In his ongoing attempts to seek out the answers to why we like the music we like, Hunter Farris has uncovered a melodic hierarchy via Whitney Houston.
Tag: melody
melody, melodic progressions, melodic tensions, etc.
What Makes a Song “Catchy?”
This article looks at some of the psychological explanations around why songs are considered catchy and how they get stuck in our heads.
An Introduction to Zappa’s ‘Black Page #2’: Modality, Polyrhythms, and Intervals
We explore the fundamental rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic concepts at play in one of Frank Zappa’s most lauded compositions.
How Imagine Dragons Writes Such Memorable Melodies
Imagine Dragons’ “Demons” plays with our sense of memory about how the melody is supposed to play out each time. How does this work?
What Exactly Is a Nocturne, and How Do You Write One?
+ Take your composition skills to new heights entirely, and learn alongside a personal mentor…
Quick Tracks Nº 6: Write a Melody That’s a Palindrome
Welcome back to Quick Tracks! Every other week, we’ll send you another short composition, performance, or production…
Longing for Simpler Times? Why the ‘Good Old Days’ Ain’t So Simple This Time Around
Have you heard Macklemore and Kesha’s recent duet, “Good Old Days”? It’s got a main…
How Taylor Swift Turned Right Said Fred’s Body-Positive Hit Into a Revenge Fantasy
Here’s a music-theory analysis of Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” and Right…
Focus on Simplicity: Exercises to Strengthen Your Foundations in Improvising
By Mike Casey Raise your hand if you’ve heard this cliché before: “Simplicity is the…
Remember the Rounds We Sang as Kids? They’re Actually ‘Canons,’ and Canons are Awesome
A canon (or round) is a single melody line that provides a counterpoint to itself. Canons…