Music Theory Live Class #I

[jacksprat]

Yeah, 1530 UTC-5 is a pretty meaningless way to specify time. Better to just give the UTC time and let everyone convert that to their local time.

[Majik]

I disagree. It’s a very good way of giving the time.

When I looked, I had to take a second glance to realise that it was my local time.

But that is what it is: my local time, as @Stuartw says. For me it says UTC+8 which I recognise as my local time.

That is all the info I need to know to understand when it’s happening.

For you it may something different, but it will precisely explain what time it is for you, assuming your timezone settings are accurate. And if they aren’t, it’s still everything you need to understand what time it is scheduled for.

Cheers

Keith

[dvm1961]

Here are my chord progressions in th e key of A:
verses: A F#m Bm E, repeat a couple of times
the “chorusy” part is C#m F#m C#m F#m D E then swing around back to A in the verse line

I was skeptical that I could come up with something like this but have to admit, I had a lot of fun with this. I’m working during the next class, but will definitely watch it
later. You hinted that we will have more fun with our songs and I can’t wait to see what’s next! Thanks!

[dvm1961]

[Chris60]

Firstly…great class…definitely a supplement to the PMT course on the website, not a replacement for it. My chord prog is:

I put a video up on U Tube as this seemed complicated to write out!!!

Chris Allen Progression 1 and 2

Looking forward to the next class

[noahjb1309]

Really enjoyed getting into a creative flow thanks to this class.

Here’s are my two progressions in the key of C:
Verse: | Cmaj7 | Am7 | F Fm | C |
Chorus: | Gm | F | C | C |

Looking forward to what’s next!

[StanA]

PMT Challenge 1

Key: C
Verse:
| C G | F C | Am | G |
| F G | Am Dm | C G | C |

Chorus:
| Am | Em | Am | G|
| Dm | Am | F | G |

[Washburn64]

Here are my chord progressions for the challenge. They come from my one and only attempt at songwriting so far.

Verse-
G-C-Bmin-D

Chorus-
C-Amin (x3)
C-D-G.

Thanks Justin and staff for the live class! I didn’t get to attend live but I got a lot out of watching the recording. I’m planning on attending the next session.

Kevin

[Richard_close2u]

Well … I suppose I had better stick my oar in for all of you lovely folk.

@Buckinvt

My Chord Progressions

Key A ==> A - Bm -D - A

Key F ==> F - Am - Bb - C - F

Key D ==> D - F#m - Bm - Em - D - F#m - Bm - D

Key of A = I → ii → IV → I

Key of F = I → iii → IV → V → I

Key of D = I → iii → vi → ii → I → iii → vi → I

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@Silvia80

My chord progressions are:

Verse: Bm Em F#m G

Chorus: D A Em A

And I’m in the key of…? D

Verse in key of B minor = i → iv → v → VI

Chorus in key of D major = I → V → ii → V

You modulate from relative minor to (verse) relative major (chorus).

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@brianlarsen

| Dm | G | C | F |

| Dm | G | C | F |

| F | Fm | C | Em | Am | Em |

| ii | V | I | IV |

| ii | V | I | IV |

| IV | iv | I | iii | vi | iii |

All the chords are diatonic to the key of C apart from your borrowed Fm but you’re not really emphasising C as home base, although on the two occasions it appears you do have the dominant pushing towards it.

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@Malz

Verse; C - F - C - F - C - F - C - G

Chorus: B - A - E - F#m - A – E

Verse = I – IV – I – IV – I – IV – I - V

Chorus = Vadd11 – Ivadd9 – I – ii – Ivadd9 – I

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@Aledo

My chord progressions are;

Verse Em, G, Am, Em

Chorus Am C D Am

Verse = key of E minor = i – III – iv – I

Chorus = key of A minor = I – III – IV – I (D is a borrowed chord)

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@penyrolewen

Verse: G - Bm - Am - G

Chorus: Em - Bm - Em - Bm - Em - Bm - Am - G

Verse = key of G major = I - iii - ii - I

Chorus = key of E minor = i - v - i - v - i - v - iv – III

You modulate from relative major to (verse) relative minor (chorus).

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@Uninvitedguest

A - Amaj7 - A7 – D - Dsus4 - D

Cadd9 – G – C – G – C – G

E and then slide the e shape up 1 fret then back down.

Key of A major = I – Imaj7 – I7 – IV – Ivsus4 – IV

Key of C major = Iadd9 – V - Iadd9 – V Iadd9 – V

Analysing the E chord is tricky … depending on where it leads to. If it heads back to A it is operating as a dominant V transition chord to trigger the modulation. The slide of the E shape up one fret makes a chord ambiguous to name.

@Uninvitedguest

Or am I making this way too complicated for myself?

For the purposes of the ‘homework’ yes.

Ps Your move in the first section (I major à I maj7 à I7 à IV is a very common move. It is called a line cliché. Not because it is overused, that is just the terminology applied to it. In different keys, listen to the first four chords in The Beatles – Something and Bob Dylan – Simple Twist Of Fate

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@Gagan

My two chord progressions are:

Key of Bb

Verse: Dm Bb

Chorus: Gm Dm Eb F

Verse = key of Bb major = VI – i

Chorus = key of G minor = I – v – VI – VII

You modulate from relative major (verse) to relative minor (chorus).

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@MyDogsGotNoNose

My progression is in scale of G.

Verse: Am7 - Cadd9 – G - Bm

Chorus: Am – C – G - G

Hence verse: II, IV, I, III chorus: II, IV, I, I

Without hearing it, I would call all of that the key of A minor.

Verse = i7 – IIIadd9 – VII - ii

Chorus = i – III – VII – VII

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@Stuartw

Verse - Big G - Cadd9 - Big G - A7sus4.

Chorus - Big G - Cadd9 - Big G - Dadd4/F#

Verse = key of G = I – IVadd9 – I – ii7sus4

Chorus = key of G = I – Ivadd9 – I - Vadd11

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@PaulBMiller

I saw that you wanted to post chord progressions, so for key of C:

1 5 6 4 C G Am F

1 4 5 4 C F G F

1 6 4 5 C Am F G

All good. Chord progressions are often written using Roman numerals. I use upper case for major chords and lower case for minor chords. Justin uses all upper case.

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@karlos_st

Here is my chord progressions:

Verse: G Em C D (I vi IV V)
Chorus: D C Em Am (V IV vi ii)

All good for the verse. You may have modulated away from the key of G major for the chorus to the relative minor (E minor). It is difficult to know without hearing it.

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[Richard_close2u]

@TomRichardson

• Key of G, using 1, 4, 5 & 6 chords (G, C, D, Em)

Verse - 1, 6, 5, 4 = G, Em, D, C

Chorus - 5, 4, 6, 1 = D, C, Em, G

• Key of C, using 1, 2, 5, 6 chords (C, Dm, G, Am)

Verse - 1, 5, 2, 6 = C, G, Dm, Am

Chorus - 2, 6, 1, 5 = Dm, Am, C, G

All good. Chord progressions are often written using Roman numerals. I use upper case for major chords and lower case for minor chords. Justin uses all upper case.

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@TheCluelessLuthier

The Intro, Chorus, & Bridge is: IV I II V7 I (C, G, Am, D7, C)

The verse is: I II V7 I IV I II V7 I (G, Am, D7, G, C, G, Am, G)

Intro, Chorus, & Bridge = key of C major = I – vi – II7 – I

Verse = key of G major all good.

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@Stuartw

my 2nd go at this. So my chord progressions which I think are in the key of G:

Verse - C - G - D - Am

Chorus - C - G - D - Em

Verse = key of G major = IV – I – V – ii

Chorus = key of G major = IV – I – V – vi

Your chords are all within the key of G but you’re not emphasising the tonic chord of G very much and you’re not utilising the D chord (the dominant V chord) to give a tension – resolution feel of coming home and landing satisfactorily at the home chord of G.

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@Mari63

Verse:

Aadd9 - A Major 9 - A9 - Dadd9 - Gm - D – A – A

Chorus:

F#m - D - E - A - Bm F#m – E - Aadd9

You are indeed using a similar line cliché as @Uninvitedguest

Your extensions are different but the voice leading with one semitone move in an otherwise static chord base is the same.

Verse = key of A major = Iadd9 – I maj9 – I9 - IVadd9 - bvii - IV – I – I

Chorus = key of A = vi – IV – V – I – ii – V – Iadd9

You are indeed using a similar line cliché as @uninvitedguest Your extensions are different but the voice leading with one semitone move in an otherwise static chord base is the same.

@Mari63

I can’t figure out why the Gm seems to make sense in the progression though.

This could get unnecessarily complicated so bear with me and ignore this if you like how it sounds and that is enough for you.

There is a thing called tritone substitution. Within the V7 chord in any key there exists a tritone interval between that chords 3rd and b7th chord tones. It is the most unstable of intervals. A tritone substitution swaps the V7 chord for another chord containing those exact same two notes which are similarly a tritone apart. In your key of A major, E7 can be swapped for Bb7. Both contain the notes G# and D.

E7 = E, G#, B, D

Bb7 = Bb, D, F, Ab

[G# and Ab are enharmonic equivalents]

G# / Ab and D are at an interval of a tritone. See the note circle. They are directly opposite each other six semitones = three tones apart.

Directly opposite one another on a different circle, the chords E and Bb (and their extended dominant 7 forms) are directly opposite on the circle of fifths. On the inner circle of the circle of fifths, adjacent to Bb7 is Gm. Gm is the relative minor of Bb. Playing the relative minor of a tritone substitution can have a similar effect as the tritone substitution itself.

Gm can be an ‘almost sub’ for Bb7 which can be a tritone sub for E7 all in the key of A.

Or … if it sounds good it is good.

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@TheMadman_tobyjenner

The progression can be broken down into 2 verses and a chorus.

V1 Am Am Em Em (i i V V) x 2

V2 Am C Em Em (i III V V) x 2

C. G Dm Am Am (VII iv i i) x 2

All good.

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@Chordy65

Key G major

Verse:

|G - - B7|Em - - E7|Am - - A7 | D - - -|

Chorus:

|D7 - - -|G - G7 - |C - - D7|G - - -|

Do the chords run for 3 beats then 1 beat in most of those bars?

Verse = key of G major = |I - - III7|vi - - VI7|ii - - II7 | V - - -|

Chorus = key of G major = |V7 - - -|I - I7 - |IV - - V7|I - - -|

B7 = secondary dominant leading to Em

E7 = secondary dominant leading to Am

A7 = secondary dominant leading to D

G7 = secondary dominant leading to C

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@MapleBrain

Em / D (or Bm7) / C / B7 (related or “stolen” from the Andalusian Cadence)

Key of E minor = |i | VII or v7 | VI | V7 |

B7 can be viewed as a secondary dominant in the key of E minor or as the dominant chord in the key of E harmonic minor. The harmonic minor scale exists to give is a V7 à I resolution which is so common and pleasing in minor keys. That is outside the scope of the PMT course at present.

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@Silvia80

here are my chord progressions

Verse: Bm Em F#m G

Chorus: D A Em A

Verse = key of G major = | iii | vi | vii | I |

Chorus = key of D = | I | V | ii | V |

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@Lisa_S

Key: C

Verse: C |Am|F-Dm7|G played 2x

Chorus: Dm-C|G|Em-G|Am |Dm-C|G|Em-G7|C

It might not be as straightforward as just the key of C. There is definitely, in my ears, a sense of a tonal shift when the chorus comes around and it feels like you have gone to the minor world and the Am chord is home. Even though it only occurs once. The end of the chorus reflects the progression but uses the G7 to set us on a path away from the a minor tonality and back to the C major tonality of the next verse. There is no difference in the diatonic chords between the keys of C major and A minor, they are relative major and minor to one another, so it can be hard to detect and not a hard and fast rule.

Verse = key of C major = | vi | IV ii7| V |

Chorus = key of A minor = | iv III | VII |v VII | i |iv III |VII |v VII7 | I |

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[Richard_close2u]

@Adaltro

These are my chord progressions:

KEY OF G

VERSES:

G C Amin C G

CHORUS

Amin C G w/ Cadd9 Amin C Amin Emin D

Verse = key of G major = | I | IV | ii | IV | I |

The chorus key is ambiguous without hearing it. It could be G although that chord appears only once and it is more laden with C and Am chords. But D is not diatonic to the keys of C major or A minor. If the chorus is in C / Am then D would be seen as a non-diatonic chord. It could be described as a secondary dominant leading back to the tonic of G for the next verse. That effect would be even greater if played as D7.

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@Beatup6String

here’s my chord progression In G major

Verses:

|G G6 |Em Em7|Am Asu4|C Cmaj7| Am |D7 |G |G |

Chorus:

|G Em |Am D7|G Em|Am D7|

Verse = key of G major = | I I6 | vi vi7 | ii iisus4 | IV IVmaj7 | ii | V7 | I | I |

Chorus = key of G major = | I vi | ii V7 | I vi | ii V7 |

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@TheOldGuy

Intro: A C#m Bm D

Verse: A A D A A E D A

Bridge: Bm C#m

Chorus: D D E E

Intro = key of A = | I | iii | ii | IV |

Verse = key of A = | I | I | IV | I I I | V | IV | I |

The bridge and chorus are ambiguous. The bridge could be bouncing between the ii and iii chords in the key of A major. Or it could be a ‘modal vamp’ using the i and ii in B Dorian. The chorus could be bouncing between the IV and V of A major. Or it could be a ‘modal vamp’ in E mixolydian.

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@dvm1961

Here are my chord progressions in the key of A:

verses: A F#m Bm E

chorus: C#m F#m C#m F#m D E then back to A

You move from A major in the verse to the relative minor of F# minor in the chorus.

Verse = key of A major = | I | vi | ii | V |

Chorus = key of F# minor = | v | i | v | i | VI |

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@Chris60

My chord prog is:

I won’t quote your table. You have …

Key of G = | I | vi | IV | V | I | IV | I | IV | I |

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@noahjb1309

Here’s are my two progressions in the key of C:

Verse: | Cmaj7 | Am7 | F Fm | C |

Chorus: | Gm | F | C | C |

Verse = key of C major = | Imaj7 | vi7 | IV iv | I |

Chorus = key of C major = | v | IV | I | I |

The Fm is a borrowed chord, the famous IV going to iv (major to minor) trick.

Gm is also a borrowed chord.

Both are borrowed from the relative minor key of C minor.

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@StanA

PMT Challenge 1

Key: C

Verse:

| C G | F C | Am | G |

| F G | Am Dm | C G | C |

Chorus:

| Am | Em | Am | G|

| Dm | Am | F | G |

Verse = key of C major = | I V | IV I | vi | V | IV V | vi ii | I V | I |

Chorus = key of A minor = | i | v | i | II | iv | i | VI | VII |

You have modulated from the key of C major in the verse to the relative minor key of A minor in the chorus.

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@Washburn64

Here are my chord progressions for the challenge.

Verse- G-C-Bmin-D

Chorus- C-Amin (x3) C-D-G.

Verse = key of G major = | I | IV | iii | V |

Chorus = key of C = | I | vi | I | vi | I | vi | I | II | V |

The chorus ends with a borrowed chord that can be seen as acting as a secondary dominant signalling the modulation back to the key of G for the next verse. This effect would be even greater if it was played as D7.

[Mari63]

@Richard_close2u

This could get unnecessarily complicated …
Gm can be an ‘almost sub’ for Bb7 which can be a tritone sub for E7 all in the key of A.

Or … if it sounds good it is good.

You are a real wealth of information, Richard, thank you!!! I read through your analysis a few times, and it almost makes sense to me. It’s also very interesting, although I don’t see myself ever really using that in real life, something like thinking in advance about tritone subs. On the other hand it could be useful sometimes to use that complicated theory to think about chord progressions to get out of a rut. First I need to finish Justin’s theory course though. Ready to start Grade 5

[StanA]

Wow, Richard, you’ve put in a lot of work on these comments. Your knowledge and commitment to this group is much appreciated! Thank you!

[Adaltro]

@Richard_close2u Hello, Richard!! Tks for your comment. The Chorus Key is supposed to be G as well. There’s a little variation between G and Cadd9 which I think sounds nice… I’ll try the D7 out of curiosity!! Thanks again!!

[Aledo]

Hi Richard, for my chorus I used Am, C, D & Am, and you have said that is in the key of Am. Could those chords also be in the key of G Major, or am I getting it wrong?
By the way, thank you for your help, it is much appreciated.
Aled

[Richard_close2u]

@Aledo

Could those chords also be in the key of G Major, or am I getting it wrong?

They are in the key of G … but you have no G chord at all. You also have no Em chord (the relative minor of G major). It is therefore difficult to conclude it is in the key of G.
I am deliberately avoiding describing anything using modes and modal harmony to describe any of these chord progressions as that is beyond the scope of the theory course at present. Hence I used a way of keeping it simple and described it as a modulation to the key of A minor with one out-of-key chord.

[Aledo]

Thank you Richard.

[Richard_close2u]

@Adaltro
The chords in your chorus belong in the keys of G and C … apart from the D at the end which is in G but not C.
Without hearing it identifying the chord that is ‘home’ is tricky. Hence I wrote it is ambiguous.

[Richard_close2u]

@Mari63
Thank you.

I hope you had a wonderful one-to-one today!

[Adaltro]

I believe it’s tricky… I’m at the point where I have to double check my “Chords in a key” table… And also I wouldn’t be able to change key on purpose yet… I know it’s possible and I’ve seen it many times and, if I’m not wrong you use the chord that belongs to both keys to come back to the original key… it’s all so interesting!! Tks for your support, Richard!!