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Welcome to SoundQuest!

Hi, I'm Yuta Yoshimatsu. I go by the name Plugmon and work as a GUI/Sound designer. Now I launched the website, SoundQuest. 1. What is SoundQuest? SoundQuest is a free website on music theory originally created in Japanese. It began as a project I started back in high school, long before I became a designer, and over the years, it…
yuta
June 9, 2024
Preparation

Tonality and Tonal Center

1. "Center" of a Scale? In the previous session, I introduced two scales as the most fundamental scales in Western music. C Major Scale A Minor Scale Comparing the two scales, the only difference is where scales start, which tones work as the central tones. But what does it mean by start or center? It's about music, the invisible art.…
yuta
June 11, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Tendency in Minor Keys

1. Reviewing Tonal Gravitation Now, as we reach the end of Chapter III, there's a task we'd like to address: the discussion about the tonal gravitation in the minor scale. The difference between C Major and A Minor, which are in a "relative" relationship, lies only in the cognitive tonal center. So, how does each note get influenced by this…
yuta
May 8, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Recap of Church Modes

So far, we have introduced three modes: Dorian, Mixolydian, and Phrygian. Now, the remaining ones are the "Lydian" and the "Locrian", but...Both of them have quite unique sounds and their applications in the world of popular music are considerably limited compared to the other three, so I will summarize and introduce them within this article. 1. Lydian Mode The Lydian…
yuta
May 16, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Phrygian Mode

Session Overview This time you learn a new scale. Here, I will introduce the third church mode. While its unique sound has limited applications, it is frequently used in certain genres like trap and trance. Learning about it will expand the range of music expressions. Keywords: Phrygian mode, church modes, modal tonic 1. What is Phrygian Mode? Viewed in relation…
yuta
May 11, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Mixolydian Mode

Session Overview This time you learn a new scale. Continuing from the previous session, you will learn about a new church mode, the Mixolydian mode. Unlike the Dorian mode we covered earlier, the Mixolydian mode is a brighter type of mode that is often used in pop and rock music. Keywords: Mixolydian mode, church modes, modal tonic Now I'll introduce…
yuta
December 8, 2023
M-III: Explore Scales

Dorian Mode

Session Overview This time you learn a new scale. In the previous session, you learned about the concept of "Church Modes", and now we will get into their specific introductions. First and foremost, the "Dorian mode" is a scale commonly employed to create an exotic atmosphere in game or film music. Keywords: Dorian mode, church modes, modal tonic There are…
yuta
May 10, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Church Modes

Session Overview This time you learn a new concept. In the latter half of Chapter III, we will learn a special scale called "church modes". Since it is a scale different from the usual, it is not used as much in popular music. However, it becomes particularly valuable knowledge in genres where a broader range of musical expressions is required,…
yuta
May 8, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Whole Tone Scale

Session Overview This time you learn a new scale. I will explain a scale that completely lack a half-step. While its applicability is not versatile, it can be effectively utilized in specific expressions. Keywords: whole tone scale, augmented seventh Up to this point, the central theme of melodic theory has been the relationship of half-steps. In Chapter I, we focused…
yuta
May 8, 2024
M-III: Explore Scales

Chromatic Approach

Session Overview This time you learn new technique for melody making.One of the techniques to introduce notes outside the scale. While not much used in straightforward genres like rock or dance music, it works well when aiming for a sophisticated feel reminiscent of classical or jazz styles. Keywords: Chromatic approach, chromaticism In Chapter II, I introduced the term "Approach Notes".…
yuta
May 8, 2024