Category Archives: Composing

How to build the harmonic structure of a piece (part 4)

The chord on the third degree

The most particular music chords in a major scale are the ones built on the third degree. Why are these so particular?

Because they have a very strong ambiguity.

It is in fact the minor chord which contains the leading tone and has a very particular role. It is this chord which we will see in the lesson of today.

You will see that to understand its ambivalent characteristics and to learn to use it in the correct way, will give something more to the harmonic structure built in different major keys. We will do this with many practical examples.

Today, we will start to talk about the minor key and we will see how to build harmonic groups in this key.

Without noticing, you are gaining many important tools which will allow you to compose your own music, obtaining the most out of the world of harmony.

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	38 mins
1. How to use the seventh degree	8m 25s
2. The characteristics of the chord on the third degree	9m 06s
3. How to use the chord on the third degree 1	7m 09s
4. How to use the chord on the third degree 2	6m 34s
5. The harmonic groups on harmonic minor scale	6m 59s
+ 1 pdf files

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How to build the harmonic structure of a piece (part 3)

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How to use lowered sixth degree to build chords progressions

In building a chord progression, one of the most imortant things is variety.

It is natural that the use of only chords of the major scale is a limit – What can we do about this?

We have to introduce other elements which allow us more variety. This is precisely what we wil do in this lesson and you will learn:

What is the lowered sixth degree.
How to use two different chords on the same degree.
Which inversion chords are better used more frequently in major key?
Which are the degrees on which the inversion chords are less effective.
How to vary the harmonic patterns using inversions.

The introduction of all these elements will allow us to obtain more effective musical results.

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	46 mins
1. How to obtain major variety in the building of harmonic structure	1m 33s
2. We learn to use the lowered sixth degree	7m 15s
3. Examples of harmonic progressions with lowered sixth degree	7m 46s
4. How to use in an effective way inversions	8m 32s
5. Other examples of chords progressions	12m 11s
6. How to vary harmonic patterns using inversions	9m 52s

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How to build the harmonic structure of a piece (part 2)

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How to build chords progressions in major key

In the last lesson we introduced a fundamental concept: functional harmony. To understand functional harmony means to understand which is its role and function of each chord in the key.

We have also managed to put the chords, according to their role into different groups.

Today we will put all of this into practice.

We will infact build different harmonic progressions in some of the principal major keys and try to alternate chords of different groups.

This will allow us to obtain variety and balance in building harmony in a piece.

Moreover we will see how to use harmonic patterns obtaining a very effective result, avoiding the monotonous result that repetitions often give.

We are going further along the pathway to success…

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	30 mins
1. Introduction of the new lesson	2m 25s
2. How to build chord progressions alternating chords from different groups	7m 15s
3. Harmonic progressions with other features	8m 20s
4. How to use harmonic patterns in order to obtain a very effective musical effect	4m 27s
5. Building patterns with the use of chords of the same harmonic group	8m 39s

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How to build the harmonic structure of a piece (part 1)

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The Functional Harmony – Building chord progressions

Today we will start with the first of a series of lessons which will allow you to learn how to build the harmonic structure of a piece. For general information about this cycle of lessons, I suggest you visit the following page.

Today we will have an in-depth look at the subject.

After a brief introduction which will allow you to understand the aim of this cycle of lessons and how they are structured, we learn a fundamental thing:

Which is the role of each chord in major key.

You will see that each chord has its own multiple functions linked to the sense of movement and rest.
We will understand which funtion is necessary to make the first step and learn to build chord progressions without exerting your musical ear.

We say that instinct is essential in composition but if this does not come with knowledge, the risk is to be blinded.

Have a good lesson!

During the course of these lessons we will use the corresponding degrees of the scale. Let me remind you that the names of major scale degrees are:

I degree: tonic
II: supertonic
III: mediant
IV: subdominant
V: dominant
VI: submediant
VII: leading tone

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	24 mins
1. What you will learn in these lessons	4m 28s
2. How do you build the harmonic structure of a piece?	2m 25s
3. Introducing functional harmony	3m 11s
4. Harmonic groups in major key and their characteristics	6m 29s
5. We look for harmonic groups at the keyboard – some observation on chords of various harmonic groups	8m 22s
+ 1 pdf files

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Do you want to know how to make your melodies more interesting and agile? (Part 3)

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How to compose melodies using escape tones and reaching tones

Today we will put into practice what we have learned so far from the previous lessons.
We will see how to compose melodies using the non harmonic notes we have just learned.
This will allow you, in one way to understand how to use these new resources in the best way and on the other hand, it will make you aware of the effectiveness that these notes can give to your melody.

Remember that sometimes it just takes a small touch to transform a discreet melody into a beautiful one.

It is this touch which we obtain through the use of the notes we are about to learn.

Firstly I wil show you how to widen the disjunct motions using some non harmonic notes which give some really impressing results

At the end of the video, you will find a printable sheet music in pdf containing the melodies we will study and which can help you study the lesson

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	39 mins
1. How to widen disjunct motions to make a melodic frame more pleasant	5m 51s
2. We learn to compose a melody using escape tones in all their combinations	10m 41s
3. Compose a melody with the reaching tones	11m 29s
4. We compose a melody using all the non harmonic tones we know	11m 06s
+ 1 pdf files

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Do you want to know how to make your melodies more interesting and agile? (Part 2)

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What is the secret in obtaining a good melody?

It is fundamental to have the right balance between the following:

conjunct motion

disjunct motion

After learning the first type of non harmonic tones which allow us to obtain disjunct motion, today we are going to learn two other types of notes with the same characteristic.

As you will see, these notes have a series of properties which can give a certain touch to your melodies

You are gradually learning many new tricks that you will help you express you full musical personality in writing music.

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	26 mins
1. Principal features of the two new non harmonic tones which allow disjunct motion	2m 50s
2. Escape tones: what they are and when to use them	5m 50s
3. We learn about escape tones in-depth and the advantages in using them	7m 20s
4. The reaching tone: how to skip to a non harmonic notes and obtain a very particular effect	9m 54s

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Do you want to know how to make your melodies more interesting and agile? (Part 1)

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How to make a melody more interesting

In the precedent lessons we spoke about non harmonic tones. These notes however, in the costruction of our melody, allow us to obtain only steps between adjacent degrees of the scale we are using.

A good melody is not only done between adjacent steps but a furher element is necessary to give variety.

So what is this element of variety?

It is the disjunt motion.

How can we obtain disjunct motion in the composition of our melodies without using only the chord notes?
It is what you will learn in these lessons in which the first non harmonic tones will be introduced allowing us to obtain disjunct motion and to make our melodies even more interesting.

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	29 mins
1. Why disjunct motions are so important?	3m 33s
2. Anticipations: what they are and how to use them	7m 57s
3. A further element of variety for our melodies: indirect anticipations	7m 34s
4. How to compose a melody using anticipations	10m 06s
+ 1 pdf files

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The first essential exercises to learn to compose (part 2)

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Let’s learn to compose

In the last lesson we spoke extensively about the importance of these exercises which allow to develop all mental abilities necessary in the composition of music.

We have also seen a first example of how to carry out these exercises to learn to compose.

But today we will go further

I will show you, through some examples which music sheets you will be able to print out in pdf, how it is possible to obtain more variety in the moment we do these exercises.

To get used to search variety in composition while maintaining a general balance is fundamental for one simple reason: we practice using our imagination and our creativity.

Musical imagination is something which can be improved.

This may be done using possible variants of exercises which I will show you today.

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	34 mins
Intro	1m 58s
1. The three possible characteristics which the melody we are composing must have	5m 28s
2. How to vary the melodies 1	10m 41s
3. How to vary the melodies 2	4m 41s
4. How to vary the melodies 3	12m 03s
5. Video summary of the 4 examples	1m 19s
+ 1 pdf files

Intro

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The first essential exercises to learn to compose (part 1)

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How to develop your own composing method

Is it really possible to learn how to compose?

Many people believe that it is necessary to have a natural talent to be able to write a beautiful song or any piece of music.
According to my own experience, I can say that you can learn to compose without having the talent of Mozart or John Lennon.

Moreover to learn to compose and wirte music, it is only necessary to develop the natural abilities of the brain which we all have. Obviously there are people who are born with these mental faculties which are very developed. Nevertheless it is also possible for those who do not have a very strong natural talent to develop this capacity through exercise.

My own personal composing method

In today’s lesson we will begin to see the first exercises which will allow us to improve our composing skills. Other than this, I will reveal my own personal composing method which, if you want you will be able to use and start composing.

Important! Please note that the following exercises are not only suitable for beginners but also for those who have experience. I can say for certain that for me these, along with all the rest of composition study, have been essential to leap. They have been crucial in developing all the necessary skills for composing music

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	40 mins
1. Composing exercises	6m 32s
2. The step by step composing method	12m 27s
3. The 5 benefits of this composing practice	9m 51s
4. How to practice	9m 45s

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Non harmonic tones: today we are going to speak about Auxiliary tones

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The Auxiliary tones

In the last lesson we spoke about the first type of non harmonic tones: Passing tones.
Thanks to these, we are able to give character to certain types of melody.

In this lesson we will speak about Auxiliary tones and see them more in depth.
The use of Auxiliary tones enables us to give a contrasting characteristic to the melody.

Thanks to this video lesson, other than learning exactly what Auxiliary tones are, you will also learn:

What auxiliary tones are
What distinguishes them from passing tones
What double aux. tones are
What chromatic aux. tones are
How to compose a melody using only passing and auxiliary tones

Preview of this lesson:

Learning material of this lesson

7 videos	52 mins
Intro	2m 50s
1. The auxiliary tones	11m 56s
2. The double aux. tones	5m 05s
3. The aux. chords	9m 10s
4. The chromatic aux. tones	9m 05s
5. How to compose a melody by using passing tone and aux. tones pt.1	7m 01s
6. How to compose a melody by using passing tone and aux. tones pt.2	6m 59s

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