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

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

What is an earworm?

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

Latest on Classic FM

Matthew Bourne’s Bizet-inspired ballet returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London.

Matthew Bourne’s Bizet-inspired ballet ‘The Car Man’ returns to London - get tickets now

Events

Muliti-award winning Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins is releasing a classical album performed by the Philharmonia orchestra and conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Sir Anthony Hopkins announces classical album with Gustavo Dudamel

Seven pop stars you might not know were influenced by ballet

Seven pop stars you might not know were influenced by ballet

Ludwig Göransson is the composer for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, starring Matt Damon in the lead role.

Everything we know about Ludwig Göransson’s score for ‘The Odyssey’ so far

Composer Julian Nott wrote the score and theme music for the ’Wallace and Gromit‘ franchise.

Wallace and Gromit composer: ‘I wrote the theme music at 3am’

Washington National Opera is suing its former partner venue for $17 million.

Washington National Opera sues Kennedy Center for $17 million

Four in five Brits turn to orchestral music to help them concentrate.

81% of Brits choose orchestral music as a study soundtrack, new research finds

Edinburgh International Festival will be phone-free in 2026, says festival director Nicola Benedetti.

‘Lights down, phones off’, says Edinburgh festival director Nicola Benedetti

Nicola Benedetti

Engineers have created a robotic hand that can learn and repeat music ‘by ear’.

Engineers invent piano-playing robotic hand that can learn music by ‘ear’

A handwritten manuscript book, belonging to a 22-year-old Mozart, has been discovered in Paris.

22-year-old Mozart’s handwritten notebook unearthed in ‘major discovery’

Mozart

Latest music theory features

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

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Star Wars in a major key

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

Ages ago

Williams

Are you a true musician?

Answer yes or no to these questions and we’ll reveal if you’re actually a musician

Ages ago

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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

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

Can you guess the opera these cartoon characters are singing?

Ages ago

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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

Captain of France’s national football team, Kylian Mbappé, played flute in school.

Meet France’s flute-playing football captain, Kylian Mbappé

26 days ago

Curious cat interrupts ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet

Romeow, romeow! Curious cat wanders on stage, interrupts ballet performance

27 days ago

Tony Iommi and Patrick Doyle lead the musical recognitions in the King’s birthday honours.

Patrick Doyle and Tony Iommi lead musical recognitions in King’s birthday honours

1 month ago

‘Disclosure Day’ marks the 30th collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg, in their partnership of over half a century.

Disclosure Day: Everything you need to know about John Williams’ score

1 month ago

Williams

Randy Newman appears on stage for a duet with Taylor Swift at the Hollywood premiere of Toy Story 5.

Randy Newman plays surprise ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ at Toy Story 5 premiere

1 month ago