Music theory

What is music theory?

What is music theory?

Music theory is the foundation of great music, and the all-important set of rules that most music follows – from harmony and melody, to rhythm.

Find all our latest music theory features and analyses here.

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Music theory features

‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ as music theory

A genius professor rewrote ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ as a lesson on music theory

QUIZ: Could you pass Grade 5 music theory?

QUIZ: Could you pass Grade 5 music theory?

Lifestyle

muses greek mythology

Modes: What are they and how do I use them?

Tone Deaf Comics theory sheet

This genius music theory cheat sheet is all you’ll ever need

Music theory analysis

david cameron humming musical analysis

We’ve done a musical analysis of the tune David Cameron was humming outside Downing Street

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Lady Gaga sings at Joe Biden's Inauguration

We asked a professional soprano to appraise Lady Gaga’s national anthem at the Biden inauguration

How good is Billie Eilish’s singing voice, from a classical music perspective?

How good is Billie Eilish’s singing voice, from a classical music perspective?

All I Want For Christmas Is You

A music theory analysis of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’

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Most shared music theory features

What is an earworm?

What is an earworm and how do you get rid of one?

Maxim Vengerov – here’s why musicians use vibrato

Why do musicians always use vibrato?

How did music notation begin?

How did music notation begin?

What is a scale?

What is a scale?

Violinist name Ava Bahari plays with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

What’s the difference between a symphony, a concerto, and a sonata?

Why were piano keys once white and black – and why did they reverse?

Why are piano keys black and white? And when did they change?

A 150-year-old Beethoven symphony helped to invent the CD.

A CD can hold exactly 74 minutes of music, thanks to Beethoven

Beethoven

Why are orchestras arranged the way they are? Photographed: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Why are orchestras arranged the way they are?

Exploring the meaning and history of the concept of ‘music’

What does ‘music’ mean, and what is the origin of music?

Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto inspired the songwriter of hit pop power ballad ‘All By Myself’.

Why ‘All By Myself’ sounds uncannily like Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2

Rachmaninov

Why do orchestras tune to an oboe’s ‘A’?

Why do orchestras tune to an ‘A’?

Bach and the Circle of Fifths

What is the circle of fifths?

What are the keys in music?

What are the keys in music?

This bizarre one-octave ‘microtone’ piano will change your perception of pitch and harmony forever

This one-octave ‘microtone’ piano will change your perception of pitch and harmony forever

Videos

What are the clefs in music?

What are the clefs in music?

Explaining flat, sharp and natural notes in music

What’s the difference between a sharp and a flat note?

Latest on Classic FM

The three films of the Christmas season. Well, three films.

The 10 best Christmas film scores

Holly and the Ivy.

What are the lyrics to ‘The Holly and Ivy’, and what is it about?

Christmas

Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree...

Which are ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ and what are the lyrics to the Christmas carol?

Christmas

What are the lyrics to ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’?

What are the lyrics to ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’, and what is the Christmas carol really about?

Christmas

Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason forced to cancel sold-out concert after Air Canada deny boarding with cello

Kanneh-Mason duo forced to cancel sold-out concert after Air Canada deny boarding with cello

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma performs Bach’s beautiful prelude in newly renovated Notre Dame cathedral

Yo-Yo Ma

Lang Lang in Notre Dame reopening concert.

Lang Lang plays stunning Saint-Saëns in newly-reopened Notre Dame

Moana soundtrack

Moana 2 soundtrack: what are the songs and who are songwriters Barlow and Bear?

Guest conductor, Tim Schultheis, truly came to sleigh at this orchestral concert...

Audience member conducts ‘Sleigh Ride’, stealing the show in joyful moment

Videos

Choristers from Salisbury Cathedral Choir have their final practice ahead of Christmas Eve

20 famous Christmas carol lyrics

Christmas

Latest music theory features

A musical analysis of 'No Time to Die'

A detailed musical analysis of Billie Eilish’s new Bond theme, ‘No Time to Die’

Ages ago

Bach memes

10 Bach memes that will accurately teach you music theory

Ages ago

Bach

Matt Marzano sustains a note for five minutes using circular breathing

‘Mind-blowing’ tuba player holds a five-minute note using circular breathing

Ages ago

Videos

Fenn Rosenthal’s ‘Dinosaurs in Love’ has been viewed over 2 million times

Toddler’s viral ‘Dinosaurs in Love’ song is actually very good. Here’s why.

Ages ago

Classical theory cartoons

6 irresistibly clever cartoons to explain classical music theory

Ages ago

Latest quizzes

See more Latest quizzes

Are you smarter than a musical 18-year-old? Find out below...

Can you answer these A-Level music questions? Find out if you would pass first time...

Ages ago

Lifestyle

Who are Sideshow Bob and Bugs Bunny playing in these operatic parodies...

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Ages ago

Lifestyle

What song did Olivia Olson sing in Love Actually? Take our quiz if you know the answer...

The Ultimate Christmas Movie Music Quiz

Ages ago

Lifestyle

We can accurately guess your birth month from your classical music preferences

We can accurately guess your birth month from your classical music preferences

Ages ago

Lifestyle

How far can you get in this classical music ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ quiz?

How far can you get in this classical music ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ quiz?

Ages ago

Lifestyle

Latest features

See more Latest features

O Little Town of Bethlehem

What are the lyrics to ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ – and why are there two versions?

9 days ago

Christmas

Gladiator II composer Harry Gregson-Williams on the ‘pretty rude sound’ that made it into the score

Gladiator II composer Harry Gregson-Williams on the ‘pretty rude sound’ that made it into the score

9 days ago

Gregson-Williams

Jacqueline du Pre, who brought the Concerto to prominence in her breakthrough recording with John Barbirolli and the LSO in 1965.

What’s the history of Elgar’s Cello Concerto – the work with a disastrous premiere?

10 days ago

Elgar

Angelina Jolie plays the title role in this thrilling biopic.

Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie: cast, plot, music and trailers revealed

10 days ago

Maria Callas

The Royal Albert Hall with Christmas Tree, Illuminated at night.

15 best classical Christmas concerts across the UK in 2024

10 days ago

Christmas