# Your Best Music Theory Cheat Sheets?



## Yogevs (Oct 26, 2020)

I'm interested if you have any good cheat sheets you like to use.

A good graphics for the circle of fifths? Instruments ranges? Different keys and how they feel?

Share your best


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## bryla (Oct 26, 2020)

https://tobyrush.com/theorypages/index.html


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## Romy Schmidt (Oct 26, 2020)

Yogevs said:


> I'm interested if you have any good cheat sheets you like to use.



Yes, my brain. I never have to look up anything. Although now I'm getting older, it might be necessary to write down my name and stick it on my laptop.


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## SlHarder (Nov 2, 2020)

Romy Schmidt said:


> getting older, it might be necessary to write down my name and stick it on my laptop.


I'm sort of in your boat. After retirement I started using more pegboards in my shop because of the "which drawer did I put that in?" syndrome. And I've carried that habit into my midi because the wall beside me has about 100 sticky notes on it all grouped by subject. Amnesia is only a hearty sneeze or two away.


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## Bollen (Nov 2, 2020)

These two... Especially when arranging/orchestrating. Before notation software I also had another cheat for instrument transpositions, but who cares any more 😜 ...


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## Romy Schmidt (Nov 3, 2020)

Yeah, I know. Thank God my son is very supportive. He urged me not to forget where I put my credit card. What a dear.


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## eakwarren (Apr 20, 2021)

Yogevs said:


> good graphics for the circle of fifths?




















Forum limits at 5 image uploads, but you can continue to knock yourself out: *Google image search for Circle of Fifths**.*

Also check out Oliver Prehn's free wheel tools.


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## eakwarren (Apr 20, 2021)

Yogevs said:


> Instruments ranges?



<niko>*YOU WANT GREAT GRAPHICS OF INSTRUMENT RANGES??? I GOT YOU!!! *</niko>

*Professional Orchestration's Spectrotone Chart*. Seriously, buy it. It's pure gold for blending textures.





*https://www.vsl.co.at/en/2020-08_Freebies*. Seriously, these are so large I couldn't upload them to VIC.





@NoamL posted this in the *Orchestration Recipes thread* here on VIC.





*<somewhere on the internet> *





*Reddit*





Continue to knock yourself out: *Google image search for Instrument Ranges*.


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## eakwarren (Apr 20, 2021)

Yogevs said:


> Different keys and how they feel?



*Musical Key Characteristics & Emotions*
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion_classification#Plutchik's_model*

Robert Plutchik offers a three-dimensional model that is a hybrid of both basic-complex categories and dimensional theories. It arranges emotions in concentric circles where inner circles are more basic and outer circles more complex. Notably, outer circles are also formed by blending the inner circle emotions. Plutchik's model, as Russell's, emanates from a circumplex representation, where emotional words were plotted based on similarity.[15] There are numerous emotions, which appear in several intensities and can be combined in various ways to form emotional "dyads".

Model





Dyads







*Musical Key Characteristics*
*https://ledgernote.com/blog/interesting/musical-key-characteristics-emotions/*

"Below we list every commonly used key, major and minor, along with a succinct version of their emotive expression and also include a more verbose explanation so you can really dig deep for what you're looking to get across to your listeners."

*http://biteyourownelbow.com/keychar.htm*
From Christian Schubart's _Ideen zu einer Aesthetik der Tonkunst_ (1806) translated by Rita Steblin in A History of Key Characteristics in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries. UMI Research Press (1983). 


C majorCompletely pure. Its character is: innocence, simplicity, naïvety, children's talk.C minorDeclaration of love and at the same time the lament of unhappy love. All languishing, longing, sighing of the love-sick soul lies in this key.Db majorA leering key, degenerating into grief and rapture. It cannot laugh, but it can smile; it cannot howl, but it can at least grimace its crying.--Consequently only unusual characters and feelings can be brought out in this key.D majorThe key of triumph, of Hallejuahs, of war-cries, of victory-rejoicing. Thus, the inviting symphonies, the marches, holiday songs and heaven-rejoicing choruses are set in this key.D minorMelancholy womanliness, the spleen and humours brood.D# minorFeelings of the anxiety of the soul's deepest distress, of brooding despair, of blackest depresssion, of the most gloomy condition of the soul. Every fear, every hesitation of the shuddering heart, breathes out of horrible D# minor. If ghosts could speak, their speech would approximate this key.Eb majorThe key of love, of devotion, of intimate conversation with God.E majorNoisy shouts of joy, laughing pleasure and not yet complete, full delight lies in E Major.F majorComplaisance & calm.F minorDeep depression, funereal lament, groans of misery and longing for the grave.F# majorTriumph over difficulty, free sigh of relief utered when hurdles are surmounted; echo of a soul which has fiercely struggled and finally conquered lies in all uses of this key.F# minorA gloomy key: it tugs at passion as a dog biting a dress. Resentment and discontent are its language.G majorEverything rustic, idyllic and lyrical, every calm and satisfied passion, every tender gratitude for true friendship and faithful love,--in a word every gentle and peaceful emotion of the heart is correctly expressed by this key.G minorDiscontent, uneasiness, worry about a failed scheme; bad-tempered gnashing of teeth; in a word: resentment and dislike.Ab majorKey of the grave. Death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.Ab minorGrumbler, heart squeezed until it suffocates; wailing lament, difficult struggle; in a word, the color of this key is everything struggling with difficulty.A majorThis key includes declarations of innocent love, satisfaction with one's state of affairs; hope of seeing one's beloved again when parting; youthful cheerfulness and trust in God.A minorPious womanliness and tenderness of character.Bb majorCheerful love, clear conscience, hope aspiration for a better world.Bb minorA quaint creature, often dressed in the garment of night. It is somewhat surly and very seldom takes on a pleasant countenance. Mocking God and the world; discontented with itself and with everything; preparation for suicide sounds in this key.B majorStrongly coloured, announcing wild passions, composed from the most glaring coulors. Anger, rage, jealousy, fury, despair and every burden of the heart lies in its sphere.B minorThis is as it were the key of patience, of calm awaiting ones's fate and of submission to divine dispensation.
















Not much here to knock yourself out with, but you never know. *Google image search for Musical keys and emotions*.


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## eakwarren (Apr 20, 2021)

I'll sign off with this diminished chord modulation map I made back at the beginning of the COVID quarantine. *http://bit.ly/dim7modmap. *Diminished chords are truly the doorway to anywhere!


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## mikeh-375 (Apr 20, 2021)

@eakwarren , I love that the key of Cmajor can be....

_Completely pure. Its character is: innocence, simplicity, naïvety, children's talk._

but also...

_gay and warlike_

A quick comparison of the other keys in those charts yields similar fallacious and subjective paradoxes. I think its always best to use ones own ears, musicality and feelings in a real context to be sure of what you are trying to say and how effective you are at doing so, rather than rely on the subjectivity of others.


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## NekujaK (Apr 21, 2021)

This modal interchange chart is the only chart I use consistently. There are many styles of this chart available out there - just Google "modal interchange"


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## eakwarren (Apr 21, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> I think its always best to use ones own ears


@mikeh-375 I absolutely agree. We also reach greater heights in the craft by standing on the shoulders of giants. If Schubart felt that C major is “completely pure,” given that he had a much deeper understanding of the subject than I ever will, I’d be a fool to disregard his thoughts as I consider my own.


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## eakwarren (Apr 21, 2021)

NekujaK said:


> This modal interchange chart is the only chart I use consistently.


@NekujaK I love that chart as well. I’ve found it helpful to re-order the modes on it from “light to dark” as described *here*. Movement through the modes becomes smoother.


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## Stringtree (Apr 21, 2021)

Many of these charts make me want to clutch my quartz crystal necklace and murmur a mantra. I always liked the elegance of the VSL ranges chart. 

OK, I'm gonna try to understand what I'm seeing, but a lot of it strikes me as trying to learn Morse code by looking at a printed chart, when the real thing is reading and writing successive tones by ear. 

The circle of fifths helped me understand the increasing number of sharps and flats very easily. Once I grokkked it, I didn't need the chart. C G D A E B F# and so on. The chart let me do it in my head. Awesome!


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## NekujaK (Apr 21, 2021)

eakwarren said:


> @NekujaK I love that chart as well. I’ve found it helpful to re-order the modes on it from “light to dark” as described *here*. Movement through the modes becomes smoother.


Yes, and I find it useful for chord substitution and reharmonizing, and generally adding variation and interest to basic chord progressions


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## NekujaK (Apr 21, 2021)

Stringtree said:


> Many of these charts make me want to clutch my quartz crystal necklace and murmur a mantra. I always liked the elegance of the VSL ranges chart.
> 
> OK, I'm gonna try to understand what I'm seeing, but a lot of it strikes me as trying to learn Morse code by looking at a printed chart, when the real thing is reading and writing successive tones by ear.
> 
> The circle of fifths helped me understand the increasing number of sharps and flats very easily. Once I grokkked it, I didn't need the chart. C G D A E B F# and so on. The chart let me do it in my head. Awesome!


Keep in mind that ultimately, your ear and musical instincts are all you really need to compose effectively. Charts and music theory are not required... although quartz crystals might come in handy


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## Stringtree (Apr 21, 2021)

Before anyone thinks I meant any offense, I sure didn't. So many helper systems require study of their own to understand metaphors, and the helper tools sit between the brain and the thing to be understood.

I'll be the first to admit that I have had trouble with eq. There's charts for that! But what helped me, personally, was parametric EQ with no visual graph. Forced to use my ears, I'm becoming fast at doing the right thing instead of refer to an intermediary step each time I want to effect change.

The numbers on a parametric eq are an intermediary, but not the same way as a line with curves is. Outside of their most basic 20-20,000 span filled with areas of interest, they're useless compared to the ears. To me.


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## JohnG (Apr 21, 2021)

Feel free to use my Infallible Composing Secrets:


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## Stringtree (Apr 21, 2021)

I’ve used Goo-Gone on at least two thrift store keyboards that had letter name stickers on every key. Conversely, the last video on improving sight reading I saw suggested putting a blanket over your hands and the keys.

@JohnG I think has it right. But Dm is the saddest of all keys, and that’s not indicated.


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## Gene Pool (Apr 21, 2021)

*C-Major* — conceited and foulmouthed; makes fun of the other keys for sport; calls them “accidents” for needing accidentals; may be a racist for only using the white notes; denies being a racist by pointing out all the non-diatonic harmony he’s been subject to over the years.


*Db-Major* — introverted and just wants to be left alone; gets nervous whenever he has to play the Largo from Dvorak’s 9th; once had an extramarital affair with Andrew Lloyd Webber, but they're just friends now.


*D-Major* — kicks ass and chews bubble gum; all out of bubble gum.


*Eb-Major* — a real phony; says his favorite film is _A Clockwork Orange_ because he thinks that makes him look interesting; also, has never actually seen _A Clockwork Orange._


*E-Major* — conspiracy theorist; thinks the government was behind both World Wars; thinks fluorescent lighting is part of a mind control program; likes to tell people he doesn’t have a TV and fails to understand that no one cares.


*F-Major* — enjoys moonlit walks, candlelit dinners, and horseback riding on beaches; also, likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain (call if interested).


*F#-Major* — recovering alcoholic; suffers from identity issues; thinks Gb-Major is a real sonovabitch for hogging the covers; also, thinks enharmonic spelling is just a construct.


*Gb-Major* — is not even going to dignify such vile hate speech with a response, but if he did he might accidentally mention that F#-Major once peed the bed and they had to stay at a Holiday Inn for the night; also, likes to imitate Belloc from _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ by telling F#-major “You and I are very much alike.”


*G-Major* — pedantic and inconsolable; wonders why this list is in ascending chromatic order instead ascending Circle of 5ths; also, favorite song is _Freebird_ by Lynyrd Skynyrd; coincidentally, likes to yell out “Play Freebird” at funerals.


*Ab Major* — emotive and shy; cooks a mean lasagna; can’t stop bragging about that time he rode in an elevator with Al Pacino and upon recognizing him blurted out “Hoorah” in a gruff and gravely voice.


*A Major* — insouciant and excitable; claims to be proud to of being related to F-Minor but never invites him over for poker night with the fellas; also, once had a threesome with F-major and C-major while Stravinsky looked on from the sidelines.


*Bb Major* — ignorant and buffoonish; drives a Ford Festiva festooned with bumper stickers that say things like “I’d rather be fishing,” and “My other car is a Ferrari”; hopes there will be more Star Wars movies.


*B Major* — card-carrying sociopath; a Neo-Riemannian once tried to test him. He ate his _Tonnetz_ with a bowl of fava beans and a nice chianti……Ffff…Ffff…Ffff…Ffff...


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## mikeh-375 (Apr 21, 2021)

...and the minor keys GeneP??..


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## fan455 (Mar 3, 2022)

Gene Pool said:


> *Db-Major* — introverted and just wants to be left alone; gets nervous whenever he has to play the Largo from Dvorak’s 9th; once had an extramarital affair with Andrew Lloyd Webber, but they're just friends now.


Chopin and Debussy seemed to love this key too. The second theme at the climax in Chopin's fourth ballade is so beautiful, and it's in Db major which I didn't realize when first listened to it. To me Db/C# major can sound really dreamy and also struggling.


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## Saxer (Mar 3, 2022)




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## fan455 (Mar 4, 2022)

MIDDLE C is right on the first line above the bass clef and also on the first line below the treble clef.


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