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

Exclusive
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

Ben Palmer

Conductor reacts to himself conducting Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’!

Grieg

Paganini/The Devil

Niccolò Paganini was such a gifted violinist, people thought he sold his soul to the devil

Paganini

Angelina Jolie plays the title role in this thrilling biopic.

Maria Callas biopic: all the information as official trailer released

Maria Callas

Coughing at a concert is twice as likely than normal

Why does everyone cough so much at classical concerts?

Jacob Mühlrad with the cello playing robot

Watch as a robot performs the cello with a symphony orchestra in a world first

Dan Walker and Charlotte Hawkins to present Classic FM’s Pet Classics

Classic FM’s Pet Classics returns in 2024 to relax pets during the fireworks

Franz Liszt

Lisztomania: the wild phenomenon that gripped 19th-century crowds

The Albert Hall in full glory

Classic FM Live with Viking: photos from our night of great British classics at the Royal Albert Hall

Events

22-year-old Brad Kella wins The Piano 2024

22-year-old pianist, who taught himself to play whilst in foster care, wins Channel 4 show

Stokowski

Did you know this controversial 20th century conductor inspired Back to the Future’s Doc Brown?

Leopold Stokowski

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

When 17-year-old Josh Groban stepped in for Andrea Bocelli to sing ‘The Prayer’ with Celine Dion

When 17-year-old Josh Groban stepped in for Andrea Bocelli to sing ‘The Prayer’ with Celine Dion

5 days ago

Andrea Bocelli

Wallace and Gromit return.

Evil penguin Feathers McGraw plays Bach’s Organ Toccata in Wallace and Gromit trailer

8 days ago

Bach

Brett Yang (left) and Eddy Chen.

Shock announcement as TwoSet Violin hang up their bows

9 days ago

Margarita Balanas playing bach in a hot air balloon.

Cellist plays Bach solo in hot air balloon over breathtaking Kenyan landscape

9 days ago

Bach

Wigmore Hall partners with Classic FM to offer £5 tickets for under 35s

Classic FM partners with Wigmore Hall to offer £5 tickets to under-35 audiences

10 days ago