How to use Chords & Harmony in Your Music

1. Welcome & Congratulations: welcome and congratulations for choosing to advance your skills as a music composer. After these cores, you will be able to use the true power of chords and chord progressions in your music. You will be able to control the emotional core of your music and to support your main thing and melodies. Because cords is what Ed dips and moved to music, cords make music fuller deeper and more powerful. You will learn the foundations of courts and cold progressions. Professional use off chords in music composition, powerful guidelines on using chords in your music. And in the end, by implementing a lot the concept, guidelines and tricks, you will be able to unleash the true power or music composition by mastering the use of chords and chord progressions in your music. My name is Mike, and I have been composing and producing music since 1998 in a lot kinds of styles, and I am truly passionate about sharing the knowledge and experience I have gained with you so that you can advance as muc composer much faster. I welcome you to start these cores right now and learn the true power of chords and chord progressions to add emotion, mood and death to your music to support your lead, melodies, hooks and motives. Unlock the secrets, of course, and used them in your music compositions. 2. Introduction The Storyline of Music: Now let's learn the very essence of chords and chord progressions. In music, music is all about movement. Variation on motion. I always say that music is like a story, and every story needs some kind off progression without progression. It's not a story but a static inch. Think about this. A single note is not a melody. A series of notes is what creates a melody. A single cord is not serious, of course, creates equal progression. And now this is super important. Your cool progressions, meaning what court issues and in which order in combination with how you play those cores is what creates the emotional, cool and storyline of your music composition. Yes, the courts or, indeed the true root of your music storyline. But the great thing is that you don't need to use votes of advanced cords to create amazing music because, as with all things music, how you play the nodes has more impact. But then what notes you play? That is why you can use only three chords, threw off your whole composition and still be able to play them in almost infinite combinations because he can use powerful to keep, such as cooling versions and voice leading various rhythmic playing styles, expressive techniques and much more to create a unique performance from Onley those three chords. In fact, this court is mainly focused on how you play your course and call progressions in your music compositions to shape the foundation of your music to control the emotion, the tension, the energy, the action, the intensity and, basically, how to tell your story with Because as a composer you are like a movie director. You are like Steven Spielberg. But instead of moving images, you create your story with sounds and in these analogy, quartz and cool progressions, or like the location and background off each movie scene. The settings in a movie is what creates context, moved an atmosphere, and as a result, it dictates the emotion off each scene without is sitting. It would be like a movie with all actors being in a completely white, an empty room. Not a very interesting movie, is it? This is the reason why cords or the true foundation off music, So let's learn how to use the power off chords in your music. I will see you in the next video 3. Learn Intervals & Harmonies: Now it's time for you to master all intervals and harmonies in music. Now you have already learned that on Interval in, music is the distance between two notes that he create a melody by playing intervals in a serious that harmonies or intervals play together, and that cords or made from Stax off harmonies, intervals and harmonies. Or indeed, the very building blocks off music. You use them to create melodies to make harmony lines to build cords, basically intervals and harmonies, or the building blocks off every music story. That's why you really need to master all intervals and harmonies in music and truly develop an instinct for how they each sound because they all what you will use to create every single Milady motif, hook, riff, counter, melody, harm in line and, of course, every single chord in your music. Now you will quickly learn all main intervals and harmonies in music. The building blocks off every music composition you will create, so an interval is the distance from one note to another, and eHarmony is an interval where you play both notes together. Here are all main intervals and harmonists. They all have fancy music theory names like Minor Sickened on a perfect fifth on, you should learn all these intervals as how many half steps they are made from and they have. Step is basically two notes right next to each other. So this is a minor second interval on when you play both together. It's a minor second harmony. So here is your first main practice activity and it's really important that you learn these Well, I recommend that you first write this who is down because it helps you remember it better. Then use your piano or media keyboard and play each interval first. Going up like this thing going down on, then in harmony on. Then you repeat this to the next interval on you go through every interval like this. I would even recommend that you add this to your daily music practice routine so that you can in time know exactly how each interval and harmony will sound. I promise you that ear training and muscle memory exercises like these will be enormously beneficial for you as a music composer. Good luck and have fun practicing and mastering all intervals and hormone is a music. And I will see you in the next video 4. Learn how it is all Connected: Hello again. Great to see that you are still on these learning adventure to master the practical use, of course, and chord progressions when you compose your music. Now let's talk about how all elements of music or interconnected this is a really important perspective and fundamental concept that you should develop a core instinct for as a composer. Here it goes, melodies or intervals in a serious harmony is an interval played together, Coors or stacks off harmonies and cool progressions or chords played in a Siri's. So let me quickly demonstrate this. The absolute foundation of music is, of course, the 12 notes, which all repeated over several octaves. Then, if you have a distance between two notes like, for example, going from saying Do this, that is called an interval. Going from one note, Teoh, there's an interval going up on the same interval. Going down thing is called The Perfect Fifth going up, and this is called the perfect 50. The next is Harmony. Harmony is simply an interval played together, so let's say this one. Now it's an interval. If I play them together, that's harmony. Then there or cords and cools or simply stacks of harmonies. So if I stack a minor third, which is this harmony here, the interval is called minor Third Play. Together. It's a minor third Harmony, and then we take this note and stack a major third. On top of it, eyes just a major third interval together. Major Third Harm a minor Third Harmony with a major third harmony on a minor. And if we do the opposite to stack a major third with minor, that's a major. Try it, and this is basically how music works. Melodies or intervals in serious harmony is intervals play together Cordes or stacks of harmonies. Corporations are chords played in his Siri's as I just showed you, but the point is that you should not see any element in music as separate because they are all connected as a whole unit. They formed the complete movie together. Yes, in fact, that is a good analogy. Your music composition is like a movie. The base in your composition is like the thread that weaves together the complete story off the movie from the beginning to the end. The main theme hook motif and melodies in your composition, or like the leading actors of a scene, the actors that has the focus and main spotlight, the background and sitting leach scene. It's like the cool progressions you use in your music. Each scene is like each section of your song. A long scene could be 16 bores, while a short scene in the movie would be similar to a short section off four or eight bars in your music composition. The supporting actors of each scene would be like the notes off each court in your core progressions and the harmony lines for your leading melodies, and how they act would be similar to the playing style of each court and harmony. I could go on, but you get the picture. Every element in your music composition is simply a port off. The bigger picture, your complete movie or, as I call it, your story in sound. Another important lesson here is that you should not look at each element like a fixed unit . What do I mean by this? Well, for example, every element in music has a rhythmic pattern because everything has a starting point, a duration andan end. This means that your melodies have rhythm. Your cords have rhythm. You're harming lines have rhythm and, of course, your drums and percussion or all about rhythm. But let's take this a step further. If you break down a chord progression on it doesn't matter if you use 34 or even more notes for the cords in your core progression. Think about this. What do you get if you look at all notes off the courts in your core progression as separate sequences? Well, you basically get melody lines, intervals in a sequence, courts or essentially three or more melody lines stacked on top of each other. However, if you play lonely book cords for one bore each, you will not hear that much off the internal melodies from listening to the course alone. But the more you switch cores, meaning the more chords you fit inside your core progression, the more your ears will actually pick up these melodic lines from within the chord progression. Let's learn 1/3 listen here, since you're learning lots of new things that a quick rate now keep it up, and that listen is when you play any chord, the note your ear will focus on the most is the highest note off each chord, and you can take advantage of these as a music composer by creatively choosing different court inversions to basically form a millet e with only your chord progression. You will learn about courting versions later in this course. But first, let me demonstrate this great technique for you. Let's say you want to have this melody well, then choose courting versions so that the highest note is the same as the melody line like this. Amazing. You have now learned what I consider to be one of the single most important lessons of music composition, which is that every element is connected into a complete unit. Your drums and percussion, your cords, your Horman lines, your melodies, motives, your riffs. Everything is simply a part of your whole music story. Remember these. Write it down. Never forget it. Program this into your instinct if you can, because this perspective will give you incredible power. As a music composer, I started composing music in 1998 and this fundamental concept took me years to realize That's why I now want you to learn these here and now. Let's sum it all up like this. You see, composition is to write and connect musical elements in a creative but strategic way to end up with a complete, coherent, focused and engaging music story. All right, I think you've got this now, so let's continue in the next video. 5. Learn 204 Chords in 15 min: in this video, you are going to learn the cooled patterns for basically all the cords I personally consider to be the most used in music composition. If you learn all these cores and, more importantly, how they sound, you will have an amazing tool kit, of course, to use as a music composer. But first you need to learn how to apply the court patterns you will get in this video. I have named every chord as it is played in route position, meaning the standard way of playing the court without using any inversions. Every court pattern starts with the letter or which means route, as this is the name of the key that defines the court name. For example, let's take the simple see Major. Try it. It has the root note. See, which is why the cord name starts with the letter C. After that, you will get a serious off numbers that defines the intervals that you stack up to create the cord. Each interval is the number off half steps, which basically means the number off keys from one chord. Note to the next note in the court, For example, if we take the c major record. Again, it has a cool formula like this, or plus four plus three, which means that you start with the root note off the cord. See, in this case, then you count 4/2 steps up, meaning four keys like this. 1234 Then from that cord note, you count again. But this time three keys up. 3/2 steps. So starting with or then 4/2 steps on, then from bass note, you count up three. And that's a major triumph in this case, C major. All right, now that you have learned how to apply these chord patterns, let's learn all the most common chords in music. Let's start learning the chord pattern for the major chord. First, it is our plus four plus three, for example, the C major chord, which, by the way, it's often shortened as see you simply apply the court pattern. You learn right now, and you will get the root note. See, in this case, count up four keys 1234 and you will get the note. E. Count up three more notes and you will get G. Congratulations. You have just learned how to play the C major chord, C, E and G. But the amazing thing about cooled patterns is that you can apply them to any root key. For example, apply the same court pattern with the root note D, and he will get the D major chord. Or which isn't. It's cases day 1234 and you end up with offshore and then 123 and you get to a D major record. This means that by learning a court pattern, you automatically learn 12 new cords for each pattern, one for each key. Let's learn the pattern for the minor chord next, which is route plus three plus four. So in the root off, see you get see, go up three keys. 123 which is e flat. Then go up another four kiss. 1234 which is G so C E flat G is C minor. Now, let me repeat that once you have learned a new chord pattern, such as this one for the minor chord, you can apply it to all 12 route keys. So let's say you're going to play a minor chord in Let's say the route key off G Well, apply the formula this court pattern again, but start with G as the root note. So g 123 which is B flat, and 1234 which is D G minor. Now let's learn the court pattern for the diminished chord, which is route plus three plus three. So with the root off, see you get see 123 which is e flett. 123 inches G flat is a C diminished. Now let's learn the court pattern for the augmented chord which is route plus four plus four. So with the root of see you get seeing +1234 which is e +1234 which is G Shore see augmented. And now the suspended fourth chord which is route plus five plus two. So for the root of see you get see +12345 which is F and one to which is G C f g ce suss For now, the suspended second chord which is route plus two plus five. So the opposite off the suspended fourth chord in the root of see you get C +12 which is D was +12345 which is G C D G See sauce. Too amazing. You are learning chords at a super fast rate. In fact, you have now learned all the main three note chord types. Now let's pause this video so that you can take notes right all these court types and patterns down in a note pad or note up because it is a proven way to help you remember and learn deeper. And that's something you'd really want to do, because these six cords are so essential that you should be able to tell the chord patterns for each. Even if you're waking up in the middle of the night and when you're done writing down your notes, let's continue to learn more advanced course. Now let's learn your first advanced cord, the major sixth cold. It has the following called Pattern Route plus four plus three plus two. So with the root of See you get see 1234 which is e 123 which is G 12 which is a see e g A . Which is C major six. And that takes us to the minor sixth chord, which has the falling called pattern route 342 So starting with see you get see 123 e flat 1234 g 12 c minor. Six. Now let's learn your 1st 7th chord. The dominant Seventh Chord. This is a very commonly used chord in all music, so the cool pattern is as follows. Route Plus four plus three plus three. Starting with See you get See 1234 which is E 123 which is G 123 which is B flat. This is C seven and now the major seventh chord, which has the following chord pattern route plus four plus three plus full. So starting with see you get see +1234 which is e +123 which is G one, 234 which is being C major seven. And the minor seventh Chord, which has the chord pattern as follows. Route 343 So foresee you get see 123 which is e flat. 1234 which is G and 123 which is beef. Let see, minors said. And now we are getting really advanced. The minor major seventh chord, which has the following called Pattern route Plus three plus four plus full. So for see you get see run to three, which is E flat. +1234 Witches G 1234 which is being C minor, major seven and the organ vented. Seventh Chord has the following chord pattern route plus four plus four plus two. So for see you get See +1234 which is e +1234 which is G short +12 which is B flat, See Augmented seven. This can also be called C seven with a short and fifth. And here is the augmented major seventh chord root plus four plus four plus three. So for see you get See +1234 which is e 1234 which is G sharp, and 123 which is B C augmented major seventh Chord, which is often shortened us See Major seven with a sharpened fifth and now the diminished seventh chord which is route plus three plus three plus three. So for see you get see +123 which is a flat +123 Mrs G flat +123 which is be double flat. So why do I call this note? Be double Fert instead of a Well, to be honest, the naming off course is more on the technical side of music theory. But the short answer is that the foundation off courts is based on stacking thirds on top of each other, meaning eHarmony off either a minor third like this or a major third like this. So in the case over, let's say C major, if you want to turn that into a minor chord, which is this this note is named from the origin off the third here, which is the flat in the case of C minor, and all cords are named from their relation to the white case. So in this case, the naming comes from these wide keys thirds and or then either flattened or sharpened to form these core pattern off the diminished seventh chord In this case so flat and this flat in this and this you need to double flat 12 to get down to this note. That is why now let's learn the half diminished seventh chord, which has this quarter pattern route plus three plus three plus four. So in the case of See you get see +123 which is a flat +123 which is G flat +123 four, which is B flat C minor. Seven with a flat and five, also called half diminished seventh Chord. And now let's learn the dominant ninth chord, which has the court pattern as fools Route Plus four plus three plus three plus four. So in the case of See you will get C 1234 which is e 123 which is G 123 which is B flat 1234 which is D. So the C dominant ninth Chord or also called C nine Amazing! You are learning incredibly fast now Here is a summary. A quick, short, off all the chord patterns you have learned in this video. I recommend that you start by writing these leads down yourself in a notebook or note application, because taking notes truly helps you learn deeper. Now, what is your goal here? Well, basically, to learn how to play as many chords as possible and, more importantly, develop an instinct for how they each sound. This will make you advance incredibly much on your journey as a music composer. So here is your practice activity to help you with this goal. Use this quick short and make a daily practice routine where you focus on deep learning on one or a couple of these court types at a time. Play the cool talking. Want to focus on, for example, the major chord in every route key going up through a lot 12 keys, then going down, then jumping around between different route keys however you like, but with the same cool type. Now let's take a moment to reflect on how incredibly much you have learned in the single video. You have learned all these chords and the respective chord pattern or formula, if you will. So that is 12 keys for every court type. This means that you can now play and use 17 off the most common chords in music. In all 12 keys. That's 17 times 12 204 and that's only counting the root position of each chord. The next step for you is to learn about chord inversions and open versus closed courts again. You have now learned 204 different chords that you can use as a music composer. Congratulations. Learning a great number of courts and music has Bean one off the most beneficial things for me as a composer, because it opens up a big world off sounds and emotions that he can apply when you write your music stories. So have fun practicing, learning on in time, mastering the chords in music? No, let's continue in the next video. 6. Introduction Chords in Action: Hello again fellow composers. Now we're going to dive right into the deep end of the pool because in this module I am going to show you live examples off chords in action. I will use various chord progressions, chord progression rhythms but also called playing styles and even called expression techniques. In fact, let's repeat that because these concepts form the essence off how coupes and cool progressions work in music. The story line of your music is based by these factors. One. The cool progression you choose, meaning what cores you use and in what sequence to the cool progression rhythm, meaning the internal rhythm off your core progressions for how long you play each chord before a new chord is introduced. Three. The cooled playing style, meaning the rhythm and playing style off each court voice in your court progression and for the cord expression meaning ALS, the various ways of adding dynamic variation, expression and emotion into your chord progressions. Now I recommend you to pulls this video to write these concepts down into your note pad or note app, because taking notes is a great way to learn deeper and to remember what you learned. All right, let's play some courts and chord progressions right now. 7. Playing Style 1 Smooth Block Chords: now listen carefully as I play this smooth block chords playing style on piano and strings . - So for this kind of playing style, which I call smooth book chords playing style, I have a couple of tips for you. One. Use your sustain pedal to tie the cords together. So, for example, let's take the F court here again in third inversion. Simply hold down the sustain pedal. Now can I continue to ring? And then you momentarily and very briefly lift the sustain pedal right as you changed the cord and then press down the sustain pedal again as you press the new court like this and so well to use chord inversions that reduces voice jumping to create smooth record transitions and by voice jumping, I mean larger intervals in the court changes. So let's say you want to go from F to see well, this would be a jumpy transition in route position, way up here alone. Devices in the quarter go up big interval. Instead, you can do this can remain, but only moving these two notes down slightly likes like this back again, much smoother. Three Use voice, leading with many continued voices to reduce the amount off note that change. So by this I mean sustaining some of the notes that are present in both chords in the court change. So, for example, if we take the F court again and I want to go to a minor, well, as you can see is here, See is also in a minor so you can remain on those notes and simply move down the money and then go from the base. Note from F today on. If I want to focus on going with the melody to the sea year, you can simply air that note like this. Four. Make use off suspended chords. Not only does it help with voice leading and creating smoother transitions, but it adds lots of emotion and character to your music. So let's say you have if appear in third inversion. Well, if I simply go down to the Gino tear, that is, if suss to in 30 version like this, and then I can simply move the base down to see when I would call this cease us four. So, uh, and then I can simply go down 1/2 step with F two year Onda, go to the C major court. So the whole sequence will sound like this. It's us, too. See some form and that's it. Five. Tie the chord notes together in your d. W. So here I am inside the piano roll, and this is a string section in one of my compositions, and you can see that this note is held for a long time. And that's because the note is actually present in all these chords in the sequence. So in logic and most UW's, do you have a glue function? If you select two notes, you can use the glue tool and basically glue them together. Like So let me delete that. And that's what I have done for this court here, and these called and this cord to extend this note and this note. I could have done it with this as well. The more notes you glued together, the smoother the cruel, cool transition will sound like. So let's listen to this now will play the strings with the piano way answerable and six overlapping cord notes so you can see there is a court here, and this is actually court change in this, too. And if you look closely. You can see that this notice actually overlapping into this note and hear us well and here as well. So you don't have these gap between them, but instead they are overlapping slightly, and this will create an even smoother transition. Amazing. Now here is a summary off my tips on this smooth block chords playing style. Make sure that you take action to practice a lot. These concepts yourself learn by doing because it is always the best way. Have fun and I will be waiting for you in the next video. 8. Playing Style 2 Rhythmic Block Chords: now I will play the rhythmic blocks playing style on staccato strings. Tip one. Design a rhythmic groove, So don't just play a simple, straight beat like this. For example. 123123123123 I mean, you could do that, and it might work on some occasions, but it's pretty boring, right? So it might be easier if you imagine the rhythmic strumming of courts on an acoustic guitar , because that's basically the playing style we are talking about here. You want to create an interesting pattern when using the rhythmic A block chords playing style like this, for example, tip to add spies with the cord colors. And by this I mean that you can occasionally use different cooled coolers by using alterations like, for example, going from a major Teoh us four or a major release. Us, too, let's say, and also called extensions going from, let's say simple. Try it and adding, Let's say, 1/7 or in ad six simply as short variations to make the progression more interesting. Tip. Three. Create focus with court inversions. The highest note in a chord will always be the main focus that our ears listen to the most . So you can use this to your advantage as the composer by choosing chord inversions to direct the focus off every court in your progression. So, for example, let's say you want to go from C major. If major to G major. If he all used the root position of each chord, your ear will pick up these notes. G here from the Sea Court. See here F Court, the D here from the D chord, because your ear will hear the highest note of each scored the most. That is the focus, so you can use this to your advantage by choosing the focus using courting versions. So instead of using C and root position if you can use C and this inversion of F so now you're here will pick up, and you can use this technique for your whole court progression. TP four. Choose the accents. Interesting rhythms are also very dependent on how you choose the accents in the rhythmic pattern. So, for example, I can play like this without accents, which is very boring, and instead I can add accents on chosen beats like, let's say, the one or spread out the accents to create a more interesting rhythmic pattern. I can also play the root note with my left hand on Lee on the accent like this tip five layer with cooled voice variation. So now for this tip, I am inside the piano. Roll off, my dear w and these, they say string insolvable staccato strings pattern, which sounds like this on so one. So now this tip is for arranging these rhythmic court books on different instruments. I would say for the best impact. If you want to layer, keep the rhythm, but change the pitch by transposing the notes, meaning that if you have two instruments playing rhythmic blocks instead of simply being pasting the entire pattern, change up the inversions by a transposing the range of the court voices. So let's say you want a viola to layer on these notes here. Well, you can transpose them down an octave as to copy it to the viola track or for look, for example, a cello. Want to double these voices? Well, you might want to transpose those down an octave or even two Teoh layer with these stuck out to string pattern tip six. Add notes between the books. So, as you can see here, I have added single notes in between some of the rid me court looks, which adds more flavor and movement. You can see a single don't here and over here and here and so on. You can think of this as similar to an acoustic guitar strumming chords but occasionally plucking single strings inside the pattern to spice it up. Congratulations. Now here is a summary off my tips on the Ville Nick Block chords playing style. Write them down in your notes so that you will remember them better than have fun practicing this playing style to learn by doing, and I will see you in the next video. 9. Playing Style 3 Arpeggios: All right. Now let's learn about the or PDO playing style. Four chords. First, have a listen to this example I recorded. - Tip one. Choose the direction per note. By this, I mean that you don't have to play the arpeggio as a simple sequence from left to right on your keyboard or from right to left. You have creative freedom to jump around in the voices off the or paid you to create more variation like this. For example, tip to add passing notes or pidio zor great for passing olds between the main court notes. Basically, you can see these passing ALS is actually making a new chord as an alteration or extension of your main cord. Let me demonstrate. So let's say you have a C major chord like this three oak table top, and you want to add some post it notes into these opera do to make it more interesting. Well, let's say you want to add this, which actually is the SAS four off the sequel. You might want to add this wishy zc seven or even perhaps this a note, which is see at six. Let's play that entire sequence. In fact, tip three very note lengths inside the or Paju, a simple, straight pattern off playing the arpeggio like quarter notes, for example, can often work great like this. But you can also choose to add variation in note lengths inside your or Pedro pattern like this, for example, all right, tip for tempo, variation for extra emotion. I personally think that gradual movement in tempo off the playing style of your arpeggio, meaning slowing down and speeding up on chosen occasions in the arpeggio can make a simple or Pajot sound amazing and beautiful. So let me demonstrate. First, a static temple which can zone. Let's say, like this sounds all right, But I want to add dynamics in the temple now, so let me demonstrate how you can do that. Tip. Five. Choose the range off the or Paju. You can play in arpeggio as a simple try it where you can add doubles off the notes inside the arpeggio range over a wide range on your keyboard. Going from the medium range, let's say, adding an octave appear and let's say thes two notes here or a really big or PDO, which is often played by hopes, for example, and I personally love the sound off wide or pidio owes. Here's an example on piano, huh? Tip. Six Ad Horman is to spice up the or Paju. I actually like to break the or PDO room by occasionally stack two notes like this within the arpeggio, creating a harmony. It's technically not a true or pidio if you play more than one note at a time, but that's not the point. The point is that it is a great way to spice up your or pidio with harmonies. Weapons show you. So let's say we are going to play in arpeggio on Let's say, the B flat major court here, Right? So that's a true arpeggio playing here with a single note at the time. Now let's add some harmonies to spice it up. Let's say you want to go like that or let me play it even further to show you what I mean. Congratulations. You are doing amazingly well now. Here is a summary off all my tips on the or pidio playing style, and there are so many more ways you can play or videos that your options are almost unlimited. So go ahead and have fun practicing this particular playing style, of course, and I will see you in the next video 10. Playing Style 4 Comping Rhythm: Now let's check out the playing style I call comping rhythm. Now let me give you some practical tips on using the comping rhythm playing style. Tip. One. Focus on the groove. Comping is mainly about rhythm and groove, so focus on the rhythmic patterns more than what specific notes you use. Essentially the timing off the notes, meaning for example, 12341234 as well as their length. So, for example, using shorter and longer notes in various note lengths. Let me give you an example, and I will start with short notes and then add longer notes inside the pattern. And so one tip to blend all the styles as you wish rhythmic looks, long block chords or pidio harmonies. When comping you can mix and blend them all into a very unique performance. Let me demonstrate. - Tip . Three Accent with bass notes. You can use your left hand to add more powerful accents with the root note of the court in the base register. This works especially great on piano or orchestral ensemble sections like strings or breasts. Playing short notes in a rhythmic fashion. I will show you this on piano now. So let's say you have on F court. You can use accidents like this on. Then you can accent even mawr with bass notes. So let me show with this in a real sequence tip for Alter the cords when comping basically all rhythmic playing styles. Really, cords benefit from cooled coloring like altered cords or extended chords. It can add more flow, more interest and basically aim or dynamic performance. Let me demonstrate. So, for example, let's say you have a major chord like this, adding a suspended chord in the rhythmic playing style like this. Resolving it back, perhaps eras will using inversions and Abd quartz, adding a note like this or great ways to add colors and alter the course when comping let me play that any sequence. Awesome. Now we have learned my top tips on using the comping rhythm playing style. Keep in mind that you can use all these techniques by simply writing in all the notes of the courts in your sequencer, using your computer mouse and keyboard in your DW. Go ahead and practice the comping rhythm playing style with cords now and when you feel ready, let's continue in the next video 11. Chord Inversions: Now let's talk about cooled inversions first what? Or chord inversions. So here is my short definition. Off court inversions. Court inversions are various voicings off the same chord by transposing core denotes in octaves. Well, if you check your piano or midi keyboard, you know that the 12 notes of music or repeated in octaves, for example, you have middle C here on. If you go up a perfect octave, you get another C that C is the same note simply an octave higher or, to be specific, exactly the double frequency off the presidency. That is the technical aspect off note octaves. They are multiples off the same fundamental frequency, which is why they sound so similar and why they are all the same note. So for any chord you play, you can choose to assign each individual note off the cord to basically anywhere on the keyboard. So let's take a simple C major chord. For example, it consists off three notes C, E and G. If you play the middle C, followed by the E just above it, and then the G that is called playing the cord in route position because you play each note of the court in a linear fashion. The route the third and the fifth in this case. But now let's turn this cord into an inversion. If you take the root note, see and transpose it up an octave, you're now playing the court s 3rd 5th route that is called the first inversion. If you continue to move the new low note, which is the third or E in this case, up an octave as well, you are now playing the cord as fifth Root third, which is called the second inversion. Basically, you can play any three note chord in three variations. Root position, first inversion and second inversion. If you add a note to the court so it consists off four notes, for example, 1/7 chord. You have yet another inversion to choose from, called the Third Inversion, because there is one more note you can transpose now. Prepare to learn one off the true power methods you can use as a composer when writing call progressions, because you can creatively choose which kind of inversion you want to play for each chord in your progression in your music story. So even if you only have four chords in your court progression. This extra dimension off court inversions adds incredible flexibility and opens up so many possibilities for you. Let me demonstrate this by playing a couple of different variations off the exact same chord progression. The only thing that is different is the cooled inversions I have chosen for each chord for - Yeah , great. And as you have already learned, the highest note off each chord is what our ears pick up and focus on the most. So this means that you can now use cooled inversions to essentially decide the focus off the chord progression. Essentially, this means that you can actually shape a built in milady inside your core progression by choosing court inversions to suit that, Milady. So even if you don't have a melody in your track yet you have the power to create a milady by used in court inversions in a creative way in your chord progression. And when you combine these with your leading milady, it means your main theme will have amazing focus and clarity. Let me show you. So let's say you have a melody that goes like this. Now I will use the power of chord inversions to write a cool progression so that each chord has its highest note as the same as this melody line. Listen carefully for the melody inside the chord progression. Amazing. You have now learned the incredible power off court inversions to choose the focus, support your main theme, add variation and make your music story more powerful and interesting. Let's continue your learning journey in the next video. 12. Chord Voice Leading: Hey, composers. Now let's talk about cooled voice leading because you just learn about chord inversions, which showed you that cool progressions rarely or simple, straight blocks in a sequence. Instead, he often have lots of variation going on. One such variation is called voice Leading, and it's very integrated with the concept of cold inversions. Here is my short definition off voice leading voice leading is the movement off the internal voices, meaning all note changes off each chord in the progression? Because if we look at the piano keyboard again, let's say we want to play a simple, cool progression like C major. If Major G major and back to see Major Well, if we play the mall in route position, you will hear that it sounds kind of jumpy. That is because the intervals you move each note inside the court when switching notes is longer than it needs to be. Let's compare these two using chord inversions in a way to make the cool progression feel more smooth. I can choose to play the chords like this instead, and as you heard these sounds so much smoother. But why does it sounds, mother, Because every Millo decline, also called a voice sounds smoother if you play shorter intervals, meaning having the notes closer together. So this concept actually applies for melodies to for cold voice leading. You often want to use chord inversions in a way to minimize your hand movements if you play it on your piano or keyboard both to make it easier to play, but mainly because it sounds way smoother. However, this is not a room, and frankly, even if it waas, I choose to break it personally a lot of times when I compose music. But even so, it is a concept that is important to learn about because when you think about courts in this way, like different voices leading into each other, you start to realize that courts are really not blocks off harmonies. But actually several Millo declines or voices played in a sequence. At the same time, The best way to practice voice leading, in my opinion is to play your cool voices, meaning the individual notes on different instruments. So I have a practice activity for you now first created cool progression on your piano or keyboard using Onley Triad chords, meaning three note chords plus an added bass note by playing the root of each court with your left hand stored by making this court progression using Onley the root position off each chord like this, then practice arranging these cold progression, using each individual voice off each chord, played on a different instrument in, Let's Say, on orchestral string section, use the double basis playing the root and the Chelios, violas and violins playing the voices off the triad cord. So in route position, you would play it like this. The double basis playing the added the root note off the court, the chills playing the main route. Note the violas playing the third of the court and the violins playing the fifth. Now, when you look at the media like this, it is even more clear that courts or basically different voices playing in harmony with each other. And now the fund stores. You can use your creative freedom s a composer to choose different chord inversions and decide which of the string instruments or any other instrument should play which voice off the court. So go ahead and make some court inversions and think about the voice leading as you do so do. You won't really smooth transitions or perhaps really jumpy transitions. Next, you can go a stick further if you like, and add a leading note on some of the voices just before the cord switches into the next court In the sequence. This adds more flow and interest to your cold progression like this. So let's say you want to go from C to F. The first thing you can do is to use an inversion that minimizes the distance between these cores. So let's say I start with Sian Root Position making go to if in third inversion. And you can also add a leading note or passing note at the end of the sea to make them flow even better into each other. Like this. Congratulations. You have learned the power of voice leading, which is how various voices lead into each other from one chord into the next. And you have even learned how to add voice leading tones between the core changes, which you can use to make the transition flow more smoothly. Amazing. Now let's continue in the next video 13. Chord Playing Style: Now let's learn about chord playing styles, because how you play each chord in your core progressions is your creative choice as a composer, and it makes a huge difference. So what do I mean by called playing style? Well, basically, the internal rhythm and interaction between the notes off the cord, the voices inside the cord, the easiest and simplest way to play a chord is called block chords. It is basically a big books for each chord, where each note inside the court is held until the next chord. In the progression. If you use the court blocks playing style, you usually use some voice leading with a leading tone before the court change to spice it up, no and also long, low chords that lost a ball or more need another way to make it more interesting. Expression and movement. That's why this book core playing style, is mainly used on strings and brass instruments because they have so much control over the expression in the sustained the sound Let's move on to the next playing style or pidio. It means broken chord. Basically, it means that the solid block off notes is broken up and played in a sequence. The rhythm of the sequins and how you jump between the notes in the court is totally up to you and a super powerful way to add interest and a rhythmic flow inside your chord progressions. Next playing style, I call rhythmic blocks because it is still book courts. But instead of long blocks between each court change, you break them up into smaller pieces and add ridden. Basically, this is what you told strumming is, but you can do it on any type of instrument that can play courts in a short, rhythmic style, for example, stuck cattle notes on strings, breast and woodwinds. Then we have the court playing style I call comping rhythm, which is basically a blend between several of these other styles into a unique rhythmic pattern, usually on guitar or piano. The comping playing style can, for example, be mixing between single notes, short blocks, Juno's for harmony and switching up the length of notes, all to create a comping rhythm. As I said, this works especially well on piano or guitar, So you have now learned that the playing style meaning the rhythm and interaction between the notes or voices off each chord is completely free of choice, even with a super simple core progression like, for example, see Major F Major G major and back to see Major. You have unlimited options off how these cool progression will sound by crafting de playing style for each chord in the progression. Now try out these different playing styles for your cords. Block chords that are held until the next court. Very ethnic blocs, which basically is what guitar strumming is, or pidio, is which, or broken chords into individual notes and comping rhythm, which is a blend off these things, including note lengths to create your rhythm with. So have fun practicing chord playing styles, and I will be waiting for you in the next video. 14. Chord Progression Rhythm: Now you have already learned about your creative power off using court playing styles. But there's even more power in your composer hands because you also have complete creative freedom off how long each court is played in the sequence. So for each court inside your core progression, you can choose if it should be played for one board to bore half the ball or even 1/4 bowl the length of each chord. The timing off the court changes. These parts are completely free for you to choose inside your music compositions. The point is that it technically is the same chord progression, but it sounds so very different. Let me demonstrate. If we take the simple C F G C chord progression again, I will allow played with various length of each chord. Of course, this will also mean that the duration of the cold progression can be longer or shorter, But that is also part of the point. Let's listen now. Here is a very important lesson for you to learn. A common mistake many new composers make is to Onley add chord changes every ball. Why would you want to restrict yourself like that? In fact, I would encourage No. I challenge you to start using MAWR chord changes because it will add more depth, more variation and, as a result, a more interesting and engaging character in your music. Congratulations. You have now learned about cool progression rhythm, meaning the length off each chord and timing of your core changes in your progressions. You have also broken free from the chains off one bore chord changes. So go ahead and practice changing up the internal timing of your core progressions, and I will see you in the next video. 15. Diatonic Chords: Now, of course, the foundation off your cool progressions is based on what cools you choose to put inside it. And one thing that can help you out is learning about diatonic chords, the dia torrey courts or all cords that Onley uses notes from within the scale you have chosen for your song. So, for example, let's say we use the A minor scale to write your composition in, well that scale. Onley uses white keys on your keyboard. So then the diatonic chords will also Onley use notes from the white case. Now a standard scale has seven notes, plus the added oak tape off the root note to end this game with. So if I play all white keys from A to a an octave above it like this, I just played the A minor scale, right? Well, each key I played has a number that is basically it's placement within the scale called scale degree. The root note, which is a in this case, is called one the Next B is called to, and so on up to seven, which is G in this case. And then the scale ends with the A an octave above the root note well, to be precise. In music theory, you use Roman numerals to state the scale degree of each note or chord like this, those all the seven degrees off a standard scale in music. And this means that you have seven diatonic chords to choose from. If you use all these simple triad chords, you can get even more if you extend your cores or add color to them by either adding notes or altering notes within the chord by pushing them up or down. So for the a minor scale, which uses on Lee White case, you get these diatonic triad courts. Let's look at this sequence carefully because I want you to remember it well, why? Well, because the great thing about scale patterns and diatonic chords full of the scale is that it is this same for all keys off the specific scale type. So for this example, we used the natural minor scale in a So whenever you compose music within this scale, in any other key, you get the same diatonic chord sequins, the same order the pattern you see here, which means that you can simply delete the keys from the same pattern and make it like this instead. And then we simply named this pattern natural, minor scale diatonic chords. Now let's do the same thing. But for all major scales, then we get this diatonic chord pattern. Congratulations. You have now looked this secret to choosing chords that sound right for your composition. The diatonic chords. Of course, the sequence of the courts matter a lot, and some cool changes will always sound more natural than others. But basically, the diatonic chords can be a great starting point as a bank off course to choose from when creating your chord progression, I want to give you a final bonus advanced tip as well. Did you notice that both the minor scale type and the major scale type both have a diminished chord in the diatonic chord pattern? Well, I can honestly say that diminished chords are rarely used, mainly because they have the dreaded try tone interval inside the cord, which is very dissonant. So, knowing that I would say that you can focus mainly on this six other diatonic cores as the starting point in your chord progressions. And don't forget, you can also add notes to extend the triads intercourse with more than three notes or alter notes within the chord to, for example, making suspended. Cool. Truly learn this. I have another practice activity for you. I want you to write down these diatonic court patterns for both the major scale and the natural minor scale, because writing things down helps the learning process. But not only that. I then wanted to look at your notes as he play through the cords off each of these patterns . Let's say you start with the major scale diatonic chords. Well, then start by choosing the key. I recommend you use the C major scale first and then play each dia. Tony cooled off the scale, going up and then going down. Then you switch key, but use the same scale type. Let's say D major, pick out the diatonic chords of D major using the diatonic chord formula you just learned and play them in the sequins, going from 1 to 7 and 7 to 1 plus the octave to resolve the scale. After you have practiced this for a while, start mixing things up. Switch randomly or creatively between the degrees off the scale from 1 to 62 perhaps three than five. And so one. The purpose of this exercise is for you to become familiar with the sound and character off the diatonic courts of the specific scale, but also to develop an instinct for how different chord changes sound like, because going from 4 to 1 has a totally different emotion than going from 3 to 6, for example. So this is the sound off the major scale type with the diatonic chords. 141 1541 16451 and so one. So practice as many options as you like and make sure that you practice in all keys off the major scale as well as the natural minor scale. After you have practiced this lot, you will find that you will know beforehand what a specific court change will sound like in your chord progression. And this will speed up your composing process and give you much more creative freedom and power. Have fun developing your diatonic chords and chord changing instincts, and I will see you in the next video 16. The 3 Strong Chords: All right. So you have learned about the diatonic chords, and while you are not bound by them, they are indeed a great starting point for writing your chord progressions. However, in this video you're going to learn about the concept I call the three strong chords in music because s you learned you have seven diatonic chords in his scale, one for each scale degree from 1 to 7. And he also learned that for the major scale and minor scale, you have a diminished chord as one off the diatonic chords. Well, that one is rarely used, which reduces your options 26 chords. Off course. You can use the diminished court of your light because you are in control. As a composer, I'm just trying to help you develop a sense for the different diatonic chords here. Now, the three strong cords, all the courts that you will use the most because they have a mathematical relationship in the very frequencies off their note pictures that basically bind them together. These cords or the root cord, the one the fourth chord and the fifth called of the scale in the naming off the scale degrees of all scales. These are called the Tonic, the perfect fourth and the perfect fifth. The tonic is the harmonic home of your music composition on the perfect fourth and perfect fifth or very tied to your tonic. So, basically, if you listen to, let's say, Pope music, there are millions of tracks that Onley uses these three strong cords as the foundation off the court progression in the song. So a guideline you can use is to give these three diatonic chords a bit more weight when you develop your chord progressions, meaning you used and more often than the other diatonic chords within your music composition. So here are the three strong cords for the natural minor scale to the left and the major scale to the right noticed that the minor scale type has all the three strong courts as minor chords on the opposite for the major scale type where the three strong cords are all major. That is, in fact, what creates the sad emotional character off the minor scale based songs and uplifting, upbeat, sound off major scale based songs. Let me demonstrate this by playing a chord progression using Onley, the three strongholds first using the minor scale and then with the major skill, let me start with the A minor scale, where the 1451 progression will sound like this. The three strong cores and now let's play the one full 51 chord progression the three strong chords on the C major scale. In essence, they formed the harmonic CenterPoint of your music story. You can think of the 145 as the cool family, the mother, father and child on the other diatonic chords as your best friends, the cool family will naturally spend the most time together. Try this out for yourself. Now practice playing diatonic chords from a major scale and then do the same exercise on a minor scale and take extra notice off how natural it feels to play the 145 course in the scale. But sometimes you want to see your friends, too, so adding a couple of the other diatonic chords into your chord progression. Have fun, learn will and I will see you in the next video 17. Harmony is like Relationships: chords and harmonies is what add depth in music. What kind of depth and emotional tone is your choice as a composer? For every Milady, there are millions of choices for the harmonic storyline to support it, meaning the cords you choose, the length of each courting, the progression and the rhythm and playing style of each chord. Now here is a really important lesson that I personally learned as one of those ah ha moments. Here is what I realized years into my composing journey cools and harmonies are formed automatically from relationships. Basically, this means whenever you have two or more voices meaning melodic lines playing different parts at the same time, you will. For a harmonic relationship between them, this means that course and harmonies. Music does not have to be played by one single instrument, like, for example, a strumming a tall comping piano. In fact, chords and harmonies are automatically formed from the relationship between all ports playing in your track. So let's say you have a composition in your D W made from Onley software instruments, so that you can look at all media notes off any section. At the same time, you simply select all ports and open the piano row. And most D A. W's should be able to show you the media off all those ports in one single piano row editor like this. Now off course, you should exclude all drum and percussion media tracks because those are known, pitched and can therefore not for many harmony. But select all other tracks and then look carefully inside the piano room, your leading melody, counter melodies, piano comping and strings playing book cords. Every note off every instrument adds up in here. So wherever you place the play head in the sequencer, when you are inside the piano and look at all notes like this, that's basically the cord off that specific moment in your composition. Let me be even more clear. Your melody, your counter melody, the tracks playing book cords or arpeggios. Everything creates a total sum in each and every point of your composition, and that some is the harmonic structure off that moment, meaning the cord. That is how I look at all music these days, and I find this viewpoint very liberating and empowering because now he can see everything as individual voices that create harmonies with their relationships. It's like your composition is like a team. Let's say a football team. If you introduce a new player meaning a new voice in your composition, the team will s a result be different. You relationships are formed automatically because that's the very essence over a team. Everyone plays their role, but the end result will always be above the full team. So think in these terms when you compose your music, melodies, harmonies, court and any playing style off, these elements automatically form a team from the relationships between them. And those relationships change over time in your composition, just like the placement on the field off all team players during a game. Now, finally, I recommend that you deep in this perspective and sense of relationships in music by going into different compositions you have created and praising the play head in the sequencer in various ports in your track than analyze which notes or present at that very moment. Which cord is those relationships forming at each of the places in your composition? Again, all harmonies in music are about relationships between the notes at every single moment in your music story, so make sure that you truly learn these by heart, and I will see you in the next video 18. Guideline 1 Chord vs Melody Factor: guideline one Courts versus Milady Factor, as you have already learned all melodic voices off all your instruments or what creates the current chord at any specific point of your music composition. This is automatic by the relationship off all intervals between the notes. Now, if you play a chord progression on, for example, piano, you usually change chords too slowly for the internal voices of the courts to be picked up as a melody. As you can hear from this example, so basically the usual way to look at course in music is like a harmonic foundation, a framework for your story. However, if you change chords very often, like almost every quarter note, your court progression will feel more like counterpoint harmony, meaning several individual melodic lines played together. So in this example, I have changed cords very often, which in fact creates Melo declines inside the chord progression. Let's take a listen first, so the top note of each chord will always be in most focus. So the melody you hear the most is this one. But if you listen carefully, you can hear another melodic line here and perhaps this one as well. Uh, and in fact here in the booth, uh, the difference between this harmonic foundation way of using course on going into almost counterpoint harmony is what I call the cords versus melody factor. And you can use this factor to your advantage to add even more support to your leading melody. Because every time a note inside your court changes even one single voice, it is like a micro accent, and that micro accent can support your milady. If you're mentally changes the note at the exact same time as well. If you change the entire cord, that is even more often accent. Now are you starting to see what you can do here? You can use your chord changes and voice leading inside the cords to accent and support your leading melodies, hooks, motives and riffs, especially if you use voice leading that takes a voice in the cord to the same note as the melody. So, basically, by changing chords more often, you are getting more into the realm of counterpoint harmony in your cold progression, and this will add more support to your leading melody. Now try this out for yourself, right a melody line off four bores, then first ad cords that change every bore. Next, try to add court changes in between, and if you can manage it, go even further and try to change chords every quarter. Note as well. Here is a tip for you. A cool change doesn't have to be an entirely different chord. Altered cords and extended chords often were great as well, like going from a triad to a add six chord or suspended chord, perhaps 1/7 chord. And so one. In fact, you will find that these cord colorings are often more powerful as added support to your leading melody than completely new courts, because you often need to only change one single voice off the cord, and that voice can then go to the melody note. Good luck and I will see you in the next video. 19. Guideline 2 Mood vs Action Factor: guideline to mood versus action factor other than the tempo. What decides the energy and action of your music, rhythm and rhythm does not have to be drums and percussion. In fact, if you think about it, every single instrument and sound in your music has rhythm built in automatically, because rhythm is simply a pattern in time and every note and sound as a beginning, a duration and an end. So a Basie rhythm will give more action and energy vibe. And a very slow, simple rhythm will make your music focus more on mood and vibe. Basically, you can think of it like this. If you take, let's say, four balls off your music composition and you would count every single note, change off all instruments and add it up to a total number. The higher that number, the more action and energy that section will have and vice versa. So for cool progressions, this means adding more chords into a section means more courted changes, which, as a result, will give your track more drive and energy, at least in the court ports. Here's a tip you don't need to change the cord or voice to add energy. Simply cutting it up into a rhythm works equally well. Think off a guitar, strumming a chord once and letting it ring out versus a guitar, strumming a chord in a fast pattern. So why do I call this the mood versus action factor? Well, because it is like a scale from 0 to 10 0 being absolutely minimal. Action and energy, which is basically Onley focus on mood and 10 being super rhythmic action vibe, which is many court changes. Very rhythmic way off playing your cords. So let's say you want to go from for a minimal feel focusing on mood. Well, use long, sustained course like this, and if you want to add a bit more flow into them, you can use a smooth voice leading, only changing a few of the voices of the court like this. And the more voice changes and rhythm you add into your courts in your progression, the mawr action and energy Compared to mood, let me show you an example of lots of action and energy. Now the mood versus action factor does not rely on pitch. It relies on rhythm. How many note changes order even if the notes are simply repeating. Of course. You also need to back it up with your drums and percussion. If you truly want to add looks off energy and action into your composition now, many times you don't want that, but rather want a smooth bed off music on under school music that is mainly focused on mood . Then make your cords last longer. Focus on court inversions that create smoother voice leading meaning, having the voices closer together. Often you can go beyond one bar record. In this case, - you can back it up with a soft pad or drone on a single note that is held throughout a longer section of your track, perhaps adding some atmospheric sounds and textures. You get the point here. This is what I call the mood versus action factor. How often are you changing the cords, or even just changing a voice inside the court? Add movement and how much rhythm do you add into your composition? So practice this by first creating an underscore type cold progression completely focused on mood and then cut it up. ADM. Or cool changes rhythm in the corn oats internal movement off the voices inside the court and whatever you like to get your call progression more focused on action and energy. Have fun practicing these, and I will see you in the next video. 20. Guideline 3 Stability vs Flow Factor: guideline. Three. Stability vs flow Factor Courts have the ability to make your music feel stable, noble and full off authority, or go into the other direction and make your composition flow like a river. One of the main ways to control these stability vs flu factor or by either using big stable books versus running cord notes. And by running Cornell's I am referring to Orp Agios, which means broken chords in and or pidio the corn oats or broken up and played one by one in a flowing sequence. The ordering off the notes and the rhythm of this flowing sequence is up to you As a composer. I find that using arpeggios can also be a great way to spice up your chords with posing tones and leading tones meaning toes outside of your cord that are played shortly as kind of a transition or added despise. Let me show you what I mean. So for the or pity you I just played for you. I was using the C mind record first like this, and then I went Teoh e flat major, like this aunt. Here is where I start to add passing notes like this first, this one that's not in the major court. It's actually making it into the seventh on and then thesis part of the court. But then I had these two. Before I go down again and make it into a B flat major this, you know, and I'm going to. If if you're going to play chords that flu like this, I recommend that you use instruments that can play short sounds in a staccato or Placke style, for example, pianos or grateful or pedals. But if you want to go faster than, let's say, eight notes pianos, stores to struggle because the notes are not short enough and it starts to sound a bit muddy orchestral strings playing a short note. Articulation works great. And, of course, on synthesizers. You have full control over the length of the sound so you can get crystal clear, plucky sounds to use for fast or pigeons. Let me show you as I play a fast ORP radio on staccato strings. Here's a tip for you. You don't have to break up your cords into all the single notes When playing an arpeggio. You can also use some parts that play two notes at the same time like this, right? You can also spice up your long sustained block chords with voice leading using little teasers, often arpeggio like this, For example, Uh, so basically, the stability vs flow factor is depending on how much stability in long sustained blocks. Which is the lower report off the scale A supposed to the more or Peggy ated feel and flow of your courts by using, like, say, or something like that. Now go ahead and practice the stability vs flow factor. Make your own arpeggios and try them out on different instruments like piano, staccato strings and so on, and I will see you in the next video. 21. Guideline 4 Up vs Down Factor: guideline for up versus down factor. You can use courts to build energy by using courting versions and voice leading that go upwards in pitch. Or you can do the opposite to bring down the energy level by simply doing the opposite. It's simply a matter of going into your media editor, also called Pierrot, and control the general direction in pitch for your core progression. If that direction is going upwards, it will build energy and anticipation, which works great in, for example, transitions into the Coors or any other powerful section off your track. So let me show you an example off, going upwards in direction with the cords to the climax and ending off this composition. And if you choose the direction in your core progression that goes down, it will bring the energy level down to a more relaxed feeling. Almost like your hero. Having accomplished his great tossed on is on his way home again. Of course, there are so many options for directions of your cords. You can have them go in a straight line or you can jump around and switched direction, which can add descends over anxiety and Kenya's an action, however, the up versus down factor is one of my personal favorites, especially for transitions into new sections of your track. For building energy in a chorus or power section, or for bringing your hero back home at the end of your track, let me demonstrate how great the effect is off the direction of your core progression. Let me first show you an example where I bring the flow and energy off the cool progression down by taking the cool progression in a down wards. Momentum. Bringing your hero back home like this. Now let's bring the hero back on an adventure again by going upwards in your core progression like this. Now try this out for yourself, creating chord progression. Let's say eight bars long, with each court being half a bar in length, then go into the piano roll and use transposing in octaves on chose and cord notes to make the entire cool progression inclined upwards in pitch. Feel the power off direction in your cords, the energy, tension and anticipation. Then do the opposite. Make the direction go down, experiment as much as you like, and then start using this direction Technique in your own music compositions use the power off the up versus down factor. Amazing. Now let's continue in the next video 22. Guideline 5 Chords for Transitions: guideline. Five cools for transitions. Transitions between sections in your music is one of those things that all composers struggle with when learning and improving their craft. Using fills rose Syncopation on other techniques on rhythm and percussion is one of the best ways to create good transitions. But cords can be used to great effect as well. You just learn about using cooled direction for transitions. Well, another way is to use passing notes or leading notes in your cords. These are loans in your cords that are used in the very end off the specific cord before the changed into the new court, often by simply altering or adding a voice of your cord on the final quarter. Note or even eighth notes before the next court change. Let me show you what I mean. So let's say you have a simple chord progression like this D g e a. On. Then you will resolve with D in octave, higher for the new section, which, for example, could be your course. So instead of simply going directly from the A, try it today you can add a posing notes. So here we have the A tried in route position. Let's check out this note, which basically makes the into a seven on DA. This works really great because it's on Lee. They have stepped from this note, which is, in the d chord appear so, which makes it resolve even better because of the added attention off the half step there. So in the sequence, it can sound like this. Another great way to use courts to help with transitions is by using the internal rhythm or playing style of the cords in music. When you're going to transition into a new section of your track, you want to guide the listener to be aware that something new is about to happen. It's like in a movie, when the music is changing, perhaps the camera angles is becoming different, and so and you know something is coming up. You can do the same with your cool progressions and playing style in your music to make your transitions more clear. Basically, just by breaking the flow, you're telling the listener that's something you will come up. So if you're cool, progression was playing in a rhythmic way. You can, for example, that the final bar before the transition point B a long sustained chord, or vice versa. So if we take a listen to this example here, we will first hear one rhythmic flow here. And then the courts are starting to play a completely different flow in the transition port here to prepare the listener for the new section, Let's take a listen. Another way is to use cords to basically mimic a drum roll by playing a straight rhythm with the cords. And you can then use dynamic expression and velocity values to make that cooled role build in energy up to the transition point. So let me show you a quick example of using this technique and off course. One of the most powerful aspects of music is always an option as well. Silence. So basically simply having no cord in that final bore before the transition into let's say your chorus will make your transition more powerful by contrast. So let me show you an example of using silence in the transition port to attention and anticipation. As you can see from all these muted ports here, including the chord progression here, let's take a listen so as you can see cords or super powerful for your transitions as well . Now try it out for yourself. Experiment with changes in your courts and playing style in those final moments before a transition, headphone and I will see you in the next video. 23. Guideline 6 Expression for Emotion: guideline. Six. Expression for emotion One of the most amazing aspects of music is the emotion off dynamics , motion and movement within the notes and for courts. These can make a huge difference, especially if you use big book chords on strings. Brass, etcetera, orphan with long, sustained sounds on software instruments, you can control the dynamics with the Mudville on your media keyboard. You can lap expression to a breath controller like this. A breath controller is a device that you blow air into, and the more air pressure it receives higher value it sends to your software instrument on As you can see, a major advantage of these is that both your hands are still free to play the media. Keep an expression pedal, a slider or no bone, your midi keyboard or whatever you prefer. But if you prefer, you can, of course, go into the automation data for your software instruments and manually right in the expression of aviation with your computer mouse and keyboard. In fact, even if you record automation with a media key border controller, it is often good to go in and adjust the automation data. Think of this almost as Qantas station and correcting out of tyre notes. But in this case, it's for the expression data. Now the most common way to add variation in the dynamics is with the meaty velocity values of each note. So let's say you have recorded a short little chord progression like this one, and now you want to manually right in expression data for it. So first you need to go into the piano roll editor. Then you need to open up the automation lane in logic. You click on a on your computer keyboard, and here we have the automation lane and here we can choose what parameter you're going to write in automation data. For In this case, we have a string instrument which controls the dynamics on the moderate will. So if we click here your simple choose modulation, which is the modulation wheel, and now you can use the pen to to write in the automation data like this. So you wanted to ride here in dynamics and then go down like so and now it will sound like this variation is key in music. It applies to everything. The notes you used, the timing of each note, the temple, the cords and, of course, expression and dynamics. Without dynamic variation, music will sound flat, static and boring. Let me show you the difference between a cool progression played on piano, with real variation from myself recording the port on my digital piano back here. Compared to the same performance when I sit alone the notes to the same velocity, the difference is like night and day. So the two main ways of adding expression for emotional impact into your cords or dynamic variation in the attack off the notes from media velocity values and dynamic variation in the sustain off. The notes from dynamic expression data often mapped to the mode real but can also be mapped freely to another slider, noble or even a breath controller. Now go ahead and practice this and try to make a habit of adding dynamic variation and expression into all parts of your music. And when you feel ready, let's continue in the next video 24. Guideline 7 Simplicity is Powerful: guideline. Seven. Simplicity is powerful. I have it saying, I repeated my music composition courses. How you play the notes has more impact than which notes you play, and it's the same with your chords. In fact, you can use only three or four course in your entire composition and still make each section's sound different on your entire composition. Unique. How is this possible? Well, think about it. Almost all modern popular music gets away with this, and the reason is based on exactly what I just said, how you play the courts first. The sequence, of course, then the length and internal rhythm off the court progression and, most importantly, how you play each voice of the cord, which can be arranged in two different instruments, have different rhythm. And so now simplicity is powerful, and you have already learned about their three strongholds, the one before and the five in the scale of your song. These scale degrees on the cords that correspond to them have a mathematical relationship that makes them into basically a family off the scale and key you have chosen. That is why I call them the three strong cords. If you analyze what schools are used for all compositions. Every written you will find that the 14 and five or by four the most used. So even if you write orchestral, cinematic music or experimental rock, or what every style you want, you should always be aware off the amazing pool these three strong cords has on your listeners. So don't avoid them simply because you hate that modern pop music uses. Basically, Onley. These cords embrace the power off them, and especially in your cores or big, powerful sections of your music. You have so many ways to use the power off the three strong cores. One. You can extend these strong cores from simple triads to 7th 9th and so one to you can alter them into, for example, suspended fourths or suspended second cords and three. You can, of course, always use cool inversions to shape the court progression of the storyline of your music composition and full. Of course, they're playing style of each chord, the internal rhythm off each voice, the dynamics off each note. This is the true power off music, how you play the notes. So let's say you have a super simple called progression, going 145 and then back to one. Let's do that in C major first, uh, so that's the easiest way to play this core progression. Long sustained block courts each in route position, which, frankly, is very boring. But you have almost unlimited ways to play these chords and each voices inside them. Let me just briefly show you a couple of examples. Add some rhythm and leading notes to it like this, uh, plate. As an arpeggio like this same core progression, but a completely different way of playing it. You can play it in more likely comping rhythmic style like this, and the choices go on on on, especially if you combine lots of different playing styles and blend them together. So the main lesson here is that simplicity is powerful in music and that you can do so incredibly much with only the three strong cords as your foundation. Remember these three chords or the cool off almost every composition ever made? The one the four and the five. It's like a family. The one and five have the most power in all music. They are like the parents on the four is like their child. Sometimes they invite friends to their home, which are the other diatonic chords. Sometimes they go on trips on activities, which are like extended door altered cords. But they always stay true to their cool family values, which again is the essential form, the triad of the 14 and five. Now you can practice the power off simplicity by making a composition completely using the 14 and five chords off any scale and key of your choice. You will soon find out for yourself that there are still an infinite number of variations. If you consider the how you play factor and the colors off these three strong cords, so have fun, and I will see you in the next video. 25. Guideline 8 Closed vs Open Chords: guideline. Eight Closed versus open cores. You have already learned about the power off chord inversions, but there is another way to add variation, depth and space. And that is by opening up the cords, meaning literally spacing out the notes. Because with called inversions, you still play the notes of the chord without any gap between them. Well, of course, you have notes between them, but not one of the notes off the court itself. So let me show you the difference between closed courts and open course. Let's take a simple cord like the C major. Try it. See, those are the notes inside this court. And as you can see, there is no C, e or G in between these notes on If I choose an inversion of it like, say, I take this g an octave below, there's still no ce orgy in between any of these doughnuts. I could use another inversion by going down with this e to this s o. These are all the possible combinations off C E and G enclosed position the root position Thursday Mission sickening version. But you can ADM or colors by spreading the notes out. So let's say have this sequel. Now, instead of simply using an inversion, you can open up the cord so you can play the sea here, but not to use that one. It's used the G here on the third on top the here that's still a C major triad chords. But in open position, you can open it up even further by, let's say, the route the third here on, Let's say, if I can reach I used to sustain pedal for the fifth up here. That's also a C major. Try it, but with a very open sound. This extra dimension is called open chords. Compare it to the standard way of playing chords, which is called closed position. By spreading the notes of the courts out, you are in fact, adding more separation between the notes of the court. On it can also make your core feel more full. Since using wider range in frequencies, Here's a bonus tip to make your course even bigger and fuller double some of the voices in the court as you spread them out, meaning the open chords. But as a general guideline, you should have the most power on the root note followed by the fifth and be a bit more careful by doubling the 3rd 2 months. Now. Let's create a huge fool and powerful chord by making it an open chord with several doubles off the internal court voices. As I said, I recommend doubling the one and faith more than the other notes to use. For example, Third and I also recommend having the lowest bass note as the root note off the cord. So let's say you use a C major chord than use a za lowest. I will now hold down the sustained pittle so I can add one note at a time as I build up this cord into a massive chord sound. Let's do this with this C major. Try it. So starting with the sea as the lowest key, let's do another. See here. Favorites here. See again. Let's do the third here saves on. That's how you create an open chord with the doubles off the court voices to create a super thick and full court sound. Closed cords or more focused within one range one primary octave, while open chords have more depth, fullness and separation between the voices. Great. Now you have learned the power off open chords compared to closed cords. You should use both options creatively for what works best for your specific composition. Also, remember that doubling some of the voices of your cores adds even more fullness and power. However, if you have a main theme motif and leading melody playing, make sure your chords and harmonies are not too huge and fall because they risk overtaking the focus and clouding the clarity off the main theme. And when the main theme is praying, he should always have a big spoke light on it. Go ahead and practice playing open chords now and compare them by the sound off closed chords. Then when you're down, let's continue in the next video. 26. Guideline 9 Build vs Reduce Energy: guideline. Nine Build vs reduced energy. Now you have only learned how to use the power off dynamics and expression in your courts. Adding movement, motion and variation is the essence off emotion in music. But now let's focus on the primary direction. You can bring a chord in intensity. I am talking about a gradual, increasing intensity and volume, which in music terms is called a crescendo, versus a gradual decrease in dynamics, which is called a diminuendo. You should really try to master the used off these two directions off dynamic expression because they are the foundation off energy and intensity in music. For example, when you're building energy into your cores, a crescendo is super powerful. In fact, crescendos and dim innuendos are used in practically all transitions in music building energy. If you're going into a high energy section off your composition and vice versa, now here's a bonus tip. If you use the power off crescendos and diminuendo, those which are directions off dynamics in combination with direction, off pitch in your cords was she already learned about Then you will be able to create truly impactful and emotional transitions, so basically you can use the power often upwards direction with your courts like this in combination with a crescendo, either by gradually increasing the velocity values, for example, on a piano like this, or by increasing the dynamic expression. For example, on strings like this. Off course crescendos and dim innuendos are not only used for transitions, but perhaps that's where they are often most noticeable. You should use crescendos and innuendoes as the cool, dynamic expression direction when you add movement and motion into your music. It works especially great for long sustained notes on strings, brass and woodwinds all, for example, playing rhythmically on piano or guitar. Now it's time for you to practice building and reducing the intensity and loudness by using crescendos. And diminuendo is in your music. I recommend focusing on orchestral strings because they have an incredible range of dynamics. They can have a crescendo or diminuendo on a single held cord, which you cannot do on piano or guitar, for example. Good luck and I will see you in the next video 27. Guideline 10 Tension vs Resolve: guideline. 10 Tension versus Resolved Composing music is like making a movie. This is my true personal viewpoint, because music has a progression. Sections like scenes of a movie music has emotion, energy and movement and variation in all aspects. Like the action and storyline over movie music, Shoulders and styles can feel like anything from a fantastic adventure movie to a dork suspenseful horror movie that makes your spine shiver. This is the true power of music telling your story in emotions Now, since you don't have images or actors that can add the tension and drama, you need something else you need the power off cords and harmony, and all intervals and music have various degrees and kinds off tension built into them. And since harmony is basically, intervals play together and cords or harmonists stacked on top of each other, well, that means that you can use the power off chords and chord voicings to create anything from a super happy and pleasing sound to a sinister dork dimension kind of sound. So if you want to add a happy and uplifting atmosphere in your track, you can focus mainly on major courts and especially major triads. like, for example, going for math major to G Major Baxter with Major, and you can also play it in a playing style that is more read, making jumpy, which can add to the happy character like this. And if you want to Eddie Dork Removed and mawr tension into your composition, you can use courts that includes a decent interval like, for example, the minor second, the or the tri tone. For example, the diminished Try it here. So one of the best ways to use the tension versus resolved technique in your music compositions is to add a decent interval that it then resolved to a constant interval, meaning a pleasing sound. So let's say you have an interval off a tri tone in this diminish score. Thank you can resolve it because that tension is so high if you re sold this to the perfect way. Fifth, you end up with a minor and see, in this case, so going from tension versus resource, you add tension mainly by using courts and voicings that include decent and intervals. The more tension you add, the more pool and need the listener feels for wanting to re sold back to a pleasing sound. You can add little spices of tension that quickly resolved like, for example, leasing suspended course that resolves back to the main cord. Let's say you go from a on, then go up to d suspend that fourth, so it's not a minor or a major, but this on resolve this note back to a major here, so that sequence will sound like this on. Sometimes you can even go from suspended 4th 2 suspended second and then resolve it like this, or using a leading or posing cord that has a strong pool or tension, which you then resold with a cool the change, or even by going back to the tonic. Let's say we play a chord progression in C major like this on Now we want to go to if, but who will add instead of only the triad? This note the seventh as a posing. Note some tension that wants to be resolved. Even mawr, to this note, when you go to the G O and the tonic is like the safety and comfort of your home in your music composition, the cool that all chords in your progression pool towards basically all your chord progressions wants to eventually re sold back to the home cord the first chord off your scale. Most of the time you will use dissonant cores, intervals and voicings very briefly because of their strong pool to resolve. The tension is simply too high for most types of music, however, for feel music, dramatic underscore or any music written for media, there is more room to play with for tension and dissonance, especially for thrillers, horror, suspenseful drama and so one. I recommend that he practice creating suspense intention in your cool progressions by adding courts and voicings that include a decent interval. And remember, the more notes they called includes the mawr intervals you have inside it because an interval is simply like a connection off two notes. So let's say you have a simple three note chord. Well, then you have an interval between node one and No. Two. No to a note three, but also from note one and three. And those intervals toe also sound different, depending on the court voicing you choose which inversion off the cord. Good luck, and I will see you in the next video 28. Congratulations You are Amazing: congratulations, you or amazing, because you have completed the entire course, which means that you have learned many important foundations, concepts and guidelines, as well as my own professional tricks and secrets that will help you improve as a music composer to learn and master the use of chords and harmony in music. Now what is next for you take action and learn by doing. Taking action is the only way to move forward on any journey, and learning by doing is the ultimate learning experience. That's why I sincerely recommend that you take action right now and apply everything you learned here or the three ways I recommend one. Learn by repeating, go through the notes you have written during the course and also read the bonus pdf summary Because repetition is the mother of learning to learn by practicing practice every concept , every guideline and every practical tip you have learned in this course on your media keyboard or piano and also in your DW on three. Learn by creating start using all the techniques and practical tips directly in your music compositions. It is the only way to make sure you truly learn something. Well, the only way you will become a master of using course in music. Finally, I want to wish you good luck and great success on your professional journey in music. Go and make amazing music for the world to hear. Go and create your music stories. My name is Mike and I will see you in another course.