I Didn't Know Where Chords Came From Until I Knew This
TLDRThe video explains how to harmonize a major scale by building triads. It covers the major scale ingredients, tertian movement to build chords, numbering scale degrees, and labeling triads as major/minor using Roman numerals. It introduces shorthand symbols for major/minor intervals and demonstrates how to analyze each chord. Finally, it explains the importance of memorizing the major harmony pattern of major-minor-minor-major-major-minor-diminished, as well as labeling chords 1, 4, 5 as primary triads and 2, 3, 6 as secondary triads.
Takeaways
- 😀 The video will explain how to harmonize a major scale into triads/chords
- 🎹 Scales provide the ingredients (notes) that we use to build chords
- 🎸 We build triads by stacking notes in intervals of thirds (tertian movement)
- ⏯️ To visualize triads, we can create a 'cycle of thirds' memory aid
- i The cycle helps us quickly identify major/minor thirds in triads
- ♯️ Triads are labeled with Roman numerals and lowercase/uppercase to show if they are major/minor
- 👂 You need to memorize I, IV and V as 'primary triads' and ii, iii and vi as 'secondary triads'
- ❗ The leading note triad is diminished, indicated by the 'o' symbol
- 🎼 Understanding the triad qualities in a key helps with cadences and chord progressions
- 🗺️ We can map triads onto the guitar fretboard using the L7 grid
Q & A
What are the three main ingredients used to create triads/chords?
-The three main ingredients used to create triads/chords are scales, arpeggios and pitches.
What is the process used to create a triad?
-The process used is called tertian movement, which means moving up in threes. You start on a root note, jump over the next note to the third, and then jump over again to land on the fifth.
What is the difference between a major and minor third?
-A major third is a distance of two whole steps, while a minor third is a distance of one and a half steps. Minor means less, so a minor third is a lesser interval than a major third.
What is the purpose of the cycle of thirds?
-The cycle of thirds is a mnemonic device to help remember the order of major and minor thirds between notes. It shows which intervals are major and which are minor in the scale.
Why is it important to use Roman numerals for chords?
-Roman numerals indicate if a chord is major or minor, whereas regular numbers don't convey this. Uppercase numerals denote major chords, while lowercase numerals denote minor chords.
What is the difference between primary and secondary triads?
-Primary triads are the I, IV and V chords, and form the most important chord movement. Secondary triads are the ii, iii and vi chords.
What causes the vii chord to sound unstable?
-The vii chord has a flattened/diminished fifth instead of a perfect fifth. This unstable sound helps lead into the next chord progression.
Why memorize the chord order and quality?
-Memorizing the chord order (major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished) in the key helps apply Roman numeral analysis and understand chord functions.
How can these concepts apply to other keys?
-The chord qualities and Roman numeral functions remain the same across keys. Only the alphabet notes change based on added sharps/flats.
Where can I learn more about applying chords to guitar?
-The creator mentions an L7 grid method for visualizing chords on guitar fretboard in a linked video at the end of this video's script.
Outlines
🎵 Introducing harmonizing major scales into chords
The paragraph introduces the topic of harmonizing a major scale into triads or chords. It outlines the goal to explain the technical details in a useful way for those studying music or for their own pleasure. The key ingredients needed to make these chords are scales, which also create melodies. The ingredients for pitch are chords, scales and arpeggios which are all linked.
🎹 Using the C major scale and tertian movement to build chords
The paragraph explains how to use the C major scale, which has no sharps or flats, to easily demonstrate how to build triads. It introduces the concept of tertian movement, which means moving up in intervals of thirds when stacking notes to build chords. A step-by-step example shows how this Leapfrog method works starting with the root note C to build a C major chord.
🎸 Introducing the cycle of thirds mnemonic
The paragraph shows how to use the tertian movement method to build all the triads starting from each note in the C major scale. It then arranges them neatly in a table to demonstrate the patterns. The different types of thirds (major and minor) are explained. A mnemonic device called the cycle of thirds is introduced to help memorize this pattern in any key by adding the appropriate sharps or flats.
⭐ Memorizing the order of major and minor chords
The paragraph emphasizes the need to memorize the order of major and minor chords derived from the major scale using Roman numeral notation. It explains the difference between basic and extended Roman numerals to indicate chord quality. The order is: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished. This structure applies to any major key and is essential to understand harmony and cadences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Triads
💡Major and minor
💡Roman numerals
💡Cycle of thirds
💡Primary triads
💡Secondary triads
💡Diminished triad
💡Cadences
💡Scale degrees
💡Harmonic function
Highlights
Scales are ingredients for chords, scales, and arpeggios which are all linked together
Building triads involves jumping over notes in thirds, known as tertian movement
Triads have a root note, third, and fifth that form a triangle shape - related to the word 'triad'
Major and minor thirds are like two sides of a coin - wherever there is a major, there is a minor
The cycle of thirds mnemonic helps memorize the order of notes in a scale
Roman numerals indicate if a chord is major or minor - uppercase for major, lowercase for minor
In the key of C major, chords I, IV, and V are the primary major triads
Chords ii, iii, and vi are the secondary minor triads
The leading tone chord vii is diminished
Understanding the pattern of major and minor triads applies to any key when transposed
Playing major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished helps memorize the triad order
Primary triads derive the most important chord movement and cadences
The L7 grid overlays triads onto the guitar fretboard
Building triads demonstrates the symmetry and beauty in music
Memorizing triad patterns and Roman numeral notation unlocks chord progressions in any key
Transcripts
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