 40 years ( as did most arrangers of my ...
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| questions to theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/20/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Annette again wanting more help with my theory questions. You are being such a help, thank you. ...
A: Well, under normal circumstances I work mainly as an accompanist so much of my work is seasonal - ...
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| ap music theory - Counter Point | 10/19/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: How do you write counter point on staff paper for the alto clef?
A: and thanks for being patient. To be honest I don't know how to respond to your question because I ...
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| piano composition | 10/19/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: My nephew is a talented piano player. He has written many beautiful pieces but doesn't have the ...
A: I have no idea - as I said, I've never needed to do it. At a guess, I'd say you link an electronic ...
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| staccato half note | 10/18/2009 | Dr Colin |
Q: Is it possible for a half note to be staccato? ANSWER: Hi Julie, In theory, yes, it is possible ...
A: An accented eighth note would not be politically correct because it may well offend some religious ...
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| piano composition | 10/18/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: My nephew is a talented piano player. He has written many beautiful pieces but doesn't have the ...
A: I ran a search for music notation software and came up with this website, which may help you. ...
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| selling my lyrics | 10/18/2009 | Bill Pere |
Q: I've written a few songs in the past few years (lyrics only) and have been asked by (a ...
A: Zipi, Thanks for your questions – this is a very common area where songwriters are not sure what ...
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| Questions to the theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/16/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Back to the paper Grade 2 - Paper 1 Question 7.4 I don't know if this is what you were referring; ...
A: Grade 2 - yes, so the one-word answer they're looking for is "inversion". I gave you the answer at ...
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| Help on Program Notes | 10/14/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I'm 20 and doing my Trinity College Performer's Certificate in Piano this November and I do not have ...
A: and thank you for being patient. Programme notes don't need to be long - I usually think in terms ...
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| more questions from the theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/14/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Grade 3 - Paper 1 Question 3.1 key signature is incorrect. 'Andante' spelt incorrectly. I guessed ...
A: I've only just replied to your last question - give me a chance <g>! Q3.1 - Andante misspelt; key ...
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| more questions from the theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/14/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: More questions!! Am I to take it, just from something you said when I asked what it meant to ...
A: Q3.1 - the metronome mark's the wrong way round (crotchet = 60 rather than 60 = crotchet); key ...
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| further questions to theory papers Grades 1-5 | 10/14/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Back again! Grade 3 - Paper 1 Question 1.3 Treble clef; time signature 2/2 - which rest is used to ...
A: Oh, you're whizzing through these. You've got them all right. No need to type out the question, by ...
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| questions on theory papers you recommended to download and do in answer dated 6/10/09 | 10/13/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: How are you? I have some questions relating to the theory papers you recommended that I download and ...
A: All your Grade 1 answers are correct - an ostinato is a pattern that's repeated exactly. Grade 2 ...
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| Time Signature | 10/7/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: Hey There If I wanted to get rid of measures entirely (or use one big measure) in a piece, how ...
A: Ernie, No, because the notes themselves indicate their relative values - if there are minims, ...
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| Songwriting/ Chord progressions | 10/6/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I'm Adam, I'm 14. I'm in a band that is yet to be formed properly. I can't write songs to save my ...
A: Music is a language, and like a language it has rules - grammar and syntax. Western music has a ...
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| writing perfect cadences paino style in minor flat keys | 10/6/2009 | Clare Redfarn |
Q: I have been writing out the perfect cadences in all the major and minor keys - key signatures sharps ...
A: Yep,spot on. Common note stands still, other notes rise. If you're in a minor key, don't forget to ...
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