Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to the third lesson of the unit "Fundamentals of composition." I'm Mr. Farrell, and this lesson is called "Composing a chord sequence," where we're going to be learning about how chords work and how to make our own chord sequences.

Today's outcome.

I can compose an effective eight-bar chord sequence using the typical conventions of Western classical music.

Let's look at some keywords.

Chord sequence.

A chord sequence is a repeating pattern of chords, also referred to as a chord progression or pattern.

Make sure to remember that a chord sequence is something different to the melodic sequences we looked at in the last lesson.

Primary chords.

Primary chords are the most common and important chords in a key, chords I, IV, and V.

Secondary chords are chords ii, iii, and vi in a key.

A perfect cadence is when a chord sequence ends with chord V and then chord I, creating a finished feeling, while an imperfect cadence is where a chord sequence or section of one ends on chord V, creating an unfinished feeling.

Chord sequences are patterns of chords, which play a fundamental role in music, as they provide the harmony to a melody.

They are normally 4, 8, or 16 bars in length.

Alongside melody, harmony is one of the fundamental aspects of composition.

Now, there is no right or wrong way to create a chord sequence, but there are certain rules that help to make them effective.

When we learned about writing a melody, we started by looking at the notes of the scale in the key of C major.

We're going to do the same thing when looking at writing chords.

There are seven notes in the scale, and each note of the scale has its own chord.

In the key of C major, those notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

When we say that a note has its own chord, we mean that we can make a chord using that note as our starting point.

We can use each of the notes in the C major scale to create a triad, a basic chord consisting of three notes.

To make a triad, we take our starting note, one of the notes from the C major scale, and stack two additional notes above it.

If we do this for every note in the key of C, we get seven chords.

C major, D minor, E, minor, F major, G major, A minor, and B diminished.

Each chord is represented by a Roman numeral based on what the starting note of that chord is.

F is the fourth note of the C major scale.

So the chord of F major is represented using the Roman numerals I and V, meaning the number four.

Major chords are represented with uppercase Roman numerals, while minor or diminished chords are represented with lowercase ones.

In a basic triad, the three notes are a third apart from each other, meaning that we skip a note in between when building the chord.

For example, playing a C major chord on the keyboard involves taking our starting note C, skipping D, playing E, skipping F, and playing G to make a three-note chord of C, E, and G.

This pattern is the same from every note in our key, giving us I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii different chords.

The primary chords, chords I, IV, and V, are the most important chords in a key in Western classical and popular music styles.

In the key of C major, these chords are C, F, and G.

Now that we've seen what the primary chords are in the key of C major, let's see if we can figure out what are the primary chords in the key of G major? Pause the video now and see if you can answer that question.

So, the answer to the question, what are the primary chords in the key of G major, are the chords of G major, C major, and D major because they are the chords of I, IV, and V in that particular key.

Chord sequences are most effective when they use mostly primary chords, as primary chords reinforce the key of the music.

We're going to listen now to a typical eight-bar chord sequence that uses only primary chords.

Let's have a listen to what that sounds like now.

(chord sequence music) Next, we've got an example of a chord sequence that uses fewer primary chords and more secondary ones.

Let's hear what that sounds like.

(chord sequence music) Using fewer primary chords makes the key of the music less clear to the listener, and although it is still musically interesting, it's less typical of Western classical music styles.

A quick check for understanding now.

Which of these four chords is not a primary chord? Is it A, chord I? B, chord ii? C, chord IV? Or D, chord V? Pause the video and answer the question now.

The answer is, chord ii is not a primary chord.

Chords I, IV, and V are the primary chords in a key.

Next question.

What are the primary chords in the key of C? Pause the video and have a go at that one.

The answer is that the primary chords in the key of C are the chords of C, F, and G.

When building a chord sequence, it's useful to start on the tonic chord, the chord of I.

This reinforces the key immediately and lets the listener hear the home chord, the tonic chord of the key, straight away.

Ending the first half, bar four in an eight-bar sequence, on chord V, also known as the dominant, is also very effective, as it creates a feeling of being unfinished, which is appropriate halfway through.

Using chord V and I as the last two chords of a chord sequence helps it to feel finished.

It makes the piece feel like it's coming home, landing on the tonic.

Okay, so to recap those three typical chord sequence features, it's normally a good idea to start on chord I, the tonic, to use chord V, the dominant, in the middle of the sequence, usually bar four, and to finish on chord I, the tonic.

So let's hear how those features sound when used in a chord sequence, like the one below.

Let's listen to it now.

(chord sequence music) So, did you notice how in bar one, we had chord I, we started with the tonic, then in bar four, the chord of number V, and the example finished on chord number I right at the end.

We're going to talk about a very important concept now.

The concept of cadences.

Cadences are two chords that together end a phrase.

A perfect cadence is when the chord V goes to the chord I, and this sounds finished and complete.

An imperfect cadence is chord I, or any other chord really, going to chord V.

This sounds unfinished and incomplete.

We're going to listen to the same chord progression we just heard, but this time, listening out for the two highlighted cadences.

Let's listen.

(chord sequence music) Did you notice how the unfinished-sounding imperfect cadence is used at the halfway point, while the perfect cadence is used at the very end of the example? We've got some good guidelines then for creating an effective chord sequence.

We want to start on chord I.

We want to create an imperfect cadence in bar four by finishing on chord V.

Then we want to finish our whole sequence off with chord V going to chord I, making a perfect cadence.

And over the course of our sequence, we only want to use primary chords, I, IV, and V.

We're going to watch a video now about creating an eight-bar chord sequence, following those guidelines for ourselves.

<v Teacher>I'm going to create an eight-bar chord sequence</v> using only the primary chords.

So that's chord I, which is, in our case, a C chord.

Chord IV, which is an F chord.

Chord V, which is the G chord.

At this stage, we're just creating a really simple chord sequence and then we'll develop it as we go.

So as we're doing this, there are a few typical features that we want to make sure we're using.

The first is that we want to start and finish on chord I.

So that's our C major chord.

(musical chord ringing) And that's because it helps it feel finished at the end, but also by starting on that chord, it makes it really grounded in the key of C major.

So it helps us feel that it's in that key straightaway.

So if I'm writing out my chords here, I'm going to have chord I as my first chord.

And I'm going to have chord I as my final chord.

And we also want to, in the penultimate bar, that's the second-last bar, we want to use chord V because that creates a perfect cadence with chord V to chord I.

So I'm going to put that in there as well.

So that's the three chords that we want to make sure we have.

And then with the rest of them, we're going to be experimenting for different combinations of chords, using chord I, IV, and V.

So let's talk through those chords.

Chord I is a C chord.

(musical chord ringing) Chord V is a G chord.

(musical chord ringing) And chord IV is an F chord.

(musical chord ringing) And we've got those three notes in each there, triad chords.

So those three chords that we're going to be using.

And I'm just going to experiment with some different combinations of them to see if I can create a pattern that I like.

So after the first chord I, (musical chord ringing) maybe I'll try chord IV.

(musical chord ringing) I could go back to chord I.

(musical chord ringing) And then maybe chord V.

(musical chord ringing) I could try doing a chord for two bars.

So I could start on two bars of chord I for example.

(musical chords ringing) And then maybe two bars of chord IV.

(musical chords ringing) So there's different ways we can do this.

Different combinations of chords to fill in those gaps.

Now, I've got a pattern that I like.

I'm going to record it in now and then I'm going to talk about how we might use notation software if using that instead.

So here we go.

So chord I.

Then chord IV.

Then chord I.

Then chord V.

Bar five is chord I.

Then chord IV.

Then finishing with V and then I.

So there, I've done I.

IV.

I.

V.

And then in the second half, I've done I, IV, V, and then I.

So that's the pattern I've gone for and I've recorded it in.

Now, if you're using notation software, go through the same process of experimentation, and then you just have to draw in notation for each of your chords.

So my first chord was a C chord, so I'm going to be drawing in the notes C, E, and G.

And that was a four-beat chord.

Then I had an F chord.

So I'm going to copy it and move it to an F chord.

I could put it up an octave if I wanted up there.

Then I had C again.

Then I had G.

Then the second half, I had C.

Then F.

Then G.

Then C.

So if I play that now, that should sound the same chords, although I have moved some of them up the octave just so it's easy to read on the notation.

(piano music) So go through that process, making sure you're ticking off those key features, sticking to the primary chords, I, IV, and V, for now.

And either on notation software or on a DAW, you can have a go at creating that chord sequence.

<v ->Okay, we've got a check for understanding now.

</v> Which of the following three chords sounds unfinished? Is it option A, chord I, the tonic? Option B, chord IV? Or option C, which is chord V, the dominant? Pause the video and answer that question now.

The correct answer is chord V, the dominant.

It sounds unfinished when it's used in a cadence, creating an imperfect cadence.

Next question.

Which of these four sequences is likely to be the most effective chord sequence? We've got A, B, C, or D.

So pay attention to which chords are being used.

Pause the video.

Answer the question.

The answer is option B.

It uses all primary chords, it starts on the tonic, and its final two chords are a perfect V-I cadence.

It's time now for a task.

Task A here is to create an eight-bar chord sequence for ourselves.

To succeed in this task, we must start on chord I, use only primary chords in our sequence, use chord number V in bar four, creating an imperfect cadence, finish with a perfect cadence, experiment to find a pattern of chords that you yourself like, and record that chord sequence using either notation software or a DAW.

Pause the video now and have a go at that task.

All right, now that we've had a go at that task, we want to be able to analyze how effective our chord sequences are.

We're going to listen to an audio clip and answer two questions.

Firstly, what is effective about the chord sequence we're listening to? And secondly, how could it be even more effective? Let's listen to that chord progression now.

(chord sequence music) Now that we've heard it, pause the video and answer those two questions.

So, the chord sequence is effective because it uses primary chords and starts on chord I, the tonic.

However, it would be more effective if it used chord V in bar four, creating an imperfect cadence.

It would also be more effective if it ended on chord I, particularly if it used the chord V to I movement as the last two chords.

This would create a perfect cadence, which would make it more finished and complete at the end.

Now it's time to move on to the next learning cycle.

Using secondary chords in a chord sequence.

Secondary chords, chords ii, iii, and vi, can add extra harmonic interest to a chord sequence.

In the key of C major, these chords are D minor, E minor, and A minor.

Chords ii, iii, and vi.

Unlike the primary chords, which are all major, these chords are all minor chords, which is why we write them using lowercase Roman numerals.

You might have noticed we've not mentioned the chord of vii yet.

Chord vii is a diminished chord and it's difficult to use in a major key, so we're going to avoid that one for now.

Having seen what the secondary chords are in the key of C, can we figure out what the secondary chords are in the key of G major? Pause the video and answer the question.

The answer is that in the key of G major, the secondary chords are A minor, B minor, and E minor.

The chords of ii, iii, and vi.

A quick check for understanding now.

What are the secondary chords in the key of C? Pause the video and answer the question.

The answer is that D minor, E minor, and A minor are the secondary chords in the key of C.

In the key of C major, which chord should be avoided? Is it the chord of ii, chord iii, chord vi, or chord vii? Pause the video and answer that one.

The answer is chord vii.

We avoid that one because it is a diminished chord and is the hardest one to use effectively in a major key.

Now, we're going to analyze some chord sequences which use secondary chords.

We're going to hear three examples, and after we've heard them all, we're going to answer the question, which of these do we think is the most effective as a chord progression, and why? Let's hear example number one.

(chord sequence music) Okay, now it's time for example number two.

(chord sequence music) And lastly, example number three.

(chord sequence music) Now that you've heard all three chord sequences, pause the video and answer, which do you think is the most effective, and why? The third chord sequence is the most effective.

But why? Well, there are a number of things it does well.

It's effective because it starts on chord I, uses mostly primary chords, uses secondary chords sparingly, finishes bar four with chord V, creating an imperfect cadence, and finishes with a V-I perfect cadence.

Let's listen to the example again, listening out for those features this time.

(chord sequence music) When developing a chord sequence with secondary chords, there are some tips to keep in mind.

The key is to use these secondary chords sparingly.

The primary chords should remain the basis of our progression.

The secondary chords are mostly there to add harmonic interest, a bit of flavor, without being overused or taking over the progression.

So we want to keep our chord I at the start.

We want to use an imperfect cadence in bar four.

We want to make sure that we still finish with a perfect cadence.

So any secondary chords we add, we don't want to mess up that perfect cadence.

We're going to watch a video now about developing your chord progressions by using some secondary chords.

Let's watch that now.

<v Teacher>I can develop my chord sequence</v> by adding in some secondary chords.

At the moment, I've only used primary chords, which are I, IV, and V.

That's a C chord, which is I.

F chord, which is IV.

And G chord, which is V.

The secondary chords are ii, iii, and vi.

And in a major key like this, they're all minor chords.

So chord ii is a D minor chord.

Chord iii is an E minor chord.

And chord vi is an A minor chord.

So those are the three that I'm going to be trying to build in to my chord sequence.

Now, there are a few things I need to consider.

Firstly, we want to make sure we use secondary chords sparingly.

So we don't want to use loads of them.

If we use lots of secondary chords, it makes it less grounded in the key, whereas primary chords are what really helps a piece of music feel like it's strongly in a particular key.

So we don't want to use too many.

I would say, in an eight-bar chord sequence, maximum two or three secondary chords.

Secondly, we want to make sure we're still starting on chord I and we're finishing with a perfect cadence, V and I.

So the bars that we can be editing are two through to six.

We don't want to touch one or seven and eight for now.

So, once we've practiced those secondary chords and got familiar with how to play them, the next stage is then to do some experimentation by substituting out some of our primary chords in bar two to six for some of the secondary chords.

So for example, I might decide that I want to try in bar three, instead of chord I, I'm going to play a chord ii there.

Or I might decide that in bar six, instead of a chord IV, I want to try a chord vi and see what that sounds like.

I can then play the chord sequence myself on the piano and see if I like the sound of it.

If I'm working on a DAW, like GarageBand here, I can also just move notes around in the piano roll to make them into these new chords, so I might not have to record them separately.

For the purpose of this video, I'm actually going to use my notation software to show you how we might do it doing that.

So I've got my I, IV, I, V, I, IV, V, I chord sequence here.

So I think the two bars that I might experiment with changing here are bar five and bar six.

So I don't want to touch seven and eight.

I don't want to touch one.

But I think these ones might work well.

And I'm going to just try changing these chords to some of the secondary chords and seeing what it sounds like.

So this one here, that's a chord I at the moment.

Maybe I'll try a chord ii instead.

So I'm going change the notes.

(musical notes ringing) So that's now a chord ii, a D minor chord, D, F, and A.

And then I could do the same in bar six here.

At the moment, that's a chord IV.

Maybe I'll try a chord iii and see how that sounds.

(musical notes ringing) Just making sure that the notes are right there, E, G, and B.

So let's listen through and see how it sounds.

(piano music) So it sounds okay.

I think that chord ii in bar five works quite well.

However, I'm not sure about this chord iii in bar six.

So I'll maybe try a chord vi instead, which would be an A minor chord, and see how that sounds.

Let's have a listen from bar five onwards.

(piano music) I prefer the sound of that there.

So I've got now chord ii and chord vi in bar five and six.

So let's think about the features I've used there.

I've still got my perfect cadence at the end with chord V and chord I.

I've still got my chord I in the first bar.

And then I've used two secondary chords here in bar five and six.

So not loads of them.

Just two to add a little bit of harmonic interest to my chord sequence.

<v ->Okay, a check for understanding now.

</v> Which of these four chord progressions has the most appropriate use of secondary chords? A, B, C, or D.

Pause the video and answer that question.

Option B is the correct answer here.

Option A has an absolute overload of chord ii.

It's not balanced at all.

C starts on a secondary chord and probably has too many secondary chords in general, while D hasn't used secondary chords at all.

B, however, has struck a nice balance, using two secondary chords and maintaining the perfect cadence at the end.

Time for another task now.

Task B is to adapt the chord sequences we made earlier by adding some secondary chords.

So let's look at the success criteria for this task.

We want to start on chord I.

We want to use mainly primary chords and use up to two secondary chords.

So choose from D minor, E minor, and A minor for inclusion in your chord sequence.

We want to use chord V in bar four, maintaining our imperfect cadence, and finish with a perfect cadence, a V-I cadence at the end of our sequence.

We want to record this chord sequence using either notation software or a DAW.

Best of luck with that task.

Pause the video and have a go at Task B.

All right, now that we've had a go at Task B, we want to be able to analyze how effective our use of secondary chords is.

We're going to listen to an audio clip of a chord sequence and think about how effective it is and how well it meets the success criteria of our task.

We also want to answer how could this sequence possibly be improved? Let's listen to it now.

(chord sequence music) All right, now that we've heard the clip, pause the video and answer those questions.

How effective is this chord sequence? How does it meet the success criteria? And how could it be improved? Okay, so, one of the things that's effective about it is that it starts on chord I and finishes with a perfect cadence.

However, to be more effective, it could use more primary chords and fewer secondary chords.

So it doesn't quite meet the success criteria there.

It should also use chord V in bar four to create an imperfect cadence.

Okay, so, to summarize what we've looked at in today's lesson.

Chord sequences are patterns of chords that form the harmony in a composition.

Starting on chord I, the tonic, and using mostly primary chords, chords I, IV, and V, helps to anchor the music in a key, which is an effective thing to do in a chord sequence.

Using some secondary chords, ii, iii, and vi, adds further interest to our sequences, but these should be used sparingly.

Ending a chord sequence with a perfect cadence, chords V to I, helps the music feel finished.

Using an imperfect cadence, any chord going to V, in the middle of a sequence, often bar four, helps the music sound unfinished, which is what we want for the middle of our sequence.

That brings us to the end of today's lesson.

Hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you in the next one.