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

A smaller piano design could help reduce hand injuries among those with smaller hands.

Are piano keys too big?

Liam Gallagher sings in front of Pachelbel's Canon in D

10 pop songs you didn’t know were inspired by Pachelbel’s Canon

David Bowie Life on Mars

David Bowie’s isolated vocal from ‘Life On Mars’ reveals the true power of his tenor range

Barber's Adagio for Strings is sampled in Mobb Deep’s Down For You

What’s the piece of classical music in Mobb Deep’s Down For You?

‘Auld Lang Syne’ was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns, and is usually sung to fireworks on New Year’s Eve

What are the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne, and what does Auld Lang Syne actually mean?

Uncovered 9th-century manuscript could contain earliest Western music notation

Uncovered 9th-century manuscript could contain earliest Western music notation

What is solfège and what does Julie Andrews have to do with it?

What is solfège and why is it useful?

Key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar - pictured: Ed Sheeran and Miloš Karadaglić

What are the key differences between a classical and an acoustic guitar?

Why do pianos have 88 keys?

Why does a piano have 88 keys?

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Why the Severance theme music is so terrifyingly catchy

Pachelbel’s Canon in D is one of the most famous canons

What is a canon?

What are microtones in music?

What are microtones in music?

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sing 'Defying Gravity' at the 97th Oscars

We break down Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Oscars duet from a classical music perspective

A ‘sonata’ often refers to a piece of music performed by a solo instrument with piano accompaniment.

What does ‘sonata’ mean in classical music?

Why does classical music make us cry? Pictured: Yukiko Ogura (Philharmonia Principal Viola)

Why does classical music make us cry?

German bass Ivan Rebroff had a vocal range of over four octaves

Hear the record-breaking range of German bass Ivan Rebroff, down to his earth-shuddering low F

Latest on Classic FM

Pianist Alexander Malofeev wins Young Artist of the Year at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2026.

Pianist Alexander Malofeev wins Young Artist of the Year at the Gramophone Awards

Events

Nottingham University closes five music degree courses and its entire music department.

University of Nottingham to close music department after more than a century

Andrea Bocelli takes his ‘Romanza’ album on a 30th anniversary UK tour.

Andrea Bocelli announces UK tour for 30th anniversary of ‘Romanza’

Events

Classical music may help lower blood pressure, new study finds.

Classical music is good for your blood pressure, new research says

1,500 artefacts from Elgar’s life have arrived at an archive in Manchester.

1,500 Elgar artefacts arrive at new archive in Manchester’s The Hallé

Elgar

Metropolitan Opera holds auditions for snake role in Mozart production.

Metropolitan Opera holds auditions for snake role in Mozart production

A new study on lemurs has revealed they use the same technique as opera singers.

Madagascan lemurs use operatic trick to hit high notes, new research finds

The Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards, revealed!

The Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards with ABRSM - revealing our 2026 winners!

Events

Classic FM Live with Viking returns to the Royal Albert Hall in October 2026!

Get tickets to Classic FM Live with Viking at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 12 October!

Events

Richard Armitage in the Classic FM studio

Actor Richard Armitage joins Classic FM to present new series ‘Curtain Call’

Latest music theory features

John Lennon's 'Imagine'

The harmonic magic behind the timeless beauty of John Lennon's 'Imagine'

Ages ago

Pachelbel canon

Pachelbel’s Canon might not actually be a canon

Ages ago

Sorry, but only a true musician can score 11/13 in this music notation quiz

Sorry, but only a true musician can score 11/13 in this music notation quiz

Ages ago

Lifestyle

Antonio Vivaldi

There are 7 musical modes and I’ll be impressed if you can identify them all

Ages ago

Lifestyle

Star Wars in a major key

The Star Wars Imperial March in a major key sounds bizarre and awful

Ages ago

Williams

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

Howard Shore’s score to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ has been crowned No.1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2026.

‘The Lord of the Rings’ crowned UK’s favourite film score in 25th anniversary year

1 month ago

The 2025 winners of the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards, with hosts Dan Walker and Myleene Klass at Classic FM Live.

Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards 2026: vote for the Lifetime Achievement Winner!

1 month ago

Events

210 tiny Mozart statuettes have gone missing from a display in Salzburg.

The magic loot - 210 tiny golden Mozarts vanish from Salzburg display

1 month ago

Mozart

Yuja Wang is the star of a new, upcoming documentary, ‘YUJA’.

Grammy Award-winning pianist Yuja Wang stars in new documentary, ‘YUJA’

1 month ago

Yuja Wang

A-level music has fallen to a new record low, as almost half of UK adults regret not continuing musical activity.

One in three adults regret giving up music, as A-level entries plummet

1 month ago