Welcome Back & Hello to Our New Viewers! Happy September, Helena Piano Theory community! A huge thank you to everyone who made our website a summer hit, and a warm welcome to all our new viewers! The school year is here, and it’s the perfect time to dive into music theory with fresh energy! Join…
Free Grade 1 Rhythmic Solfege Printable PDF Pack for Beginners
Kickstart your music theory journey with our free Grade 1 Rhythmic Solfege Printable PDF pack! Designed for young learners and beginners, this set includes 4 engaging rhythmic solfege printables to help you master the basics of rhythm and solfege. These free music theory printables are perfect for home or classroom use, offering a fun way…
Learn Piano Online – Classical, Blues, Rock & More!
Are you searching for online piano lessons that go beyond the basics? I’m Helena – a professional piano teacher and music theory tutor with over 16 years of experience helping students become confident, expressive musicians. I teach music you actually want to play – from elegant classical piano masterpieces to the soulful groove of blues,…
1. What is Music?
What is Music? Ever tapped your foot to a song or hummed a tune stuck in your head? That’s music at work! But what is music, really? It’s more than just noise – it’s sound with a purpose, organized using the elements of music to make is feel something! Defining Music For centuries, people have…
2. How to Write Music – The Staff, Clefs, Note & Rest Values Explained
Music is a universal language that brings rhythm and melody to life. We write music using a system of signs and symbols called musical notation. The staff is the base of musical notation. Bar lines divide the music into smaller sections, making it easier to read. Time Signature show how the beats are grouped and…
3. How to read Music? Treble and Bass Clefs Explained
Ready to Crack the Code of Sheet Music? Let’s Start with Treble and Bass Clefs If you’re beginning to learn how to read music, understanding treble and bass clefs is the first step in building a strong foundation. Before diving into time signatures and measures – which we’ll explore in a later post – this…
4. Keeping Time – Pulse, Tempo, Meter, Measures & Time Signature
Understanding Time Signatures and Measures in Music The time signatures and measures in music are essential for organizing rhythm. They define how beats are grouped and how music flows. In this post, we’ll break down pulse, tempo, measures, and time signatures – everything you need to read and play music with more confidence. Pulse: The…
4.a. Transposing Melodies: Keep Pitch Across Clefs
How to write a melody in different clef without changing the pitch of this melody. Pitch is a fundamental element of sound. It plays a crucial role in music when organized within a musical context, as we discussed in an earlier post. It is a perception of how high or low a note sounds. This perception…
“Blinding Lights” Rhythm Analysis – Music Theory Explained
Analyzing Rhythm in Blinding Lights – Syncopation & Simple Meter Disclaimer: This analysis is for educational purposes only. All rights to the music and composition of Blinding Lights belong to their respective owners. This breakdown is created to support music theory learning and rhythmic analysis. What makes Blinding Lights by the Weeknd so rhythmically addictive?…
What Are Accidentals in Music?
Accidentals in music are symbols that change the pitch of a note. When you place an accidental before a note on the staff, it either raises or lowers the pitch compared to its natural version. Understanding the 12 Notes in an Octave To understand accidentals better, let’s look at the piano keyboard. An octave on…