Music Instructions

Find out how music works...

Melody

The melody is the main tune that is played or sung in a song. When you listen to some music and sing along, the bit that you are singing is the melody (the word actually derives from the Greek word for singing). If we talk about music in terms of lines, you might have a bass line (the lowest sounds), you will generally have a piano or guitar (or...

Rhythm

There are many definitions for rhythm but for us it is the breaking down of time into pre-defined patterns which make up a rhythm. Understanding rhythms in music involves a bit of simple maths. A standard bar of music (see our structure section for more on bars) is divided using the rhythm tree which is below. Quarter Notes (or Crotchets) When...

Harmony

Harmony refers to how different notes connect together to form chords and define the key of a song. The rules of western harmony are pretty much set in stone for the time being as hundreds of years of composition have moulded our ears to appreciate certain harmonies and chord progressions. Harmony is often thought of in the “vertical”...

Structure

Structure is the way the small sections of music and put together to form whole compositions. This starts out with the smallest sections (bars) and then groups of bars (such as a verse or chorus) and then different ways of connecting those sections (known as forms). Bars The basic way the we break down music is by using bars. Each bar is broken...

Melody

The melody is the main tune that is played...
Rhythm

There are many definitions for rhythm but...
Harmony

Harmony refers to how different notes...
Structure

Structure is the way the small sections of...