Hey guys and welcome back to the next series of practicing episodes! Sorry about the delay on the episodes but I've been working on a surprise for the blog, so keep posted! Anyways, on to out next episode: The importance of improvisation. Now, to most classically trained musicians (those who are taught based off of classical literature or from classical methods such as learning through Suzuki or from a class) learn to read music and find their ways around it but don't look into improvisation or doing any kind of improvising. However, once the time comes to need that skill they don't know how.
Let's start off with what improvisation is. Improvisation; or improving as most people call it, is the art of playing music on the spot. So say someone gives you a chord (in case you need help remember or haven't learned anything about chords try looking at Episode 10 of the main series or click here), you play notes in that chord make a song. So say for example, someone plays a C and you want to write a "happy" sounding song revolving around a C major chord (C, E, G). Same thing applies for say writing a sad song and are given an A: write out a variation along a A minor chord.
Now let's take a step back and discuss the basics of a melody. Melody can be broken down into Rhythm, Timbre, and Contrast. Rhythm is the basic method of making a melody. Changing the rhythm of a series of notes can make a melody. So, for example taking any C and play it to a beat and (the most important part) vary the rhythm! Start out with two half notes for a few times, then move to quarters, eights, 16th and mix it up! Maybe play a 1 + a, 2 e + for a few bars then mix it up some. Make sure its how you feel because it makes a difference later down the road. Then add notes to the chord, in this case add an E to your C. Keep adding notes to the rhythm your constructing until you've built the chord out. The best way to learn how to improvise is with the use of 7th chords, which is my topic for next week's theory lesson.
Stay tuned for next week's episode as I finish explaining everything!
Showing posts with label chord. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chord. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2013
Friday, December 7, 2012
Episode 10: Introduction to Chords (FINALLY!)
Hey guys! Welcome back to my music theory blog! I know I've been a bad blooger and broke the big rule of blogging (always post something once a week), but as my first semester in college is wrapping up I have a very evil thing to take care of called exams. They have been stressing me out and I had to make a decision to either go with grades or go with you guys... And as cool as you all are, the grades are what will actually get me into grad school so I have been studying. However, I have a surprise for you guys though... I am going to do a new video series on YouTube It'll be the basics of Finale, which a couple of people have recommended I try and do. So if that interests you then stay tuned! Now, as you can tell in the title we have hit my favorite part of learning music, the basics of chords. I honestly have been waiting for this day ever since I started the blog. So without further ado, let's go right into it! Don't forget to share this with Facebook, Twitter, or by email and don't forget to follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter and (officially) YouTube!
Now that we have discussed the differences in half steps, and whole steps and the basics of intervals we can now go into chords. The basic chord is a tonic pitch, a third above it and a third above that or another way to think about it is a tonic note with a third and fifth above the bass. So let's take a look at the four basic chords of music.
First is a Major chord. It is composed of a major 3rd and a perfect 5th, or a major 3rd followed by a minor 3rd. So let's construct a C Major Chord. C will be our bass note and we need a major 3rd above it, which would be an E. Now we can say either a minor 3rd above E or a perfect 5th from C which would be G. So a C Major chord is a C, E, and G. Let's try B major. B will be our bass note, followed by a major 3rd above B which will be a D#. Now, as said before we can either use a minor 3rd above D# or a perfect 5th above B (which are the same notes) and get a F#. So B Major is B, D#, and F#. One last example, Eb Major. Eb will be our bass note, followed by a G and Bb. So an Eb Major chord is an Eb, G, and Bb.
Next we have a Minor chord. It is composed of a minor 3rd and perfect 5th or a minor 3rd followed by a major 3rd. So a C minor chord is a C, followed by a minor 3rd to Eb, and a 5th (or a major 3rd above the minor 3rd) G. So a C minor chord would be a C, Eb, and G. An E minor chord would be an E, G, and B. One thing that help me with this is if you look at the notes and think about which scale it would fit in. For example, if you went to play E minor it is the relative minor of G, so only F sharp while E major would have 4 sharps (F, C, G, and D).
Following the minor chords we have Augmented chords. Just as I've said before, you can have augmented intervals which are a half step above a perfect interval. So an augmented chord would be a major third and augmented 5th or two whole steps above the bass. So let's make a C Augmented (+) chord. First is C, followed by a half step above which is E and another half step above that which is G# So a C+ chord is C, E and G#. Another example is F#+, which would be F#, A# and Cx (C double sharp, or enharmonically equivalent to D). One last example would be Bb+ which would be Bb, D and F#. As I have shown, it is possible to have sharps and flats in the same chord, though it isn't as easy as it is with Diminished chords.
Finally, the last one in the group of chords are Diminished chords. They are composed of a minor third and diminished 5th or 2 minor 3rds. So we can make a Bb diminished (dim or ° if you are able to type the degrees symbol) by starting with the tonic note; Bb, then going up a minor third to Db, and another minor third to Fbb (F double flat, or enharmonically Eb) Another example would be F# dim. would be F# followed by a minor 3rd to A and a diminished 5th from the tonic, Cb. As you may have noticed, you can have flats and sharps in the same chord when it comes to diminished chords.
So, I hope this has helped you guys out. Keep following the blog and don't forget to share!
Now that we have discussed the differences in half steps, and whole steps and the basics of intervals we can now go into chords. The basic chord is a tonic pitch, a third above it and a third above that or another way to think about it is a tonic note with a third and fifth above the bass. So let's take a look at the four basic chords of music.
First is a Major chord. It is composed of a major 3rd and a perfect 5th, or a major 3rd followed by a minor 3rd. So let's construct a C Major Chord. C will be our bass note and we need a major 3rd above it, which would be an E. Now we can say either a minor 3rd above E or a perfect 5th from C which would be G. So a C Major chord is a C, E, and G. Let's try B major. B will be our bass note, followed by a major 3rd above B which will be a D#. Now, as said before we can either use a minor 3rd above D# or a perfect 5th above B (which are the same notes) and get a F#. So B Major is B, D#, and F#. One last example, Eb Major. Eb will be our bass note, followed by a G and Bb. So an Eb Major chord is an Eb, G, and Bb.
Next we have a Minor chord. It is composed of a minor 3rd and perfect 5th or a minor 3rd followed by a major 3rd. So a C minor chord is a C, followed by a minor 3rd to Eb, and a 5th (or a major 3rd above the minor 3rd) G. So a C minor chord would be a C, Eb, and G. An E minor chord would be an E, G, and B. One thing that help me with this is if you look at the notes and think about which scale it would fit in. For example, if you went to play E minor it is the relative minor of G, so only F sharp while E major would have 4 sharps (F, C, G, and D).
Following the minor chords we have Augmented chords. Just as I've said before, you can have augmented intervals which are a half step above a perfect interval. So an augmented chord would be a major third and augmented 5th or two whole steps above the bass. So let's make a C Augmented (+) chord. First is C, followed by a half step above which is E and another half step above that which is G# So a C+ chord is C, E and G#. Another example is F#+, which would be F#, A# and Cx (C double sharp, or enharmonically equivalent to D). One last example would be Bb+ which would be Bb, D and F#. As I have shown, it is possible to have sharps and flats in the same chord, though it isn't as easy as it is with Diminished chords.
Finally, the last one in the group of chords are Diminished chords. They are composed of a minor third and diminished 5th or 2 minor 3rds. So we can make a Bb diminished (dim or ° if you are able to type the degrees symbol) by starting with the tonic note; Bb, then going up a minor third to Db, and another minor third to Fbb (F double flat, or enharmonically Eb) Another example would be F# dim. would be F# followed by a minor 3rd to A and a diminished 5th from the tonic, Cb. As you may have noticed, you can have flats and sharps in the same chord when it comes to diminished chords.
So, I hope this has helped you guys out. Keep following the blog and don't forget to share!
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