Chord Variations in Four Parts - Music Theory

[@MusicMattersGB]

Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here! www.mmcourses.co.uk/courses

[@driesbush21]

I really love this channel sir and all your free teachings u offer. They are straight forward with simple explanations of the concepts. God bless u sir. I am following from CAMEROON, AFRICA.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great. Have a good day.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Fascinating view of chords in four part harmony. Since I'm just starting sightreading, and using Bach chorals as the basis, this is very timely.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great. Much more to help you at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@lloydsundal814]

This was really useful, I've been playing piano since I was young and no one has ever taught me about this!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Thank you. See www.mmcourses.co.uk for details of our 24 online courses and of our Music Matters Maestros programme.

[@Ciaran55]

This was a very enlightening video for me; when I try to analyse music I often get stuck when the notes don’t fit into the traditional major or minor set. The chords you play sound really good! For the third chord, could you also call it an e minor chord with a lowered ninth?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely. Glad it’s helpful. See www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@collinchingota7717]

This is enlightening! Thank you! am really looking for ways to make some of our oversued songs for interesting and refreshing

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@thomasvervoort5809]

Thank you so much! Could you also make a video on when and how to use which chords when composing music?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Sure. We can do that. Have a look around the channel because there’s lots of stuff already there on that topic. Also see Advanced Theory at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@brainstorm3k]

Thank you sir! Your explanation skills are great, cause you keep being curious in your explanation. I study being a music teacher and also write songs for 12 years now, mostly intuitively- so I want to use theory to expand my practical knowledge. I can really follow your explanations in contrast to many other teachers. Progress by little steps! Just great...

[@MusicMattersGB]

You’re very kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our 25 online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. Keep going. Steady progress is the best way.

[@woozihae]

Just found out about your channel and it's sooo helpful!!! I love your way of teaching with showing both the piano and sheet music!

[@MusicMattersGB]

I’m glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme

[@2002jorgeparr]

AWESOME! THANK YOU SIR!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here kzbin.info/door/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQgjoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.

[@guapitatessa]

I love this channel very very good teacher thanks so much for sharing your knowledge about Music. I jump from 2014 to 2019 very blessed of your teaching ..

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s a pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@nilsfrederking62]

Thanks for your insightful videos! In this case it would be great to have a follow up on how these chords could be used in C-major. While for some of them I found good harmonic contexts for others I had difficulty to do the same.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s a fair request.

[@abc456f]

I agree. Learning all the chord variations in C major, then you can apply the chord structures to every other key.

[@babackd.6485]

Amazing stuff as always 🌷🌷🌷

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s very kind

[@babackd.6485]

@@MusicMattersGB you are kind sir for teaching wholeheartedly

[@MusicMattersGB]

@@babackd.6485 Thank you

[@DROSTraceurADD]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@Sam-zf2wg]

Thank you for the knowledge

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s a pleasure. See www.mmcourses.co.uk for information about our 25 online courses and about our special Music Matters Maestros group.

[@philipgreenwood3251]

Solid and clear information as ever. Great stuff. And as ever, I've got questions... 1. Is 4 part harmony the de facto when composing? I'm trying to write pieces for soloing over and just see 4 part harmony appearing more often than all others 2. Is it, erm, rude or wrong, to add or remove a voice from 4 part harmony occasionally? When I have my final cadence, sometimes I'll want a high top colour note but this adds a 5th voice, so not sure if this is bad manners or acceptable.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Good questions. Four part harmony is the default position for learning to write harmony but one is free to use fewer or more parts or to vary the number of parts in the texture as many composers do. Obviously if you write for voices or for choir the SATB texture is fixed if that’s your lineup but even then voices can drop out or lines can split.

[@philipgreenwood3251]

@@MusicMattersGB thanks. I do like adding an extra voice, especially on a sustained end chord, for (cheesy) dramatic effect (still find the clashing James Bond min/major 7 a horrid ending ). What I'm doing is probably a few steps removed from SATB. It's 4 part harmony but bass as baseline, guitar providing the chords, so I can improvise over the top. I've found your video of how to construct harmony from a single lead line immensely useful as I usually have a tune in my head, convert the melody into notes, then try hit or miss to provide a chordal background - sometimes I hit the "best" chord by accident but usually keep changing one note at a time until it sounds right. So giving me the info will save loads of time plus weaponise my harmony 😀

[@MusicMattersGB]

Excellent. Enjoy!

[@zacharypeters3910]

Your videos are so incredibly awesome and incredible thank you! Although I just have a question about example #7 with the D major 9th chord because I’m wondering if it’s in the key of D major then wouldn’t the 7th note be a c# not a c? I’m just a bit confused on that one.

[@MusicMattersGB]

When we talk about D9 we normally mean it to be a Dominant 9th in the key of G - hence the C natural. If it were to include C# instead it would be labelled D maj7 or 9

[@ephjaymusic]

Another great video! Thank you!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure.

[@akaye643]

I have a question. For the 3rd chord you presented, can it also be a E minor 9 ? Like an inversion if it? Newbie here. Still get confused with building bigger complex chords.

[@akaye643]

Oh never mind I just saw a comment with the same question as mine. Thank you!

[@MusicMattersGB]

No worries. Hope it makes sense.

[@SteveKirkUK]

Maybe I'm over-analysing it but I'm a tad confused about how to construct extended chords. If a C9 chord is spelt C-D-E-G-B all within one octave is that still C9 or Cadd2? Likewise is C-E-F-G-B a C11 or Cadd4 etc? I'm comparing to (e.g.) Cmaj where the C-E-G can be split over more than one octave in any order so I was applying the same principle to extended chords. I'm suspecting not, as it sounds quite dissonant having C-D-E or E-F-G all in one octave! Plus all your examples of extended chords had the 9th or 13th in the 'right' place compared to the root without any octave move up or down. Thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

You can place extensions anywhere you choose within the chord but you’re right that bringing the extended notes down an octave can radically increase dissonance. C9 is almost the same as Cadd2 but the latter doesn’t usually contain the 7th whereas the former might well include it.

[@pedroalves6560]

how can you use extended chords and properly resolve them following 4 part harmony rules?

[@MusicMattersGB]

We could do more of this in future videos.

[@pipgrace8333]

Is chord 3 a dominant 7th with the 13th added ? I thought the same as e minor 9th I've read your replys G major also has an f# in key sig this is why I'm wondering if it's like a dom 7th with 13th Hope you dont mind me asking I do find naming chords confusing as they can be described in different ways Thankyou for your helpful tutorials

[@MusicMattersGB]

The thing is to be clear about which notes are in the chord. Using your example in C major chord lll is EGB. V13 is GBDFACE and you would expect the chord to contain at least the root, the 3rd, the 7th and the 13th. It’s a question of what you have in the chord.

[@pipgrace8333]

Thankyou Sorry I don't think I made myself clear with my question I meant the 3rd chord in the presentation I think I understand now why Its G 13 All the notes fit for V13 (missing 5th) in C Major I see from your answering another comment if it was e min 9th (1st inversion) the f would be # in the key sig Many thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@markhumphrey8894]

Thanks for posting these amazing lessons. Why at 3:32 did you go C-then skipped up to E - then back down to G? The notes are written C-G-E. so the E is an octave above the E that would between the C and G for the C-E-G(1-3-5 chord)? Or does it not matter where on the keyboard the C-E-G are. I thought those were called inversions. I have not watched the whole video clip so you may have explained the reasoning latter. Thanks again. Keep posting. I'm learning a ton.

[@MusicMattersGB]

The chord is determined by the notes contained within, so this is a C major 7 chord comprising C E G B. The note that is at the bottom of the chord determines the inversion, so C at the bottom is root position, E at the bottom is first inversion, G at the bottom is second inversion, B at the bottom is third inversion. You’re then free to organise the notes above the bass as you wish.

[@markhumphrey8894]

@@MusicMattersGB Excellent. I did not know that they could be in any order after the root note. I guess since there are only 12 chromatic notes and then they repeat, your getting all the correct notes just in different octaves. thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@aliputera]

Many thanks for this, Gareth! :)

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@jowh865]

Great video keep it up!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Thanks for the positive encouragement. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@moveuself]

fantastic

[@MusicMattersGB]

Most kind.

[@bd4811]

Why no 1 is a seventh? I learnt that c7 goes with a Bflat?

[@MusicMattersGB]

It’s all about how you reference in relation to key. So l7 in C major contains B natural, while V7 in F major contains a Bb.

[@carlstenger5893]

Wonderful video (as always). Question about example number 3: couldn't it be an e minor 9 (first inversion)?

[@man0sticks]

With F natural, it would be E minor flat 9.

[@man0sticks]

Except that it lacks the 7th (D).

[@MusicMattersGB]

It would be possible to see that as some kind of Em9 but E minor would have an F# in the key signature so it’s not an ideal fit.

[@squirky8006]

the dislikes are the people who are jealous that u teach so good. also great video!

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s kind of you. Thanks.

[@patrickcunningham618]

ten stars*********

[@MusicMattersGB]

Most kind. Thanks for your support.