In this short analysis, we break down the source of D’Angelo’s funky sound, his impeccable use of dominant sevenths in spread voicings.
Tag: song analysis
A Harmonic Analysis of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”
Let’s revisit one of Radiohead’s most propulsive and intricately layered songs, to deconstruct all the elements at play and how they function.
A Harmonic Analysis of Michael Jackson’s Protest Song “They Don’t Care About Us”
Through means of Dancehall rhythms, modal interchange, and ostinato, Michael Jackson gives us glimpses of Black American heritage in his protest song.
Why Leon Bridges’ Powerful New Song “Sweeter” Works on Every… Single… Level
We break down the devices that help Leon Bridges and Terrace Martin’s song, “Sweeter,” function on every level, musically, poetically, and emotionally.
Syncopation in Chopin
What happens when you remix a Chopin piano étude with the Amen Break? A ton of interesting glitched out syncopations! Let’s explore…
Why Producers Need to Learn to Analyze Common Pop Song Structures
As a producer, it’s essential to have a knack for songwriting structures and forms so your music doesn’t feel aimless.
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.
Our 10 Favorite Rap Beats of 2018 and Why We Still Love Them
We count down and break down our ten favorite hip-hop beats of 2018 to find out what’s going on inside them and why they’re still so good.
2019’s Oscar Nominated Film Scores Loved Their Chords
And the winner is…. Chords! This year’s Oscar nominees for Best Score put a ton of stock into creating lush chord textures over other attributes.
How Jonny Greenwood Uses Materiality, Clusters, and Aleatoricism in His Film Music
We break down a handful of composer Jonny Greenwood’s go-to techniques in examples from his scores to Phantom Thread and There Will Be Blood.