Neo-Riemannian theory
Neo-Riemannian theory is a way that big kids who study music like to explain how different chords can sound good together. Imagine you and your friends are playing with blocks. You have a blue block, a red block, and a yellow block. You can stack them on top of each other in different ways to make a cool tower.
In music, we have chords instead of blocks. A chord is when we play three or more notes at the same time. Some chords sound really pretty, and some chords sound not as pretty. Neo-Riemannian theory helps us understand why some chords sound good together and why others don't.
Neo-Riemannian theory has three important ideas. The first idea is called "transformations." This means if we take one chord and change it just a little bit, it can become a different chord that still sounds good with the first one. It's like if you take your blue block and turn it upside down. Now it looks different, but it still goes well with the red and yellow blocks.
The second idea is called "pivots." This means there are some notes that can be in two different chords and help them connect to each other. It's like if you have a green block that can fit between your blue and red blocks, making the whole tower taller!
The third idea is called "distance." This means that some chords are closer together than others. Just like how your blue and yellow blocks might be farther apart than your blue and red blocks.
With these ideas, neo-Riemannian theory helps musicians understand how to create beautiful music by putting chords together in just the right way.
In music, we have chords instead of blocks. A chord is when we play three or more notes at the same time. Some chords sound really pretty, and some chords sound not as pretty. Neo-Riemannian theory helps us understand why some chords sound good together and why others don't.
Neo-Riemannian theory has three important ideas. The first idea is called "transformations." This means if we take one chord and change it just a little bit, it can become a different chord that still sounds good with the first one. It's like if you take your blue block and turn it upside down. Now it looks different, but it still goes well with the red and yellow blocks.
The second idea is called "pivots." This means there are some notes that can be in two different chords and help them connect to each other. It's like if you have a green block that can fit between your blue and red blocks, making the whole tower taller!
The third idea is called "distance." This means that some chords are closer together than others. Just like how your blue and yellow blocks might be farther apart than your blue and red blocks.
With these ideas, neo-Riemannian theory helps musicians understand how to create beautiful music by putting chords together in just the right way.