Charles Cornell

Major Chords Are NOT Supposed To Be Terrifying

112K views · 3d ago · 19:18

Midsommar, Hereditary and The Vast of Night are all GREAT examples of "scary major" harmony. Speaking of harmony, go grab the brand new FREE Key Companion! Major chords are typically synonymous with happiness, brightness, and stability in music theory. But what happens when you take these foundational building blocks and turn them into something unsettling?

Topics: The Major Chord Paradox · Midsommar: A Study in Harmonic Dissonance · A Free Resource for Your Musical Journey · Hereditary and the Sound of Wrongness · The Vast of Night: A Masterclass in Suspense

Why The Ending Of Metroid (NES) Blew EVERYONE Away

90K views · 9d ago · 18:49

The Metroid OST is STILL one of the NES greats. This absolute rollercoaster ride proves it. Grab the Better Piano System while you can still get it as a one-time purchase and you'll get the upcoming MASSIVE new release automatically!

Topics: The Descent into Metroid's Final Countdown · A Panicked Reimagining of the Brinstar Theme · The Science of Tritones and Musical Tension · The Epic Reveal and Musical Payoff · Evolving the Theme into a Grand Finale

How The Music Of Metroid Methodically Drives You MAD

179K views · 16d ago · 18:40

What starts as a beautiful soundtrack slowly descends into chaos... But learning music doesn't have to be chaotic! Grab the Better Piano System here: Jump on this now though, because a MASSIVE update is about to drop and you'll automatically get access.

Topics: The Hidden Complexity of Metroid's Soundtrack · The Heroic Sound of Brinstar · Descending into Kraid's Lair · Ridley's Lair and Whole Tone Scales · The Mother Brain Boss Theme

The Most BEAUTIFUL NES Theme Everyone MISSED

232K views · 21d ago · 18:37

In 1986, Hirokazu Tanaka wrote a MASTERPIECE of a Metroid soundtrack starting with the very first theme of the game...which you only heard if you hung around long enough. Take advantage of the Better Piano System now, before the MASSIVE update launches, and get access with a one-time purchase!

Topics: The Hidden Depth of an NES Classic · Anatomy of a Dark Overture · A Sudden Shift to Major Harmony · Mastering Hardware Limitations · A Wild Metric Modulation

The Lion King Ending Makes You Cry EVERY Time With These 4 Notes

204K views · 1mo ago · 18:50

Topics: The Four Notes That Defined a Masterpiece · Unlocking the Theme of Triumph · Contrasting Sounds of Sorrow and Certainty · Analyzing the Darkest Minor Scale · The Masterclass of the Final Sequence

How Hans Zimmer SHATTERED Our Hearts With A MAJOR Chord

671K views · 1mo ago · 18:34

The Lion King was a smash hit largely due to the brilliant songwriting of Elton John and Tim Rice. But Hans Zimmer played an equally important role in giving us the absolutely iconic soundtrack. Start your piano journey today!

Topics: The Genius Behind the Score · Deconstructing the Dissonant Motif · A Different Approach to Piano Learning · The Harmonic Shift of the Stampede · A Requiem for a Father

Disney RUINED Its Greatest Villain Theme EVER

508K views · 1mo ago · 18:59

I didn't originally set out to cover the 2019 remake of Be Prepared, but when I gave it a listen...I couldn't believe my ears. Start your piano journey today!!

The Most ICONIC Opening Theme EVER Written For A Film

259K views · 1mo ago · 18:46

The Lion King's opening might be the most iconic of any film ever and it's largely due to Elton John's absolute masterpiece of a song. Let's find out why. Start your piano journey today!

The Most INSANE Boss Theme Ever Written For A Zelda Game

804K views · 2mo ago · 16:54

From the insanity of a 23/16 time signature to the unexpected calm of a final boss theme, Ocarina of Time delivers some of the most epic boss themes ever written for a game. Learn piano the easy way!

How Zelda's BRILLIANT Temple Themes Accidentally Caused A Controversy

340K views · 2mo ago · 19:13

The Temple Themes are some of the most unique compositions in Koji Kondo's entire library. Including one that had to be replaced. They helped make Zelda Ocarina of Time unforgettable.

Topics: Forest Temple · Water Temple · Spirit Temple · Shadow Temple · Fire Temple · Fire Temple Controversy

The Zelda Theme That Secretly Changes Every 13.3 Seconds

263K views · 3mo ago · 16:32

How Ocarina Of Time Builds An Entire WORLD With 5 Notes

210K views · 3mo ago · 18:58

Topics: Saria's Song · Zelda's Lullaby · Song of Storms · Bolero of Fire

The GENIUS Reason The Lord Of The Rings Has TWO Love Themes

66K views · 3mo ago · 19:55

The Most TERRIFYING Scene Of The Whole Trilogy Uses ONE Chord

171K views · 4mo ago · 19:54

The GENIUS 5/4 Villain Theme That Makes You FEEL Evil

174K views · 4mo ago · 16:16

The Most Epic Scene Of Dudes Walking Past Rocks Ever Filmed

145K views · 4mo ago · 18:47

The Lord of the Rings has so many incredible themes, but few are as recognizable or as epic as the Fellowship of the Ring.

Why The Shire Just FEELS Like Home

147K views · 4mo ago · 19:03

Howard Shore had one direction from Peter Jackson- "Make it hobbity." In the process, he made The Shire feel like the safest place in the world and our Lord of the Rings home.

The Lord Of The Rings Theme Should NOT Work But It's PERFECT

360K views · 4mo ago · 19:52

Howard Shore's BRILLIANT score for The Lord of the Rings is full of melodic and harmonic choices that shouldn't work, but end up creating exactly the feeling Peter Jackson wanted.

The Genius 10-Year Musical Storyline Of Final Fantasy XIV

80K views · 4mo ago · 19:57

From Nobuo Uematsu in 2010 to Masayoshi Soken in 2021, Final Fantasy XIV has some of the most incredible music of the entire franchise. These two themes are no exception.

The Most ICONIC Final Fantasy Piano Theme Ever Written

186K views · 4mo ago · 18:26

Sometimes, simple is best. Nobuo Uematsu clearly understood that when he wrote To Zanarkand, even if he didn't even write it for Final Fantasy X!

Dancing Mad: The SNES Symphony That Should NOT Be Possible

634K views · 4mo ago · 19:24

Guest: Dancing Mad

How did Nobuo Uematsu figure out how to make Final Fantasy VI's boss theme THIS insane on a SUPER NINTENDO??

The Most UNHINGED Final Fantasy Boss Theme Ever Written | One-Winged Angel

223K views · 4mo ago · 16:29

Guest: One-Winged Angel

HOW did Nobuo Uematsu manage to cram all of these puzzle pieces into one insane Final Fantasy VII boss theme? Stay tuned for next episode (hint...it's FF6...)

Topics: One-Winged Angel · Jimi Hendrix · Psycho · Rite of Spring · Breakdown · Imperial March

Phil Collins Made EVERY Parent Sob With 1 Key Change | You'll Be In My Heart

311K views · 5mo ago · 17:29

Topics: Lullaby · Breakdown · THE Key Change · Why It Works · The End Credits Version · The Bridge

Heaven's Light: How Alan Menken Made Hellfire a MASTERPIECE

80K views · 5mo ago · 14:34

Guest: Heaven's Light

Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz' brilliant compositions set the Hunchback of Notre Dame apart. And when we covered Hellfire, we left out the secret that makes it hit that much harder. So let's talk about Heaven's Light!

Topics: Heaven's Light · Breakdown · The Secret That Ties It All Together · The Minor 4 Chord · Quasimodo Quotes "Out There" · The Major "Version" of Hellfire

The DARKEST Disney Opening Theme EVER Written | The Bells Of Notre Dame

378K views · 5mo ago · 16:26

How A Song Of Hope Became An Anthem Of Wrath | The Prince Of Egypt

255K views · 5mo ago · 19:48

I want to hear from you! Answer 3 quick questions here

Topics: All I Ever Wanted Breakdown · The Plagues Breakdown

Deliver Us: The Greatest Opening To A Film EVER Written

691K views · 5mo ago · 20:00

Topics: One Theme Tells The Entire Film · An EPIC Chorus · Two Themes At Once? · A Devastating Lullaby · Key Change! · The Hidden Storyline

Hans Zimmer Only Used 5 Notes To Part The Red Sea | The Prince of Egypt

368K views · 5mo ago · 18:02

The Prince of Egypt is one of animated cinema's greatest visual masterpieces. Hans Zimmer lived up to that feat with some of the most moving themes we've ever heard.

Topics: The First Hints · The Burning Bush · Harmony Breakdown · Growing Intensity · Now The Theme Is Everywhere · The Red Sea

Hellfire: The Greatest DARKEST Masterpiece in Disney History

429K views · 5mo ago · 18:38

Does it get any darker than Claude Frollo singing Hellfire? One of the many things that makes The Hunchback of Notre Dame a Disney icon.

Topics: Unexpected Beauty · Claude Frollo's Delusion · The Dark Turn · Harmonic Analysis · The Deeper Story · Intensity Grows

Why Project Hail Mary's Soundtrack Is This Decade's Interstellar

213K views · 5mo ago · 21:04

Daniel Pemberton's score for Project Hail Mary just SOUNDED like space. And so did some other soundtracks. Like Interstellar. Let's talk about it.

Topics: You Were Loved | Organ Variation · Time To Go Fishing | No Time For Caution · It's Not "Copying" · Tau Amoeba · Everything Is A "Copy" · Koyaanisqatsi and Philip Glass

Alan Menken Wrote An Absolute MASTERPIECE...Then TikTok Messed It Up

470K views · 5mo ago · 19:38

Alan Menken's brilliant "I Want" songs are some of Disney's greatest hits, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame's "Out There" stands alone as an all-time epic. Let's dive into some of the music theory behind the genius.

Mario Galaxy's Theme Literally FEELS Like Flying

136K views · 6mo ago · 20:51

The Super Mario Galaxy Soundtrack HAS to be one of Nintendo's greatest ever. One track REALLY stands out, and it's Gusty Garden Galaxy. Let's find out why. Full Orchestral Score by Auratron

The Jaws Theme Is Actually Just Stravinsky?

65K views · 6mo ago · 16:02

The Jaws theme has been analyzed a million times. But I just noticed something I completely missed. Hint: it's Stravinsky.

I Never Knew Steely Dan Was THIS Genius

80K views · 7mo ago · 14:55

This Is Why Your Brain Loves Angine de Poitrine

716K views · 7mo ago · 21:59

The Hendrix Chord Shouldn't Be Possible, But It's SO Good

104K views · 7mo ago · 9:57

How to be so good at music, you get an entire chord named after you

Ella Fitzgerald Can Really Make ANYTHING Sound Incredible

54K views · 8mo ago · 30:11

Watch Ella Fitzgerald's GENIUS come to life on one of the most hauntingly beautiful jazz standards ever written

How Did I Not Know Gospel Music Is THIS Good??

148K views · 8mo ago · 25:35

Lauryn Hill and Tanya Blount absolutely STEAL the entire show with this rendition of His Eye Is On The Sparrow

The Best Pink Panther Theme You Totally Forgot About

74K views · 8mo ago · 21:29

The entire soundtrack is an absolute work of Henry Mancini art.

I Never Gave The Beach Boys A Chance. Then I Heard THIS

289K views · 8mo ago · 16:22

It catches me off-guard EVERY TIME. You're vibing along with some happy-go-lucky groove and then BAM. Absolutely wild harmonic changes out of nowhere.

Charlie Puth Just Gave Us One Of The Greatest National Anthems EVER

370K views · 9mo ago · 29:37

When ONE Note Proves You're A Genius | One Battle After Another

154K views · 9mo ago · 25:25

Guest: One Battle After Another

Jonny Greenwood does it AGAIN. To the surprise of precisely nobody.

What's Even The Point Anymore? ...The AI Takeover of Music

299K views · 9mo ago · 16:19

This is a weird and difficult topic. Curious to hear your thoughts.

O Come All Ye Faithful - Charles Cornell | Piano Version ft. The "Word" Chord

62K views · 10mo ago · 3:31

This is a semi-improvised arrangement using David Willcocks' incredible reharmonization of the final verse.

2 Chords That Made The Star Wars Prequels UNFORGETTABLE

169K views · 10mo ago · 16:12

Here's the fantastic performance I'm looking at by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra!

▶️ Mentioned videos: s the fantastic performance I

The Most DISORIENTING Pokémon Theme EVER Written

198K views · 10mo ago · 16:08

The Expedition 33 OST Has NO Business Being THIS Good

397K views · 11mo ago · 22:19

Hans Zimmer's GENIUS Trick In The Da Vinci Code Theme

69K views · 11mo ago · 17:21

PLEASE Take 2 minutes to fill out this Google form! I'd love to hear your feedback! Arrangement based on this great score by Felix Wienss