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Understanding Music Joe Matthews
10. I Plead the Fifth!
You know, in preparing for this blog I realized we really have not talked at all about the single most powerful diagram that explains music which is called the Circle of Fifths!
From a circle of fifths diagram you can see all the notes and chords to any major or natural minor key or any of the seven musical modes for that matter. Learning how to use this one diagram will greatly expand your options in songwriting. Here we go!
9. Common Chord Substitutions
Well, this blog was going to dive deeper into cadences and turnarounds, but upon reviewing my last few blogs, I noticed I had more to explaining about the relationships between functional harmony and common chord substitutions. So, here we go.
8. Substitute!
Substitute, one of my favorite Who songs! I actually got to play drums on that song at a benefit gig back in the 2000s and had a blast channeling my best Keith Moon!! However, we are going to talk about substituting chords today and not an altered ego.
One of the biggest advantages of understanding just a little of how music works lead you to the knowledge of which chords you can substitute to enhance the message or mood of the lyrics. In this blog we will discuss parallel minor and major chord substitutions and (dare I say it) other inter-modal substitutions.
7. Tension and Release
Music, as in almost all art forms, is more meaningful, more interesting, more emotional, and more satisfying when there is a buildup of tension followed by release (resolution). In music, you build tension in a chord progression and by moving away from the tonal center of the key and reach release when you return to the tonal center.
6. Three Chords and the Truth!
It was Harland Howard, a prominent Nashville songwriter, who described country music songwriting as “three chords and the truth.” Well the three chords that are most commonly used in songwriting are the I, IV, and V chords of a major key. You will find some combination of the I, IV, and V chords in blues, country, folk, traditional, polka, zydeco, and many world music forms too.
In this blog we will begin to explore functional harmony, chord progressions, chordal cadences, and chord substitutions.
5. It’s All Relative
Music, as in almost all art forms, is more meaningful, more interesting, more emotional, and more satisfying when there is a buildup of tension followed by release (resolution). In music, you build tension in a chord progression and by moving away from the tonal center of the key and reach release when you return to the tonal center.
4. Guitar Major Chords and Chord Inversions
In this Blog I have tried to tie together what we have learned about the basics of music using the piano and connect these concepts to the guitar. We will approach the guitar by looking at what are probably the first five chords shapes you learned on the guitar.
3. Chord Inversions and Chord Extensions
Chord inversions and extended chords add to the mood and emotion of a chord progression. In this article we will learn about 1st and 2nd chord inversions and extended chords including 7th, half-diminished, and augemented chords as well as the power chord.
2. Intervals and Chord Harmony
Understanding the terms and how to use them will open the door for a better understanding of how music works and to creating more expressive melodies.
In this article we will continue looking at the terms based on the major scale:
The Major Scale Intervals
The importance of the major 3rd and minor 3rd Intervals
Basic Chord Construction and Harmony (Triads)
1. Let’s Talk Music
Understanding how music works and mastering music is a lifelong commitment. When learning anything new, it is best to start with the basic terminology. In this case, the terminology we will learn is how musicians describe and communicate music.