Music theory is an extremely useful tool when practicing music and writing songs. Knowing how to build all 12 keys with the circle of...

In sheet music, music symbols are used to describe the way a particular piece of music should be played. That’s why sheet music is still...

Dynamics is a basic concept in music that affects everything from songwriting to mastering. But the word comes up so often that it can...

Vocal harmony is a special sound. From soaring harmonized lead lines to classic stacks of backing vocals, vocal harmonies play a major...

Every song has a story. Poetic images and gripping lyrics grab listeners’ heartstrings—it’s why music is so powerful. Think of a song you...

Chord progressions are the skeleton that give your songs their basic outline. Choosing the chords you’ll use and arranging them into...

Major scales are an essential building block of all western music. It’s one of the most commonly used musical scales. While sitting down...

Jazz chord progressions may seem complex. Seventh chords, extended harmony, and voicings can be difficult to grasp. But once you’re...

Think of your favorite song. What’s the most memorable part? The section you’re thinking of probably has a catchy hook, a powerful chord...

Welcome to Sample and Hold, the series on the LANDR Blog where we highlight one unique crate-digging session and the digger’s gold we...

There’s a lot of terms floating around in the music world. Knowing what each term means is useful for understanding what’s going on in a...

Syncopation is used all the time in music. It’s a key ingredient in writing rhythms that make a track move along and stay fresh. But...

Starting music is how you move forward with your creativity. But beginning a new creative discipline can be terrifying. It’s...

Have you ever wondered how to structure a song? There’s so many ways to assemble chord progressions, melodies and rhythms into parts that...

The major and minor scales are the basis for any melody in western music. These foundational patterns have strong links to basic emotions...

One of the most important parts of music theory is the time signature. It’s the first thing a musician looks for on a piece of sheet...

You have to know your instrument well to play and perform music. But sometimes strong technical understanding locks you into patterns...

The key signature is your roadmap to the harmonic and melodic context of a piece of music. You need to know key signatures to play along...

Following a formula in your songwriting structure can help with creating parameters for your creativity. But sometimes that formula needs...

Music theory tells you how music works. It’s the structure underneath the songs you love that explains how they do what they do. But...