- Chords are the building blocks of songs.…They set the structure for where…the melody of a song can go.…Chords can consist of two or more notes, but typically…they are made of at least three notes, and often more.…A triad is three-note chord arranged in intervals of thirds.…Creating a triad can be easily done…by stacking every other note within a scale.…Constructing triads this way teaches us…one of the most important concepts in harmony:…all chords are built from scales.…Since the only scale we've examined thus far…is the major scale, let's look at the triads we can create…by using the notes of just the major scale.…
And for simplicity's sake,…I'll use the key of C major to demonstrate.…Let's start with C.…We'll skip D, and then play E.…And skip F, and play G.…These three notes, C, E, G, played simultaneously,…create a major triad.…All triads are named for their root.…And like intervals, their quality.…
The root of a triad is the note on which it's built.…We call the notes, C, E, G,…a C major triad.…As opposed to an E major, or G major triad.…
Author
Released
9/18/2015Professional musician Julian Velard starts the course with the building blocks of harmony: notes, scales, intervals, chords, inversions, and basic chord progressions. He then goes into voice leading—showing how to move from one chord to another by changing just one or two notes—and reviews common song forms, from the familiar verse/chorus/verse of pop to the simple verse of the blues. At the end of each chapter, Julian explains the songwriting techniques shown in the chapter within the context of his own original commercially released songs.
- Understanding scales, intervals, and keys
- Triads or three-note chords
- Triad inversions
- Common major-scale chord progressions and cadences
- Voice leading
- Song form elements such as verse, chorus, bridge, hook, and more
- Using common song forms in songwriting
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
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Introduction
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Welcome1m 31s
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1. The Building Blocks of Harmony
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The octave4m 12s
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Intervals: Major and perfect7m 20s
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The concept of key3m 12s
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Figuring out intervals6m 33s
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2. Triads and Chord Progressions
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Triads: The basics of chords7m 48s
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Triad inversions6m 40s
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Voicing6m 38s
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Authentic cadences5m 32s
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3. Chord Progressions and Voice Leading
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What is voice leading?5m 28s
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The suspended chord5m 11s
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4. Song Forms
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The importance of song form2m 34s
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Beats, bars, and phrases5m 54s
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The chorus song form element1m 23s
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Verse/chorus/bridge forms1m 19s
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Simple verse form2m 2s
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Verse without chorus form1m 18s
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AABA 32-bar form1m 24s
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Through-composed song forms1m 26s
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Looking at a song's form5m 53s
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Conclusion
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Next steps1m 16s
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Video: Triads: The basics of chords