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1500 questions
13
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5 answers
Why are four-chord songs (I-V-vi-IV) so prevalent?
Over time, many musicians have experimented with various chord progressions, but none has stood the test of time as the four-chord song. What is it about this progression (and its variations) that are so appealing to the masses? Is there any…
Erich
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Equivalent Key Signatures
I've noticed that a variety of pieces in the classical repetoire (certainly at least the piano repetoire), label what seems to be effectively the same key signature differently. That is, I am not aware of any differences in terms of key between a…
Noldorin
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13
votes
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What is the '+' symbol mean in a chord?
When I played a music meet a D+9 and a A7/5+. I have tried search in google, but didn't find it. Does anybody know that?
blackcornail
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Why does B work as a bass note against F7 in Bb?
I wrote a song in Band-in-a-Box. It includes this turnaround:
Dm Dbm Cm F7/B BbMaj7
The chord F7/B doesn't sound good on guitar (I play it as F7 or F9 instead), but the low B note works really well on bass. What's going on here, theory-wise?
Bob Lee
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13
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Why are notes on the harmonica laid out the way they are?
This is a chart of a standard ten hole diatonic harmonica in the key of G that I copied from Wikipedia:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
blow: |G|B|D |G|B|D|G |B|D|G |
draw: |A|D|F#|A|C|E|F#|A|C|E |
As you can see, blowing in the…
user6591
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13
votes
6 answers
How do I write music down from a recording?
I am a beginning piano student. I bought some sheet music to play Make Someone Happy, written by Jule Styne, and made famous by Jimmy Durante. The problem is that the sheet music starts with the words, and does not include the distinctive intro. …
CodeMed
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13
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4 answers
What kind of ear protection offers the best compromise between protection and sound fidelity?
Useful when your drummer is loud. (that china still banging in your head after a session)
umegastar
13
votes
2 answers
Tapewound strings on an electric bass
Recently tried Veillette and Rob Allen basses, both incredible instruments. Unfortunately, they're also incredibly expensive. Part of what I loved was the feel of the tapewound strings. What would happen if I changed my steel roundwounds on an…
Silly
13
votes
4 answers
What is the downside of ultra-low action?
I understand that low action on a guitar makes it easier to play. (See answers to this question for more on action and truss rods).
I've never understood why all guitars aren't set-up with action as low as possible. What is the downside?
Michael Easter
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how does one use or apply lemon oil to a classical guitar?
I have bought a classic guitar for my nephew who is starting classes. The vendor gave me as a gift a little vial of "lemon oil" (translated from the french) saying just quickly something like "it could come handy for maintaining".
Can someone tell…
ogerard
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13
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6 answers
What does it mean that a Stratocaster is vintage?
Looking at the lineup of Fender and Squier I see that you can find standard and vintage guitars for about the same price. For example, Squier has both a Standard series and a Vintage Modified series. What does vintage mean here?
I get that it means…
santiagozky
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13
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9 answers
Is Emajor the dominant chord in the key of A minor?
I read somewhere that Emajor is the dominant (V) chord in A minor. Is this correct? If so, why is it not Eminor, since the A minor scale has no sharps or flats in it?
tarun
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5 answers
How to embrace the metronome after years of bad habits?
Background
I have been dabbling in guitar for over 20 years. I have decent dexterity, technique, and musical theory. However, I don't count time and never use a metronome. I always sound like a weak version of the spotlight guitar solo at a concert,…
Michael Easter
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13
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5 answers
How to use VST (virtual instruments) on a live gig
I am a seasoned keyboardist playing mainly live gigs (Soul, Funk, Rock, Pop). I am very impressed by the capabilities of VST instruments, so I am wondering if it would be possible to use them in a live setup (my equipment today consists of multiple…
googol analytics
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5 answers
How do I become a better electronic music producer?
I love music and I would love to make it and maybe become a music composer. However I do not know anything about music theory or anything. I can't play any instrument or so.
How can I learn to make nice melodies? I cannot make even simple ones. I…
user3144737
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