appliedharmony.com is a free website whose main feature is that users can improve their relative pitch using multiple choice exercises based on excerpts of popular music songs.
This website may be useful for diverse user profiles: western music students of almost any profile (classical, jazz, flamenco, musicology) and level, amateur and professional musicians as well as music theory teachers who can use it as a powerful educational tool.
From a scholarly point of view, this website starts from the synchronic approach to teaching tonal harmony, which justifies the appropriateness of using any tonal example in any tonal harmony class from the outset (if you want to know more about the synchronic approach to teaching tonal harmony click here, please). Later, at the advance level, examples that exceed the boundaries of tonality may appear.
The name of this website arises from an extrapolation from the concept of applied research (versus basic research) to the scope of harmony. That is to say, the main objective is that musicians can apply and improve their knowledge about harmony in a practical way, always based on real musical examples and postponing some scholarly issues that have no direct application until they have a real need for using them.
Level 1 exercises will appear by defaulted. To access Level 2 you need to be registered. Registration is free, you only need an email address. Those users, usually professional in harmony, who are interested in practicing exercises with a significantly higher level of difficulty will have access to Pro Level (Level 3) when they complete and correctly answer 150 exercises, at least 50 of them from level 2. Similarly, they will be able to access Master Pro Level (Level 4) when they achieve 250 correct answers, at least 50 of them from level 3. If you are a music theory teacher or researcher and you need to access directly to the professional levels, please contact us.
Staff
SERGIO LASUÉN — Founder of appliedharmony.com
Composer, teacher and researcher specialized in the study of harmony in interdisciplinary creative projects. After obtaining a Master Degree in Music at the highest qualification from the University of Granada in 2009 and thanks to a scholarship from this University, he accepted in 2013 an invitation from the Music Department of Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, with the purpose of obtaining an international mention in his PhD sponsored by Christopher Doll, an international leader in harmonic analysis in popular music.
At this moment in time, he works as a music theory professor and Head of the Department of Composition at Lucena Conservatoire.
www.sergiolasuen.com
ANTONIO CAMINO — Co-founder of appliedharmony.com
Consultant and commercial manager of products related to technology and systems. In his professional expertise, he has supervised industrial projects on ITC’s.
He has specialized in product and service development in the field of new technologies. He was the founder and manager of “PIENSA”, an industrial project for the factory automatization control in the food sector.
He has also worked for Telefónica España as an external data consultant and has further experience in safety systems, nets, VoIP, long-distance communications and traceability management systems.
He is currently carrying out the role of managing director for Thematis Musicae Gestio, an enterprise devoted to musical education, running centres for public administration.
SOFÍA MARTÍNEZ VILLAR — Content Development Director
She is an ear training specialist, flutist, musicologist and Phd in Arts history, theory and critics.
She has studied at Valladolid University, Barcelona University, Institute of Musical Reseach (London University) and Salamanca Superior Conservatoire. In recent years her interest has lain mainly in Ear Training research and chamber music as a member of the Ensemble Gaudi.
She teaches Ear Training and Flute repertoire at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya since 2002 and holds seminars about Ear Training across Spain.
Nowadays she has also teacher at Valencian International University (VIU) since 2016 and she is collaborating with several symphonic orchestras like Spanish National Symphonic Orchestra (OCNE) and Castilla y León Symphonic Orchestra (OSCYL) to develop and improve the music experience in the audiences.
MARC JOVANI — Collaborator
Film, TV and Video Games composer. He studied at the Superior Conservatory of Music of Castellon, and received the Fundación Dávalos - Fletcher scholarship. Then he took the Scoring for Motion Pictures and TV program in the University of Southern California where he mastered his skills with legends such as John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Christopher Young and Bruce Broughton, among others.
These days, he works as a professional composer spending most of his time writing soundtracks. Also, he teaches orchestration at Berklee College of Music.
www.marcjovani.com
ADOLFO MANERO YAGÜE — Programmer
Expert in the development of products and services in the field of new technologies, specially oriented to the public administration.
He has worked for IASOFT S.L. as Analyst Programmer in different projects related to local and regional administrations, European development funds and websites.
In the last few years, he has oriented his professional skills as a freelance programmer, collaborating with a variety of companies in the development of web and desktop applications as well as teaching training courses in educational centres.
ÁLVARO MAROTO — Composer and iOS applications developer
Professor of Music Technology and Electroacoustic Composition at Conservatorio Superior de Música de Córdoba. Composer, computer engineer, programmer and iOS applications developer.
He received the National Prize for Young Researchers in 1996 and 1998 for the development of the software Paravisión (system adaptation and management of Windows for the Blind) and Invimúsica (Music education software for the Blind). He was also awarded the European Prize for Young Researchers for Paravisión in 1997.
As an iOS applications developer he has published, among others, reSonare, an application dedicated to recording classical instruments into Apple smartphones, achieving first position in the National Music Top Chart Applications.
PATRICIA IBÁÑEZ MELERO — Designer
Founded in 2003 by Patricia, Inketudes is an independent Graphic and Web Design studio where ideas are transformed into engaging graphic materials and digital experiences.
At Inketudes we strive to innovate through experimentation to then apply it to our designs in many ways.
Our design philosophy is based on simplicity, clarity and professionalism.
We are passionate about creating beautiful work that commands attention. Each detail is carefully considered until it perfectly encapsulates your brief, including our clients in all stages of the process and building long lasting relationships with them.
www.inkietudes.com
JUAN MANUEL GARCÍA — Programmer
Expert in product and service development in the field of new technologies. He was the founder and manager of “PIENSA”, an industrial project for the factory automatization control in the food sector.
He is the developer of the music centre management application “ATENEA”, for Thematis Musicae Gestio, an enterprise devoted to musical education, running centres for public administration.
He has also worked for IASOFT S.L as Analyist Programmer and Technical Managing Director of different computer applications related to Banking, European Funds and Commercial Management.
He has teaching experience in the development of web and desktop applications.
IGNACIO BERNAL — Audiovisual producer/ Videomarketing
Audiovisual producer with more than 15 year experience in the world of video and communication.
A creative person with the passion for the combination of music and imagery, which is demonstrated in several video clips he has produced, some of them for Bigott, Tachenko and Josh Rosue.
Currently he has two audiovisual productions: imgenio.es and www.dosisvideomarketing.com
www.ignaciobernal.com
MANUEL MOLINA — Piano Accompanist
He is a pianist specialized in improvisation. He has worked as a piano accompanist in theatre, silent movies and vocal music.
He was awarded the National Prize "No te cortes" in the Cabra National Audiovisual Competition.
He was the first appliedharmony user to achieve the four levels of difficulty.
Currently, he combines his Bachelor Degree in piano at the Conservatory of Music in Cordoba with his work as a piano accompanist for La Trini.
IRENE MARCO — Social Media / Videomarketing
Bachelor’s Degree of Arts from University of Zaragoza, her career is focused on the area of online marketing.
She has five year professional experience in social media marketing working as a community manager for national brands.
She has extensive experience in development of strategies and campaigns on social networks, as well as advisory and training.
Currently she teaches training courses in the use of social networking for companies and she is partner with Ignacio Bernal in www.dosisvideomarketing.com