Chordpiano-Workshop Part III

Chord progressions 7
Music is alive: Create calm, tension and then calm again
Making music is a living. There are period of calm and moments of tension. You
can invent a beautiful melody using the notes of just one or several scales. But
what is the calm and tension? It means to include musical melody, harmony and
rhythm - an interwoven combination of all three elements, infamed and arran-
ged by the composer. We focus on the chords.
Chords which cause a relaxing feeling? The home and the calming infuence is
the tonic. It is known as the chord on the I step of the key and its colleagues -
found in later lessons. It does not matter whether you play triads or tetrads. If
only the progression of chords is kept in tune, you can hear the arc of tension:
Calm - tension - calm. First practice with triads, then with tetrads.
The tonic on the I step - chord with the calming function
Fig.: Tonic in the key of F - the chord F of the I. step
Scroll back to the frst page again and stop there: the tonic in a major key always
has the form I
maj7
, this is always a major chord with a major seventh, even if
only a triad remains and then in your mind you can still connect it in your mind:
the tonic as I
maj7
= always a major harmony with a seventh.
Lesson 19
Also the III step can be used instead of the I step to use the calming function in
the chord. It's called a tonic-counter sound. But beware; this chord can also have
other functions. What was the function that we just met in a piece, that is usually
used in the context of all the chords and the melody arc.
And don't forget the minor tonic for pieces in minor. The chord on the VI step
of the scale corresponds to the tonic in minor. If it is used only as a tonic, it is
often changed. Instead of a minor 7 chord in the scale, it is transformed into a
minor 6 chord or a minor maj7 chord or played as a triad.
More chords with the calming function
Chordpiano-Workshop Part III
Chord progressions 8
Task 1:
Play a moment of calm with the F triad and then a triad of tension: the dominant C. To end,
you will fnd the tonic of F leads you back to calm again. Try using the different pitch inversi-
ons and decide for yourself which positions sound good and which do not. Use the examples and
play with only the left hand and then only the right.
You need to practice chord accompaniment for both hands. Always choose to practice with 4, 8,
or 16 bars, never only 3 bars. Use the examples in this lesson.
Task 2:
Play over four bars with the right chords, with bass notes in the left hand, in the key of F. You
can play the bass notes according to the example in this lesson or just by playing the root note
of each chord or by holding it throughout the entire bar. Practice with the chords in the keys of
G, D and C.
Task 3:
Now invent motifs and little melodies with the notes of the key of F, so that's using the notes:
F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E. Play these with your right hand. Plan rests in the melody and stick to the
fngering of the scale. You can also use the examples in this lesson.
Task 4:
Learn the circle of ffths off by heart and so that you also know it counter clockwise. Then you
can anticipate which chord comes next in a piece, and whether it is a major or minor chord.
Tasks in lesson 19
Chordpiano-Workshop Part III
Chord progressions 9
If you want to learn more about:
- Music is alive: Create calm, tension and then calm again
- The dominant on the V step - chord of tension
- The ffth fall chord progression
Then click here and fnd out using the Chordpiano-Workshop