Crying in the Club: Songs Within Songs and Intertextuality in Pop Music
A lengthy, in-depth look at the self-referential nature of pop music and what that means for legality and creativity in music.
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Why Joker’s Score Makes It a Prequel
An analysis of how Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score for Joker helps anchor the narrative and characters in both their story and their timeline.
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Isn’t It Iconic? (Nirvana, That Is.)
What happens when a computer decides what makes popular songs formulaic versus iconic? Total controversy. But let’s take a deeper look…
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“Enemy” Creates Desire — “Bruno” Fulfills It
What’s the difference between Imagine Dragons’ “Enemy” and Encanto’s “Bruno”? Not much! But music theory holds the answer…
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What Are Your Favorite Songs That Defy Expectations?
In Ep. 48 of Soundfly’s podcast, Carter and Mahea are joined by composer Ryan Lott (of Son Lux) to discuss songs that do “the unexpected.”
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What Are Your Favorite Songs to Listen to Alone?
In Ep. 47 of Soundfly’s podcast, Carter and Mahea discuss songs they prefer to listen to alone with voice actor and podcast host Adam Claus.
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An Intermediate Guide to Chord Tones and Tensions
Thinking about how chords relate to the notes in your melody is an important aspect of voice leading with intention — here’s a quick guide.
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Hidden In Plain Sight: The Greatest Musical Easter Egg Ever
Discover the hidden music theory gem holding together one of the greatest TV theme songs of all time, and who gets the last laugh about it.
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A Pop Songwriter’s Introduction to Jazz Chords
Songwriters and producers, ready to get jazzy? Here’s an introductory guide to building and using jazz chords in pop music!
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A Chord Sequence to Score an Imaginary Film Scene
What if part of your practice as a musician, composer, or producer, was to score an imaginary film scene? How would you tackle that challenge?
