Unison Theory Blueprint

Contents

Music Theory
Key Center
Scales
Chords
Chord Types
Roman Numeral Analysis
Terms

Genres
Ambient & Downtempo
Big Room & Progressive House
Classical
Disco
Folk
Funk
Future Bass & Melodic Trap
Gospel
Hip-Hop & Rap
House & Deep House
Jazz
Latin & Reggaeton
Neo-Soul
Pop & Future Pop
R&B
Reggae
Rock & Metal
Soul
Techno & Melodic Techno
Trance & Psytrance

Appendix
Appendix A: Chord Formulas

Music Theory

Key Center:
If you have spent much time in the music production scene or with traditional musicians,
you will have undoubtedly heard the term “key” used frequently. This is because keys
(not the keys of a piano!) are at the heart of Western music.

Key is short for “key center”, which refers to a note that organizes and makes sense of
the other notes, scales, and chords surrounding it. For example, when a song is said to
be “in the key of C”, it means that C is the center of that musical universe—it is the note
that feels like home, rest, and stability in that song. All of the other notes and chords in
that song will feel, to one degree or another, away from home and lacking stability.

Any note can be used as a key center. What makes a given note feel like home is not the
note itself but the specific pattern—or relative position—of the other notes in the song.
Depending on the specific pattern used, the key center will not only feel like home, but
also have a sense of being major or minor. The details of how this happens are outside
the scope of this guide, unfortunately, but are very interesting!

Knowing all this, we now know what it means when someone says, “this chord
progression is in the key of C Major”. The note that feels like home is C, and if we were to
make a chord based off that note, it would be a major chord.

Key centers are very often misunderstood, but since this whole pack is about chord
progressions in various keys, it is important that you accurately understand what a key is.
Every chord progression in this pack is available in every key. This means that, even
though the specific notes that make up the chords are different in each key, the overall
sound of the chord progression will remain the same. So, if you find a progression you
like in the key of C Major, but your song is in G Major, you can find the same progression
in G Major and use that for your song.

Scales:
A scale is a set or pattern of notes ordered by pitch. The exact pattern of notes used will
determine what kind of scale it is. There are an incredible number of different possible
scales, but we are only concerned with three: The major scale, the minor scale, and the
chromatic scale.

Here are all the notes used in Western music, ordered by pitch:
A - A# - B - C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G#
This is called the “chromatic scale”.
The chromatic scale is unique because it contains all possible notes.
When we want to create a major or minor scale, we need to know two things:
1. The notes of the chromatic scale.
2. The scale formula for the scale we want to create.

Here are the scale formulas:

Major: R + W + W + H + W + W + W
Minor: R + W + H + W + W + H + W

Here, R stands for “root note”, which is the note by which we name the scale (like C
Major, G Minor or Db Major), the note that generates the scale—the key center.

W = Whole Step (distance from C to D)
H = Half Step (distance from C to Db)

To build a scale using a formula, simply choose whichever root note you want to start
with, plug it into the R value in the formula and begin adding whole steps and half steps
as the formula indicates, taking each new note you arrive at as the next note in the key.
We will build G Major:

Major: R + W + W + H + W + W + W
G A B C D E F#

You may have noticed that there are major keys and major scales, as well as minor keys
and minor scales. Though, in the strictest sense, these thing are different, we will take
them to mean the same thing for the purposes of this guide. This way of understanding
keys and scales is very common because it simplifies things.

As was mentioned earlier, each folder in this pack related to keys is labelled with a pair
of keys, such as:
1 - C Major / A Minor
This is because every major key has a minor key that is relative to it, and vice-versa.
Relative, in this sense, means that it uses the same set of notes. Using the scale formulas
shown above, we can construct the following two scales and compare them:

C Major: C-D-E-F-G-A-B
A Minor: A-B-C-D-E-F-G

Notice that both scales contain the same notes, they just begin in different places. What
this means for us is that the keys of C Major and A Minor (or any other pair of relative
keys) consist of the same set of c hords as well, which is why they share one folder in this
pack.

The difference between any major scale and its relative minor (or vice versa) is which
note we sense to be the key center, or, in other words, which chord feels like home—the
point of greatest rest in the key. To specify this, we use a system of chord analysis
utilizing Roman numerals to denote which chord is the key center.

Chords:
Chords are simply collections of notes. These notes can either be played
simultaneously—a block chord—or one by one—an arpeggio. There are many types of
possible chords, from the most pleasant to the most harsh and dissonant. Modern music
works by taking certain sequences of chords, called chord progressions, and looping
them over and over until a new chord progression starts. This may seem too basic to
mention, but since this pack deals with thousands of chord progressions, it is good to be
clear on what we are talking about.

The notes of a chord are always derived from a major scale according to a chord
formula. For instance, here are the chord formulas for major and minor chords:

Major = 1 - 3 - 5
Minor = 1 - b3 - 5

Here, the numbers are referring to degrees (note numbers) of a major scale. For a Cmaj
chord, we take the first, third and fifth degrees (notes) of the C Major scale and play them
all at once. For a Cmin chord, we take the first, f latted third, and fifth degrees of a C
Major scale. Referencing the table above that shows the notes of C Major, we get these
notes for each chord:

Cmaj = C - E - G
Cmin = C - Eb - G

Playing either of these note groupings will produce the corresponding chord. It is
important to note here that the only difference between a major chord and a minor
chord, based on the same root note, is that the minor chord has a lowered third.

There are formulas for every chord type imaginable. You can find a list of some of the
most important chord types at the end of this guide in Appendix A.

Chord Types:
Triads
In music speak, a triad is the most basic kind of chord. Triads consist of 3 notes and
come in 4 varieties:

Major
Minor
Diminished
Augmented

Each of these chord types has a very specific sound. Through experience you can come
to know the sound of each chord, and be able to identify it upon hearing.

Major and minor chords are by far t he most common chords in the world, especially
compared with the other two triads. Major chords have a bright, positive sort of sound,
while minor chord have a more melancholy, dark feeling. Diminished and augmented
chords are difficult to describe, but they certainly more dissonant and rough sounding
than the other two.

Just because triads are the most basic kind of chord does not mean they are lame or not
as good as more complicated chords! The majority of the world’s most popular songs
have consisted of nothing but triads because of the way in which they convey emotion
powerfully and directly. The choice of whether to use triads or extended chords should
stem from one’s personal taste and experience, rather than a concept about them.

Extended Chords
This category encompasses all chord types that contain more than three notes with a
maximum of 7 (an entire scale played simultaneously). When we speak of a chord having
a certain number of notes, this is referring to the number of distinct letter names in the
chord, not the actual number of keys being played. Here is an example:

Cmaj7: C-E-G-B

This chord contains four separate letter names, making it a four note chord. However, we
could create a voicing (specific arrangement of notes) wherein each letter name appears
two or more times in various octaves of the keyboard. Imagine a 60-piece orchestra
playing this chord; there are many instruments in many different octaves, but each
instrument is playing one of those four notes. If any one of those 60 players played a
note other than C, E, G, or B, we would have to give the chord a new name because it
would now be a five note chord.

Extended chords have a complexity or richness to their sound that is not possible using
triads because there are now more notes interacting with one another. The number of
different types of extended chords is essentially infinite, and so we will not get into an
explanation of the various kinds in this guide. Suffice it to say, if you are looking for a
jazzy, complex or more sophisticated sound, extended chords are what you want.

Within the folders of individual chords, you will often find a number of different extended
variations for each note of the scale. Here is an example with C major:

Cmaj6/9
Cmaj7sus2
Cmaj9
CmajAdd9

These chords are essentially interchangeable. You can try out each variation to see
which best fits the sound you are going for. You could even use a different version each
time the chord progression repeats!

Modal / Borrowed Chords:
So far, all the chords listed have been created using only the notes of the selected key,
but this isn’t always the case. It is possible (and in fact very common) to use chords in
your progressions that are built from notes found in other keys to spice up the sound,
adding interest via unexpected notes. In this pack, we refer to these chords as “modal
chords”—because they come from parallel modes—or “borrowed chords”. These
borrowed chords range from simple alternatives to spine-tingling, exotic sounds that,
when used sparingly, can provide moments of heightened emotion, drama or impact.

Like with anything in life, it is important not to overuse these chords within our tracks
because they will begin to lose their meaning and impact. Similarly, bass frequencies
have the greatest impact when they are separated by open space, creating a relationship
of tension and release. If we have heavy bass with no gaps or space throughout our
entire track, it will become meaningless and lose its appeal. When using strongly
coloured modal chords, it is best to find opportune spots to place them that will increase
their impact. For modal chords that are more simple, we can use them more often in our
progressions without fatiguing the sound.

You can easily spot many modal chords in the names of various progressions because
they appear on flattened scale degrees, such as bII or bVII. When using borrowed
chords, it becomes possible to utilize all 12 notes of the chromatic scale as root notes for
chords, vastly expanding the possibilities for interesting bass lines and melodies.
Altered Chords:
When chords contain special notes that have been chromatically shifted—moved up or
down a half-step—they are known as “altered chords”. This category of chords is most
prevalent in jazz and other genres that have borrowed from the jazz vocabulary. Altered
usually have a very tense sound and are used in specific circumstances.

Inversions:
Most of the time, chords will have their root note (the note by which you name the chord,
i.e. C major or F# minor) as the lowest tone in the chord, the bass note. So if you’re
playing an A minor chord, the bass will usually play an A. This method will give the
greatest strength and stability to the chord voicing. However, you can also place one of
the other notes in the chord as the lowest note—this is called an inversion. An example
would be to play an A minor chord again but to have the bass instrument play a C note
instead of an A.

Amin = A-C-E

This chord would now be written as ‘Am/C’ (read, “A minor over C”).

Am/C = C -E-A

When the root note is in the bass, the chord is said to be in “root position”.
When the 3rd of the chord is in the bass, the chord is in “first inversion”.
When the 5th of the chord is in the bass, the chord is in “second inversion”.

Inversions appear fairly regularly within the chord progressions in this pack, but the
inversion will not be notated in the name of the file. This is because the method of
labelling inversions using roman numeral analysis does not lend itself well to standard
text writing. Instead, the chord will be written as if it is in root position.

Roman Numeral Analysis:
Roman numeral analysis is standard practice in all styles of Western music and makes
looking at, speaking about and thinking of chords and chord progressions much simpler.

Major Keys

I ii iii IV V vi vii

C D E F G A B
Maj min min Maj Maj min dim

Capital Roman numerals refer to major chords and lowercase numerals refer to minor
chords. The pattern or order of major chords and minor chords in the table is the same
for every possible Major Key. A chord progression that goes:

Cmaj - Gmaj - Amin - Fmaj

Could be more simply notated as:

I - V - vi - IV

This is the way you will find chords and chord progressions notated in this chord pack.

Minor Keys

i ii III iv v VI VII

A B C D E F G
min dim Maj min min Maj Maj

When dealing with minor keys there is a new order of chords due to now, in this case,
calling Amin the home chord. Looking carefully, we can see that this new order of chords
is actually the same order found in major scales, only the starting point has changed from
C to A. This change is important because it keeps our notation of the progression
consistent with how it sounds in actual practice. In the key of A minor, Cmaj no longer
feels like home.

Terms:
Diatonic: Exclusively using the notes of a scale. When a chord progression does not use
any notes from outside the scale, it is said to be diatonic. Modal and altered chords are,
by definition, non-diatonic.
Stepwise motion: Moving a melody by one scale degree at a time.
Leap motion: Skipping over one or more scale degrees with a melody.
Ambient & Downtempo

Genre Overview:
As with many genre labels, ‘ambient’ is a catch-all term for any kind of music wherein the
atmosphere is more important than any specific element. This can be achieved in many
ways, though it is often done through the use of large reverbs and delay, soft or muted
timbres, pad-style synths, and subtle textures that evolve over time. Anything that adds to
the expansive, spacious—even meditative—quality of the music is favoured.

Within the ambient genre, there are many sub-genres, ranging from completely acoustic
to completely electronic in their production. There is no specific range of tempos, no bias
towards major or minor keys, and nearly any instrument can be used, if treated tastefully.
Since ambient music has very few rules or guidelines, the space to compose in is very
open and free.

Harmony in Ambient Music:
Like everything within the realm of ambient music, chord progressions vary greatly.
Nearly any type of chord can be used, though there are some general
exceptions—altered chords, diminished chords, and other highly dissonant harmonies
are usually avoided. Here are some overarching tendencies or guidelines:
● It is uncommon to find much mixture of simple triads with more complex
chords—such as 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, and so on. When triads are used, they are often
used for the entire progression or song, and the same is true for extended chords.
Although this is common, great results can also be achieved through combining
both styles.
● Suspended triads are very common, both sus2 and sus4 types. The open-ended,
undefined nature of these sounds make them great choices for ambient music.
● Extended chords that use the 9th and 11th degrees are very common. In particular,
add9 chords and add11 (AKA add4) chords are favoured. These chords create
more tension and interest than triads, but forego the potential ‘jazzy’ quality when
the 7th degree is included.
● Major chords with the #11th degree can be used to great effect. Depending on the
other degrees involved, the #11th produces a mysterious, sometimes ‘edgy’
quality.
● Modal chords are a great resource within ambient music. Chords built on the bII,
bIII, bVI, and bVII degrees are a good place to start.
● Chord progressions in ambient music often move quite slowly. Chords may last for
several bars before changing, which allows the listener to really soak in the
emotional quality of each chord.

Writing Toplines:
Melodies in ambient music should seek the same goal as everything else—enhance the
atmosphere and emotional vibe. Here are some guidelines:
● As always, it helps to be clear on what key you are in before writing your toplines.
When using progressions for this pack, the key is clearly indicated. This will tell
you what scale to start with.
● Melody notes should gel with the chord playing underneath them. This means
that, depending on the progression, the notes of a scale may change depending
on what chord is currently sounding. If a progression is in C Major, begin by
visualizing and playing the C Major Scale on the keyboard but remain
flexible—just because a note is technically in the scale doesn’t mean it will work
over every chord.
● Generally, ambient melodies move smoothly and gracefully rather than jumping all
around with quick rhythms.
● Applying reverb and delay to your sound BEFORE you begin writing the topline is
the way to go. These effects can greatly influence the melodies you write so it is
important to write with them already in place.
● FOLLOW YOUR EAR! Theory can be extremely helpful when composing but if it is
relied on too heavily, it will constrain you. It is entirely possible to write melodies
through pure experimentation, through spontaneous singing, and any other
method that is purely ear-based.

Big Room / Progressive House

Genre Overview:
Big room house—sometimes called progressive house—is a staple of modern electronic
music. Melodic intros feed into frenzied build-ups which release into huge drops. This
winning combination commands endless rotation in the club and festival scenes.

Big room drops are generally characterized by four-on-the-floor kicks (often with no
snare) and bright, edgy synths over simple sub bass lines. Half of the time, the drop
contains no harmony beyond the root note, which helps to create intensity and
consistency.

In recent years, the label ‘progressive house’ has become nearly synonymous with big
room house. In the past, progressive house music was its own genre with a unique
sound.

Harmony in Big Room / Progressive House Music:
Intros, build-ups, and breakdowns are where you will find chord progressions in big
room. These progressions are very similar to those found in pop music and various other
modern styles. Here are some harmonic tendencies:
● 80-90% of the time, these chord progressions are made of triads—simple major
and minor chords. This is especially true in minor keys, which are much more
common than major keys in this genre.
● Extended chords do appear from time to time, usually in the form of 4-note
chords, such as: maj7, m7, and add9 chords.
● When working in major keys, extended chords are much more common because
they help to bring deeper emotional tension. Major triads can quickly become too
vanilla sounding due to their harmonic purity.
● Another way of adding interest and tension to major keys, in this genre, is to use
modal chords. Modal chords introduce notes from outside of the major scale,
which inevitably brings a touch of minor tonality to the song.
● Rhythmically, chords are usually quite sparse and stabby. Progressions can also
move quickly, remaining for only a beat or two on each chord.
● It is important to put emphasis on good sound design, rhythm, and melody here
because the simplicity of the chord progression cannot hold a listener’s attention
for too long.

Writing Toplines:
The toplines found during the drop can differ drastically to those found in the rest of the
tune. Everything in the drop, including the melody, should scream THIS IS IT. The
melodies found in the intro, build-up, and breakdowns are often more melodic and serve
to build tension before the drop. Some tips:
● Big room / progressive house chord progressions are often diatonic. This means
you can usually learn the attendant major or minor scale of the key your
progression is in and use it to create your melodies. For example, if your chord
progression is in the key of B Minor, use the B Minor Scale for your toplines.
● As stated above, modal chords are more common in major keys, so if your chord
progression is in a major key, keep your ears open for any clashing melody notes.
● Allow the timbre and dynamics of the synth patch you’re using to dictate how your
topline moves. Not all melodies work well with all sounds. Ask yourself what the
music needs emotionally and choose your sounds accordingly. Once chosen, play
around with the sound until it shows you its best face, so to speak. Some patches
sound great repeating single notes, while others perform best when changing
pitch.
● It is possible to use the drop melody during other parts of the song. When doing
this, it can be nice to use a different synth patch or heavily tweak and filter the
original to avoid spoiling the surprise.
● Often a voice will be used during the sections outside of the drop. This is well
worth considering if you have the means available. A human touch within a wholly
digital song can go a long way.
Classical

Genre Overview:
In a historical sense, “the classical period” refers to the period of time from 1750 to 1820,
however, when most people use the term “classical”, they are speaking about music
composed from, roughly, the medieval period until the mid-20th century. It is this
definition of classical that the chord progressions in this pack draw from.

Due to the immense timespan involved—hundreds of years longer than any other
‘genre’—it would be impossible to cover all classical chord progressions. Also, unlike
most modern styles, classical music does not usually loop a chord progression
repeatedly but, instead, moves through long chains of chords and chord sequences
which periodically resolve via cadences. That being said, it is possible to capture the
general atmosphere of classical harmony and create looping progressions.

Harmony in Classical Music:
Being that classical music fully matured prior to the arrival of blues and jazz, you will find
very few extended chords being used. How do you get hundreds of years of music from
(mostly) just triads? INVERSIONS. If you analyze the chord progressions of this genre, you
will find that chords are inverted as often—possibly more often—as they are in root
position. No modern genre utilizes the potential of inversions and voice leading to the
same degree as classical music. Here are some guidelines:
● The use of triads far outweighs the use of extended chords.
● The most common 4-note chord, by far, is the dominant seventh chord. This chord
appears on the 5th degree of the scale in both major and minor keys.
● In order to achieve a classical sound, attention must be paid to voice leading. This
topic is too large to get into here but it would be worth your time to research it.
● Diminished chords get their day in the sun in classical music. You will find them all
over the place, acting as passing chords, connecting one chord to the next.
● Major and minor keys are equally common.
● Chord progressions are often longer than in other genres. As stated above,
because looping progressions are uncommon in classical music, long chord
progressions can give the impression of authenticity while remaining loopable.
● Chords progress in very logical ways based on the ideas of functional harmony.
Many modern genres, on the other hand, often piece chords together at random
until something works.
● In practice, chords are often arpeggiated rather than played in block form.
Alternatively, the notes of a chord can be split among several instruments as in an
orchestra.
Writing Toplines:
Writing melodies over these classical progressions is fairly straightforward. Minor keys
can present some trickier situations than major but, in general, most of the progressions
are diatonic. Here are some tips:
● There is no need to create classical style melodies over these progressions. You
can if you like, but the chord progressions themselves will supply your track with
the classical vibe. Write you toplines freely and your ear will tell you what works.
● When the progressions is in a major key, use the major scale of whatever key the
progression is in. If the progression is in C Major, use the C Major Scale.
● When the progression is in a minor key, there will often be chords that do not fit
with the standard minor scale. There are two other minor scales that can be used:
‘Melodic minor’ and ‘harmonic minor’. The theory behind when to use which scale
can be a little complicated, however. To keep it simple, just remember that the 6th
and 7th degrees (notes) of a minor scale can be raised if needed. If something is
not working, try those options first. Here are the notes of A Minor with the raised 6
and 7: A - B - C - D - E - F# - G#
Disco

Genre Overview:
Disco music came into being during the ‘60s and fell out of fashion in the early ‘80s. It
was the first musical style to prominently feature four-on-the-floor kick patterns—an
element that has since been repeated in countless dance songs all over the world. Bass
guitars also took on a prominent role, filling out the low-end groove between the kick
hits. Chords and melodies appear in the form of electric guitars, synths, strings, various
horn arrangements, and electric pianos.

Many modern genres have adopted various features from disco because, despite its now
cheesy and dated sound, its syncopated rhythms, high-pitched vocals, and agile bass
lines are still infectious. House music, and all of its myriad sub-genres, owe their life to
the analog disco pioneers.

Harmony in Disco Music:
The range of harmonic progressions in disco is surprisingly wide. Ranging from the most
simple two or four-chord cycles, through to elegant and artistic progressions of various
extended chords. Some points of interest:
● Major key progressions often contain one, or more, modal chords. These
borrowed chords can bring a sense of fun and excitement to the potentially dry or
serious major scale.
● Minor key progressions commonly borrow ideas from the classical world. Cycles
and sequences, inversions, and epic cadences abound.
● Pedal tone progressions make up many verses and intros. Pedal tones are
continuous bass notes that hold steady while chords change over top. This leads
to many slash chords.
● Extended chords appear frequently. Major sevenths, minor sevenths, dominant
sevenths, and half-diminished chords are most common. Occasionally 9ths will be
included.
● Long chord progressions are very common. Also, the length of each chord can be
quite long, sometimes up to four bars per chord while the rhythm and bass groove
along underneath.

Writing Toplines:
Toplines in disco often oscillate between syncopated, staccato passages and epic,
soaring sections. This goes for vocals as well as other melodic instruments. Here are
some tips for writing this way:
● Take note of which key the chord progression is in and use the corresponding
major or minor scale to begin writing your topline.
● In both major and minor keys, you should see the notes of your scale as being
malleable. For example, your scale may contain an Ab note but, in certain
situations, it may be necessary to use A (natural) instead. This is due to
non-diatonic chords being fairly common in disco.
● Experiment with short, quick notes, as well as long flowing ideas. Your choice of
instrument—whether it be voice, synth, or otherwise—will often play a large role in
what kinds of melodies sound best.
● Experiment with the emotional difference between stepwise motion—moving the
shortest possible distance in your scale (E to F, A to Bb, etc.)—versus moving by
leap—skipping over one or more notes (E to G, A to E, etc.). Combining these two
kinds of motion can result in epic, catchy toplines that are fun to sing.
Folk

Genre Overview:
The type of folk music encompassed in this pack can be more specifically referred to as
“contemporary folk”. This is in contrast to “traditional folk”, which refers to the original
music of world cultures that have developed over history. Though both strains of folk
music share certain similarities, contemporary folk has been strongly influenced by
western culture, politics, and instruments.

Folk music is, almost by definition, acoustic in nature. Guitars and other stringed
instruments reign, acting as the primary harmonic generators. No fancy arrangements or
effects are needed to dress up the music. Part of the folk aesthetic is its plain, unadorned
presentation which can serve to strengthen its main purpose—the lyrics.

Harmony in Folk Music:
Chord progressions in folk music are necessarily simple yet emotionally effective. It is
very rare to hear anything other than major and minor triads, along with their
accompanying suspended chords. Since the focus of this music is to deliver a message
or story, the harmony should be unobtrusive, laying the clear emotional foundation for
the vocals. Let’s take a look:
● Diatonic progressions made of triads constitute the majority of folk harmony. The
natural chords of a key can appear in any order, and progressions are often
written through pure experimentation.
● As with other genres centered around the guitar, chord progressions come out of
the chords that the composer just happens to know. This means that modal
chords are not uncommon because it is likely that, when trying out chords at
random, the resulting progression will contain chords from other keys.
● Folk is known for its use of the natural minor scale, as opposed to melodic minor
and harmonic minor. This provides the melancholy, and somewhat subdued,
quality of minor key folk music. The important difference is that the V chord in folk
music is often minor (v) instead of major (V).
● Sus2 and sus4 chords are commonplace. They may appear by themselves or as a
temporary variation of some major or minor chord.
● Many of the chord progressions are quite long when compared to a genre like
pop. This makes for more possibilities to tell an emotional story with various twists
and turns. It also reduces the sense of repetition that can arise when repeating a
short progression too often.

Writing Toplines:
The melodies of folk music, like most of its elements, are written intuitively without the
use of theory. Complexity is not the goal, but simplicity and effective lyrical delivery. That
being said, the clearly defined progressions of folk music lend themselves to easy topline
writing. Here are some ideas:
● As with most simple genres, use the according major or minor scale of whatever
key the chord progression is in. Since the harmony is fairly diatonic, you will
encounter few issues playing around like this.
● A popular choice for this kind of music is to use pentatonic scales for melodies.
Pentatonic scales are similar to major and minor scales but have two fewer notes,
making them even easier to experiment with. A quick search online will tell you all
about them.
● Once you have the sound of the scale in your ear, try abandoning the keyboard
and just improvise with your voice in a simple way. Often times you will discover
nice movements through this instinctive method instead of the visual trap of
scales on an instrument.
● Stepwise motion is very common in folk music and makes for easy melody writing.
Walking around the scale one note at a time, not leaping from here to there, will
generate endless ideas.
Funk

Genre Overview:
Get a bunch of people together, put on some great funk music, and if someone
complains, they aren’t your friend. Simple as that! The combination of syncopated drums
and bass, dominant 7th chords, pentatonic scales, and a tight horn section is universally
irresistible. Right from the beginning, in the mid-‘60s, funk placed groove above all
else—harmony and melody took a back seat.

The essence of funk is present in countless modern styles today. There is something
about the way its rhythms dance around the beat that forces bodies to move. A heavy
dose of funk should be a necessary component of a modern musician’s education.

Harmony in Funk Music:
Interestingly, even though funk music is all about the groove, the chords that do show up
are anything but simple. Check it out:
● All manner of jazz chords can be found in funk: 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, altered
chords, and chromatic movements are all common.
● Dominant-type chords are favoured above all else, and of all the dominant-type
chords, the chord that most screams funk is the 7#9(no 5th) chord. Here it is in the
key of E: E-G#-D-G
● Funk progressions in a major key are often based off the blues. This means that
the natural chords of the major scale are forgotten, and dominant-type chords
appear everywhere. Modal chords are also extremely common. This creates a
mixture of major and minor tonalities.
● Minor key progressions are usually more diatonic but are still full of surprise
dominant-seventh chords, especially on the IV.
● Nearly any chord type can be used. It is the rhythm that is most important. Very
punctuated, syncopated rhythms are a must and will allow for a huge range of
dissonant chords to pass by without protest.
● Chords are generally held for many bars at a time. It is not uncommon for a funk
song to have only one or two chords that form an endless vamp.
● Triads are uncommon in this genre. They often feel too strongly defined to mesh
with the playful and excited funk vibe.

Writing Toplines:
The melodies in funk music are often just as syncopated and quick moving as the rest of
its elements. That being the case, it is also possible to contrast the dynamic nature of the
music by using longer notes in your toplines. Both methods produce great results. Take
some time and listen to both classic and modern funk music, and observe the effects
created by each approach. Here are some guidelines:
● As with the chords themselves, the notes used in funk melodies—especially when
they are staccato-like—are not as important as the rhythm. Of course, great rhythm
and great note choice is the goal, but you can be quite loose in your note choice
and still create a great sound.
● Minor pentatonic scales should be your first stop when composing toplines. Even
if the song is in a major key, minor pentatonic scales (like in blues) will most likely
sound great.
● Chromatic runs (successive half-steps that ignore any specific scale, e.g.
C-C#-D-D#-E), when placed well and not overused, sound killer. Always keep this
idea in the back of your mind. Often times, just one chromatic note in-between
two scale notes will do the trick.
● Pay attention to what the timbre of your instrument is telling you to play. Does it
work best with long notes or short ones? Heavy or light velocities?
● When using synths, a fast vibrato controlled by the mod-wheel is a classic sound.
● In the pursuit of great rhythms, allow yourself to hit notes completely randomly
while focussing on rhythm alone. Once the rhythms are dialed in, go back and
choose some nice notes in your MIDI file.
Future Bass & Melodic Trap

Genre Overview:
Future bass encompasses several styles but is generally known for its prominent use of
wobbly poly-synths, big bass, dubstep influenced drums, jazzy chords, and bright
melodies. It is normally quite upbeat and exciting, almost light-hearted compared to
many electronic genres. Video games provide significant inspiration for many future bass
tracks in terms of sound design.

Due to embracing richer harmony and intricate melodies, future bass is a very musical
form of electronic music and, as such, can provide a bridge for listeners of other styles
into the digital world.

Harmony in Future Bass:
Future bass commonly foregoes triads altogether and lives in the realm of extended
chords. Many chords commonly found in jazz make regular appearances here, but the
order in which they appear often differs from jazz. Here are the harmonic tendencies:
● Maj7, maj9, m7, m9, and maj6/9 chords are among the most common. The chord
that shows up most often, however, is the add9 chord. This chord is popular in
many genres but it is a defining characteristic of future bass.
● Modal chords are also used regularly because of their sophisticated, and
sometimes surprising, sound.
● Triads can definitely be found in a percentage of future bass tracks but they are
much less common. The tense intervals found in jazz harmony mesh well with the
pulsing poly-synths.
● Inversions are used from time to time and bring a fresh feeling that is very
uncommon in the electronic world.
● The ordering of chords in a progression more closely resembles pop music than
jazz, despite the advanced chord vocabulary. This helps to create a futuristic
sound.
● In some cases, different sections of the tune will have different chord progressions
to create variety and a sense of journey. Other times, a single progression is used
for the entire track which, although it can become repetitive, helps to keep a
unified vibe throughout the song.
● Chord rhythms are normally achieved via modulating LFOs as opposed to
individual MIDI events. This effect is similar to how basses are treated in dubstep.

Writing Toplines:
When future bass includes vocals, the vocal melodies are often in a high register and
somewhat dreamy. When the song is instrumental, there is either a bright lead synth of
some sort, or the chords themselves take the place of the melody. This second option is
fairly unique to future bass. Let’s take a deeper look:
● Intros, build-ups, and breakdowns in future bass normally have a melodic element.
This could be a voice—either conventional or sampled and chopped—or a synth of
some sort.
● Future bass drops are most often filled with bright synth patches playing chords.
As stated above, the rhythm of these chords is controlled via LFOs.
● When making this kind of drop, keet this important point in mind: The highest note
of each chord will be heard as the melody. C hoose your chord voicings wisely so
that the top notes make a pleasing topline as the chords change.
● Due to the abundance of extended and modal chords, unless you have
experience with more advanced music theory, we suggest that you simply use
your ear and experiment when writing melodies on top of these chords.
● If you want to be more technical, remember this: If a melody note holds for any
length of time, it is best to make sure that the note can also be found in the
current chord. For example: If the current chord is made of the notes C-E-G-B-D,
then those will be the most stable notes for your melody to land on.
Gospel

Genre Overview:
There are many forms of gospel music but we have focussed on African-American gospel
due to it’s incredibly sophisticated harmony. Gospel music is, of course, a form of
Christian music, however, even if you are not Christian, the music itself is worthy of your
investigation. Some of the greatest pianists, organists, singers, bassists, drummers, and
guitarists have come out of the gospel scene. The music is a fusion of church hymns,
jazz, classical, blues, and R&B that features incredible arrangements and top-notch
musicianship.

Harmony in Gospel Music:
The harmonic language of gospel music ranges from straightforward and plain to highly
advanced. Every chord found in jazz music can be found in African-American gospel, but
they are often used in new ways. Many gospel musicians learn by ear, observation, and
experimentation, which means the normal ideas of music theory are commonly gone
beyond. Here are some key features:
● Triads, extended chords, modal chords, and the inversions of all these commonly
mingle and combine.
● Very dense chords—6 or even 7-note chords—can be found.
● Diminished 7th chords appear frequently, usually serving the same purpose they
do in classical music.
● Chords often have notes left out that are traditionally considered important. Also,
there are many interesting note combinations that cannot be classified with the
usual names in jazz or classical music.
● Various kinds of passing chords show up everywhere.
● There is an emphasis placed on creating moments of heightened tension and
drama, similar to jazz but even more so. This is done through diminished chords,
altered chords, chromatic movements, and various other approaches.
● In major keys, chords tend towards sounding warm and lush.
● In minor keys, there is a tendency towards classical harmony with the use of
melodic minor and harmonic minor scales.
● As in jazz, runs of chords are quite common (several chords played in quick
succession).

Writing Toplines:
Toplines in gospel music will either derive from a hymn or, if the song is original, feature
pop style melodies with increased drama. Tips for writing on these progressions:
● The complex nature of this harmony will be most easily traversed via writing by
ear instead of using theory and scales, unless you know your theory very well.
Depending on the progression, you may be able to use the pure major or minor
scale associated with the key of the progression, but more often than not, simply
winging it and experimenting will be most efficient.
● There are no particular kinds of melody that should be used—if it sounds good, it
is good.
● If you let the progression loop and just listen openly for a while, you may start to
hear some of the inner notes of the chords. This kind of listening will stimulate
ideas for melodies because the notes you are hearing are already within the
chords.
Hip-Hop & Rap

Genre Overview:
Hip-hop has been one of the most popular genres of music for decades. During its
formative years, it was characterized by sample-based production, rapping, swing
rhythms, and a laid back vibe. As the years went on, drums became heavier, bass
became fatter, rhythms became more straight, and, in a large portion of hip-hop, the
subject matter darkened to reflect inner-city life.

Modern hip-hop spans a vast range of sub-genres and moods. An emphasis on drums
and bass is a uniting factor, while almost everything else is subject to change.

Harmony in Hip-Hop Music:
Chord progressions in hip-hop vary greatly. Chords can come from the jazz world, R&B,
pop, or even classical. A significant amount of hip-hop contains no harmony at all, just
bass, melody and rapping. For this pack, we could only take a sampling of the chord
progressions that appear across the board. Some observations:
● Hip-hop, in general, has a strong bias towards minor keys. Though there are major
key chord progressions, they are in the minority (pun).
● When writing in major keys, it is common to use extended chords instead of triads
to provide more tension and interest. There are times when pure triads are used
in major keys, but these songs often straddle the border between pop and
hip-hop.
● In minor keys, the darker the better unless a jazzy vibe is desired.
○ Using pure triads often creates the heaviest atmosphere. To see for
yourself, just compare a minor triad with a minor 7th chord.
● When the vibe is j azzy, chords become very rich with extensions.
● If a beat appears to be only bass and drums, there are usually chords being
implied regardless. However, by actually sounding those chords with some
instrument, some primal, heavy element is immediately lost.
● In recent years, many chord progressions from pop have crossed over into
hip-hop as the two genres have been blending into a radio-ready hybrid.
● Modal chords are fairly uncommon throughout the hip-hop world.

Writing Toplines:
As most hip-hop also contains rap, melodies play a secondary role—they are no longer
toplines by definition. That being said, rap records commonly have sung choruses and
the background melodic elements still need to be written. Let’s look into it:
● Because hip-hop does not have many modal or borrowed chords, you can usually
begin by figuring out the major or minor scale that matches the key of the chord
progression. This will give you a framework to play within.
● Think about what role this melody will serve in the beat. Will there be someone
rapping or singing over top? If so, be sure to keep the melody either very sparse,
or slow moving so that it does not interfere or distract from the main event.
● Modern rap beats make good use of large reverbs. Make sure to apply these sorts
of effects to your instrument before writing as they will change the ideas you
create.
● When writing real toplines over these progressions, there are no serious
guidelines. Play within the scale, experiment with notes outside of the scale,
consider stepwise motion versus leaps, etc.
House & Deep House

Genre Overview:
Off-beat hats, four-on-the-floor kicks, and punctuated bass lines—these are the elements
that unite the myriad sub-genres of house music. What began in the 1980’s as an
evolution of disco and drum machines, has gradually evolved into one of the most
popular styles of electronic music.

House music is made for dancing, so although we may find interesting musical ideas
everywhere, the groove is king. As with all musical genres that have an inherent purpose
or direction built into them, compositional decisions can be easily made through asking,
“Does this decision support or work against the purpose?”. The best tracks in this genre
are ruthless in their approach to this, refining every drum hit and every note until bodies
are forced into motion.

Harmony in House Music:
There are many house sub-genres—tech house, deep house, g-house, future house, etc.
This means that the harmony present in house music as a whole is wide ranging. Some
tunes have no chords to speak of, others are almost entirely driven by complex and
emotional changes. Let’s dig in:
● In most house sub-genres, and in both major and minor keys, extended chords
play a huge role. Chords with 4, 5, and 6 notes are not uncommon. Specifically,
the inclusion of the 9th within a chord is commonplace—maj9, m9, add9, madd9,
maj6/9, etc.
● Modal chords also feature prominently. Anything that sounds sophisticated,
complex, tense, or deep will work well.
● A harmonic technique known as “planing” is very common. Planing occurs when a
specific chord voicing is moved around in parallel. In other words, you build the
exact same chord on various root notes, irrespective of key or scale. An example:
||: Cm9 - Ebm9 - Fm9 - Bbm9 - :||
● Planing in house music originally developed from the use of samples. A producer
would find a sample of some instrument (often piano) playing a jazzy chord, and
then map that sample across many keys. This would result in having one specific
chord being pitch-shifted up and down instead of creating new chords for each
note.
● Chord progressions do not normally follow the traditional harmonic guidelines of
functional harmony. This tendency is common to many modern styles and
prevents the music from sounding classical or like traditional jazz.

Writing Toplines:
The primary musical elements in house are most often the bass line and the drums.
Melodies may appear during breakdowns and build-ups, either in vocal or synth form, but
during the drop it is the bass that fulfills the role of ‘topline’. We will touch on writing
traditional melodies as well as bass lines:
● Due to the complex nature of most house music harmony, we do not advise the
use of theory or specific scales to write toplines, unless you are well-versed in jazz
chord-scale relationships.
● Using your ear through pure experimentation at the keyboard will yield the
quickest, and often most fruitful, results. A note that works perfectly over the
current chord may sound terrible over the next, and vice-versa.
● Since the drums and bass are usually quite active and busy, it can be good to
write melodies that move more slowly, hanging on notes for longer instead of
jumping around. Too much motion in too many parts simultaneously will lead to
confusion for the listener.
● Bass lines in house are often quite melodic because, during the drop, they
become the focal point of the music. If you have already chosen a chord
progression and need to create a bass line that fits but still moves around, there
are some guidelines you can follow.
○ Be aware of what the root note is for each chord. You can do this by
looking at the lowest note in the MIDI file for each new chord.
○ This root note will be your temporary home base. Once you have hit it, the
listener will know what the chord really is and then you are free to move
around. If your bass line does not hit the root note of the current chord, it
may create an unsettled and ambiguous feeling.
○ The other notes present in the current chord can be used as potential
melody notes for the bass. Using notes that are not within the chord can
absolutely work as well, but there is more room for error.
○ Listen to professional house tunes and analyze the way their bass lines
move. See if you can tell when they hit the chord’s root note and when they
are walking around in-between.
Jazz

Genre Overview:
Jazz is one of America’s greatest contributions to the art world. It’s fusion of African
rhythmic and melodic sensibilities, with the harmonic language of the West, produced an
extremely nuanced and complex form of music. More than almost any other musical
tradition, jazz heavily emphasizes improvisation and spontaneity. Jazz soloists are so
familiar with their instrument and the intricacies of how scales and modes relate to
chords that they, quite literally, speak over the music as it passes by. This degree of
musical fluency is rare in many other modern genres.

Jazz has also been a massive influence for many contemporary styles of music. Acoustic
and electronic genres both borrow extensively from the harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic
vocabulary developed in the jazz world.

Harmony in Jazz Music:
Jazz harmony is a massive subject full of logic, subtlety, and emotion. Almost every
possible combination of notes has found a home in this genre. From the most dissonant
and dark sounds imaginable, to lush and shimmering displays of sophistication, jazz
chords occupy the entire range of possibilities. Because of this huge territory, we can
only sample the available colors. Here are some interesting points:
● Major and minor keys are equally common in jazz and both have many great
progressions to work with.
● It is very rare to see any triads in jazz music. Normally, the closest you will find are
7th chords (maj7, m7, 7) and 6th chords (maj6, m6).
● Extensions all the way up to the 13th are very common for major chords, minor
chords, and dominant chords.
● Diminished chords and altered chords are also extremely common.
● Modal chords, chromatic chords, and almost every other type of harmonic
structure, are used all the time.
● Functional harmony is the driving force of chord progressions in jazz music. This
means that chords move in specific ways based on certain functions that they
fulfill in the progression. The result of this practice is a very satisfying and logical
sound.
● Chord substitutions occur frequently, wherein one chord is replaced with another
that shares the same function.
● Due to the chord complexity, inversions are not overly common in jazz. When
chords reach a certain complexity, their meaning and function can sometimes be
lost when they are inverted.
Writing Toplines:
Even though the harmony of jazz is very advanced and important, the genre has always
been driven forward melodically. Horns, woodwinds, pianos, guitars, vocals, and other
instruments have led the way through new scales, arpeggios, and chromatic movements.
With such dense harmony, writing effective toplines can be a little tricky. Here are some
ideas:
● Unless you have experience with jazz theory, it is recommended to use your ear
and experimentation for melody creation instead of theory and scales. Stay
attentive to how your melody notes interact with the current c hord instead of the
key altogether.
● A note that works perfectly over the current chord may sound terrible over the
next, and vice-versa.
● Always be on the lookout for opportunities to use chromatic passing tones. This
means, if you see that A and G both work well, try inserting an Ab between them
to create a chromatic line (2 or more adjacent half-steps in a row).
● Mix up your stepwise movements and leaps to create more interesting motion.
● Don’t be afraid to try anything and everything, you never know what you will
stumble upon through spontaneous improvisation.
● On a more theoretical level, the notes that are present in the current chord will
always (99% of the time) sound good as melody notes. Look at the chords in the
MIDI file and use those notes to create landmarks—notes that you can land on
during specific chords.
Latin & Reggaeton

Genre Overview:
Latin music is not really a genre per-se, rather it is a label that includes music from Latin
America, Spain, and Portugal. Some of the genres under this label include bossa-nova,
salsa, tango, bachata, flamenco, and reggaeton, amongst many more. Needless to say,
there is a large variety of styles encompassed within these genres, but for the purposes
of this pack, it will be helpful to take a sampling of chord progressions from all of them
rather than focussing on each individually.

Beyond the obvious language differences, there are distinctions to be drawn around
instrumentation, preferred rhythms, melodic choices, harmonic choices, and just about
every other musical element when comparing Latin music with many Western styles. The
influence of Latin music around the world is pervasive and enriching.

Harmony in Latin Music:
Every genre under the Latin banner has its own unique harmonic vocabulary. Some
styles prefer simplicity, such as mariachi music, and others gravitate towards complexity,
like in bossa-nova. The chord progressions included in this pack span the distance
between the two extremes. Here are some key principles:
● Almost across the board, Latin genres favour a major V chord when playing in
minor keys. This chord is derived from the harmonic minor scale and is extremely
common in classical music, jazz, gospel, and various other styles that enjoy drama
and tension.
● In genres where the harmony is fairly simple, there is an abundance of
progressions that only use I, IV, and V chords (i, iv, and V in minor keys) in endless
patterns. This is a common trend in other simple genres around the world as well.
This is because the I, IV, and V chords, together, contain all 7 notes of their
respective major or minor scale, and they are very closely related harmonically.
● Bossa-nova is a form of Brazilian music that joins jazz and samba. It’s harmony is
incredibly rich in both major and minor keys. Many rare chords are common in this
genre, such as m6/9 chords, 9#11 chords, and m/maj7 chords.
● Brazilian music, in general, features many interesting chord movements that are
not found elsewhere. The ‘rules’ of functional harmony are often ignored and
surprising sounds appear.
● Tango music is especially dramatic and leans heavily towards minor keys. There
are many dark and romantic chord progressions to be found here.
Writing Toplines:
The melodic tendencies of the Latin genres are as varied as the styles themselves. That
being said, unless you are attempting to write music that sounds like one of these genres
specifically, you can simply utilize their chord progressions while writing your own flavour
of topline. Some things to take note of:
● Take a look at the name of the chord progression you are using. Are the chord
types simple or complex? This will give you a good idea of whether or not to worry
about scales and theory. The more complex the progression, the better idea it is
to just use your ear and go for it.
● If the chords are quite simple, figure out how to play the proper major or minor
scale that corresponds to the key the progression is in. Use this scale as
framework to improvise within.
● If you do wish to explore scales that have a Latin bent, take a look into the
Phrygian mode, Phrygian Major scale, and Harmonic Minor scale.
● Remember, if you are having trouble with complicated progressions, take a look at
the MIDI file and see which notes make up each chord. The notes that comprise a
given chord will also work as melody notes. Using this, you can plot a route
through the changes with various notes that work for each chord.
Neo-Soul

Genre Overview:
Neo-soul represents a fusion of soul music, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz that is highly musical
while remaining laid-back and accessible. It often features a blend of acoustic and
electronic production, mellow timbres, “slugging” beats, complex harmony, and smooth
vocals. Many of the elements found in hip-hop are present, but in a more sophisticated
and refined form due to its merging with jazz.

Harmony in Neo-Soul Music:
The specific blending of R&B and jazz within neo-soul has yielded a unique style of
harmony. Chord progressions are full of jazz voicings but move in interesting ways that
are often outside the traditional jazz logic. Here are some observations:
● Triads are rare, if not nonexistent, within neo-soul. Extended harmony is crucial to
the deep emotional quality that is synonymous with the genre.
● Minor keys are certainly predominant, however, the right blend of chords can
bring great results in a major key as well.
● Modal chords are featured extensively throughout the genre. In major keys, there
are sometimes no diatonic chords to be found, besides the I.
● Chord progressions commonly defy traditional ideas of functional harmony,
leading to a fresh and surprising mixture of colors.
● Chromatic motion in at least one voice (a voice = a single note of a chord) over the
course of a progression is common. This could be the bass, the soprano (top note
of a chord), or any inner-voice. When checking out these progressions, take a look
at the MIDI to see if you can find chromatic lines from one chord to the next.
● Parallel motion (AKA “planing”)—wherein a specific chord voicing is moved up and
down to different notes without altering its structure—can be found in neo-soul.
This technique can easily produce new and exotic changes because it essentially
ignores traditional chord theory.
● Due to the highly complex nature of the chords involved, instruments with muted
or soft timbres are usually preferred. Bright sounds can obscure the subtleties of
dense chords because the sound itself already contains so many harmonics.
Writing Toplines:
Composing toplines over these neo-soul progressions may be challenging due to the
complexity of the chords involved. The risk is worth the reward, however, because the
combination of a unique chord progression with the perfect melody can make a song
really stand out. Here are some tips:
● Spend some time listening to neo-soul music. Gain an instinctive sense of how
others have dealt with these kinds of changes. The importance of this cannot be
overstated!
● Unless you have extensive experience in jazz, or a similar genre, don’t worry
about scales or theory. Experiment at the keyboard and with your voice.
Continuously improvising and trying different ideas will bring results.
● Nothing is set in stone here. Notes that sound great over one chord may sound
terrible over the next chord.
● If you are feeling stuck, take a look at the MIDI file of the chord progression itself.
The notes that make up any given chord will also work as melody notes over that
chord. You can then create a road map of reference notes that you can weave
in-between.
Pop & Future Pop

Genre Overview:
Pop—popular music—is both a meta-genre and a specific genre. Whatever music tops
the radio charts could be considered pop by definition, but it could also be said that
modern pop music is its own genre with specific boundaries. For this pack we will use the
latter definition.

The primary characteristics of contemporary pop include a strong focus on vocals,
repeating song structures, simple harmony, and a fusion of acoustic and electronic
elements. In recent years, pop has borrowed heavily from hip-hop and electronic music
in its structure and instrumentation. The genre currently exists as a hybrid of the most
palatable and entertaining elements found in other styles.

Harmony in Pop Music:
Pop music has always relied on simple, time tested chord progressions on which to lay
other elements. There is a rather small set of progressions that are repeated over and
over in countless songs using tempo, arrangement, and choice of key to create variation.
Beyond this, there are some more unique progressions that appear from time to time.
Here is a look into pop’s harmonic tendencies:
● Though extended chords are not absent from pop, there is no doubt that triads
reign supreme. Diatonic major and minor chords are used in almost every
conceivable configuration.
● Of all the chords used in pop, there are 4 that show up most often: The I, IV, V,
and vi chords, derived from the major scale. In the key of C Major, these would be:
Cmaj - Fmaj - Gmaj - Amin
● These four chords can appear in any order or configuration. Any of them can be
left out, and they can be rearranged for different sections of a song.
● In terms of extended chords, maj7, m7, and add9 chords are the most common.
The same I, IV, V, and vi chords mentioned above will often be used but with
these extensions instead of as triads.
● You will see modal chords in pop on occasion. Usually just one will be enough to
spice up a progression and give it a new flavour.
● Most modern pop songs will use a single chord progression for the entire track,
adding and removing various elements to differentiate each section.
Writing Toplines:
Toplines are the main focus in pop music. Fortunately, the simplicity of the chord
progressions allows for easy, intuitive melody creation. Here are some ideas:
● Take note of the key that the chord progression is in. Learn the major or minor
scale that corresponds to that key and begin experimenting. Since most of the
progressions are purely diatonic, you can freely improvise without worry.
● Another method is to let the chord progression run and just start humming or
singing. Relax and allow your voice to go wherever it goes. Once you discover
something you like, work it out on the keyboard and record it.
● If you are writing for vocals, it is possible to repeat a single note over and over
without issue because the lyrics will change each time. When using synths, on the
other hand, repeated notes often sound lame or strange unless something else is
done to provide interest.
● A popular technique is to find one note that works well over all the chords in the
progression, and then continuously come back to that note, dancing around it with
small movements up and down.
R&B
Genre Overview:
The origins of R&B are truly in the ‘40s and ‘50s when the name—Rhythm and
Blues—really applied to the music. In the late ‘70s, however, a new breed of R&B began
to emerge that incorporated elements of disco, soul, hip-hop, electronic music and the
original R&B. Over the years, this genre has developed into a smooth, jazzy, beat driven
style that has found mass appeal.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what R&B is because it continues to evolve and be
influenced by other genres. In this pack, we have taken a sampling of R&B from the
1980s up until the present day.

Harmony in R&B Music:
“Pop meets jazz” might be a way to describe the general harmonic aesthetic in R&B.
There is no shortage of extended chords and beautiful movements, but it is not rare to
find simple pop-style progressions as well. Here are some tendencies:
● Various kinds of seventh chords, as well as ninths, appear frequently—these give
R&B its jazzy flavour.
● Modal chords are quite common, especially in major keys.
● There is a chord that is commonly seen in R&B called a “dominant 11th”, also
known as a “dominant 7 sus4”. This chord is commonly notated like this: C11 or
C7sus4. It can appear in many places but it is most frequently used as a substitute
for the V chord, meaning its root will be the 5th degree of the scale.
● Electric pianos and synths are the most common harmonic instruments in R&B.
This is, in part, due to the subdued and mellow timbre that can be created. Soft
sounds are normally favoured in genres that use complex harmony because the
subtleties of each chord are important. Bright or harsh timbres contain many
harmonics; this obscures the nuance of dense chords.
● Inversions are fairly uncommon because, like with many urban genres, heavy bass
is important in R&B and, by their very nature, inversions have a somewhat
unstable quality. Placing the root note of a chord in the bass will provide maximum
stability and weight.
● When working in minor keys, the dorian mode is generally favoured over natural
minor scale (aeolian mode) due to its lighter, less dramatic quality. If you are
unfamiliar with modes, it would be worthwhile to investigate them online!
Writing Toplines:
R&B toplines have a specific sound that has developed over the years. This quality is
difficult to describe and is best learnt by listening. Regardless, you can use R&B chord
progressions without trying to emulate R&B melodies in order to create your own unique
sound. Some suggestions:
● While some of the progressions are completely diatonic, many are not, so using
theory and scales to write toplines may be difficult without prior experience.
● We suggest either experimenting freely at the keyboard until you find something
nice, or using your voice to improvise with the same goal.
● R&B has a big emphasis on groove which should translate into your topline
writing. Listen to some professional songs in the genre, embody the feel of the
music, and then keep that vibe while composing your melodies. Your inner
experience of the music will heavily influence the sound of your compositions.
● If you find yourself stuck, look into the MIDI file of the chord progression you are
using and take note of the notes that make up each chord. The notes of a chord
will be the most stable melody notes for the duration of that chord. Look at how
the notes change from chord to chord and create your own route through the
changes. You can use and embellish this route to create your own melody.
Reggae
Genre Overview:
Reggae was originally the product of Jamaica in the late ‘60s, but has now spread
globally through its endlessly infectious offbeat rhythm and fat bass lines. Slower tempos,
simple chords, horn sections, and a unique brand of drum beats and fills also contribute
to the classic reggae sound.

Many modern genres have taken great inspiration from the musical ideas put forth in the
reggae scene. If you spend some time listening to real reggae, you will begin to hear its
influence everywhere—rock, dubstep, hip-hop, pop, and many more.

Harmony in Reggae Music:
For the most part, the harmony of reggae lives in the space between kick and snare—the
offbeat. Guitars, organs, and pianos generally hold down the staccato chord stabs, while
the bass weaves its own path, giving meaning to the upper notes by leading the ear from
root note to root note. In order to properly get the reggae feel from these chord
progressions, you must chop them up into their appropriate offbeat chunks rather than
leave them as bar-long blocks. Here are some harmonic tendencies:
● In both major and minor keys, triads constitute nearly every chord heard in the
genre. The hard lines and straightforward sound of triads lend themselves well to
reggae, supplying a simple emotional foundation for the other elements to play in.
● When extended chords do appear, they are usually limited to maj7, m7, and
dominant 7th types. Anything beyond this would create too much complexity and
take focus away from the other elements.
● In minor keys, the chord built on the 5th degree is often made major (written as V),
which helps to create more tension and drama. This chord derives from the
harmonic minor scale.
● In major keys, modal chords will occasionally be used to produce a different,
potentially more powerful, feeling. The two most common modal chords would be
the bIII chord and bVII chord.
● Chord changes in reggae can sometimes be quite slow. Each chord may last for
several bars, which allows the groove to be more fully appreciated.
Writing Toplines:
As in other genres such as pop, folk, and soul, wherein diatonic triads dominate,
melodies in reggae are not hard to come by. Let’s take a look:
● Take note of the key the current chord progression is in and construct the
corresponding scale to use for topline writing. If the key is D Minor, use the D
Minor Scale to write your melody.
● There may be times that some of the notes in the scale sound strange over a
specific chord. When this happens, see the scale as being flexible and be ready to
move the offending note up or down one half-step; this will usually lead to good
results.
● Don’t be afraid to leave open space in your topline, especially if you are using
these progressions in a reggae-style arrangement. When the groove is good,
short bursts of melody with space in between can allow the listener to digest your
notes while enjoying the beat.
Rock & Metal
Genre Overview:
Electric guitar. There has scarcely been another instrument so defining of an entire
musical realm than the electric guitar within rock music. Together with heavy drums,
bass, and vocals, the core of rock has remained essentially unchanged for over 60 years.

The range of music encompassed by the rock genre is vast and varied. Love songs, party
anthems, and political opinion are among the most common topics conveyed. Regardless
of content, rock has power at its heart, and this power has shaped the modern musical
landscape worldwide.

Harmony in Rock Music:
Nearly every conceivable chord progression, outside the limits of jazz, has appeared
within the long history of rock music. Even still, there is a set of core progressions and
movements that are defining of the rock sound. Let’s take a look:
● Rock’s origin is within the blues, so it stands to reason that blues harmony
permeates almost all rock chord progressions in some way.
● Specifically, this means that rock harmony straddles the border between major
and minor tonality, taking of each and outputting a generally positive yet powerful
and heavy sound.
● Modal chords are ever-present. bII, bIII, bV, bVI, and bVII chords appear
continuously. The qualities of diatonic chords are commonly changed—both major
and minor chords may reverse their polarity or become dominant-type chords at
any moment.
● Power chords define much of the rock sound. These are chords that do not
contain a third. Here is an example of a typical C power chord voicing:
C - Octave (highest note)
G - Fifth
C - Root (lowest note)
● Extended chords are not absent but play a much less important role than triads.
By their very nature, extended chords feel more sophisticated and diffuse than
power chords or triads, due to their complexity. This complexity can quickly dilute
the purity and power of rock.
● Descending bass lines are a very common theme. The bass line can descend
diatonically down a scale, chromatically, or through some combination of the two.
These bass lines are used as a starting point upon which chords are placed.
● The design and tuning of the guitar has played a large role in the sound of rock.
The open strings reveal many possibilities that wouldn’t be thought of otherwise,
as well as strongly determine which keys and chords are favoured because of
their relative difficulty to play.
Writing Toplines:
Though there is a notably large area of rock that is instrumental, the majority of this music
has been used as a vehicle for vocals. These vocal (and guitar) melodies often have a
bluesy, soulful quality. Here are some tips:
● Pentatonic scales! Learning how to construct pentatonic scales—especially minor
pentatonic scales—should be your first port of call for writing authentic rock
toplines.
● A minor pentatonic scale is the same as a natural minor scale, except the 2nd
degree and 6th degree have been removed.
● A major pentatonic scale is the same as a normal major scale, except the 4th
degree and 7th degree have been removed.
● General guideline: For progressions in a major key, you can often use both major
and minor pentatonic scales. For progressions in a minor key, stick with the minor
pentatonic scale.
● “Blue notes” are specific notes that exist in-between two normal notes.
Instruments that can smoothly change pitch, such as guitars and voice, can hit
these blue notes, while other instruments that are fixed, such as the piano, cannot.
○ The use of blue notes in rock is extremely common. The specifics of this
technique are outside the scope of this guide but there is much to learn
online. Also, if you improvise melodies over these progressions with your
voice, you will most likely find these notes instinctively when sliding
between standard notes.
● Pentatonic scales are not the only option. You can also use normal major and
minor scales when writing over these progressions, however, you will need to
remain attentive to potential dissonant notes.
○ Because of the frequent use of modal chords, normal scales may need to
be modified on a per-chord basis to make sure all the notes sound good.
Soul
Genre Overview:
Soul music—an African-American invention of the 1950s and ‘60s—became famous for its
funky grooves, bluesy inflection, catchy vocal melodies, and a generally positive, upbeat
vibe. Black and white audiences alike, across much of the western world, took to the
style and gave it extensive airplay for about 10 years. There is something very human in
soul music, something powerful and connecting.

Modern music has been greatly influenced by the soul era, it’s imprint can be found in
many contemporary styles. Put on a soul music playlist and you will instantly be hit with
classic tune after classic tune. The talented musicians of that time encoded a portion of
America’s history into their music, the results of which are still alive today.

Harmony in Soul Music:
Even though the harmony of soul music is made of simple pieces, it has a very distinctive
sound that comes about through the specific combinations and patterns used. Let’s take
a look:
● Soul uses a fairly even mix of triads and seventh chords, sometimes intermingling
and sometimes remaining with their own kind.
● In both major and minor keys, the full range of diatonic chords (except the
diminished chord) are commonly used.
● In major keys, the iii chord is particularly common when compared to almost all
other genres. This chord is sometimes felt as the darkest of the three minor
diatonic triads due to its relationship with the rest of the scale.
○ In soul, this chord appears in both its triadic form and, when it needs some
softening, as a minor seventh chord.
● In minor keys, the 5th degree is played as a minor chord as often as it is played
major (v vs V). The minor version will feel more dark and passive, while the major
is more dramatic and tense. The major version is not diatonic to the natural minor
scale, rather, it is derived from the harmonic minor scale.
● Soul features a fairly even mix of short (2 to 4 chord) progressions and long (5 to 8
chord) progressions.
● Modal chords are not very common in this genre. Occasionally a bIII or bVII c hord
will appear, giving a bluesy flavour, or a chord may have its quality changed (major
to minor, minor to major, etc.) but it is not the norm.
● Extensions beyond the seventh degree are almost nonexistent, except in rare
cases, and altered chords are even more rare.
Writing Toplines:
Writing melodies on top of these chord progressions should be fairly straightforward and
easy because of the simple harmony used. Here are some tips:
● Use the scale which corresponds to the key of the chord progression to begin
improvising with. If they key is D Minor, use the D Minor Scale. If the key is Eb
Major, use the Eb Major scale.
● If you encounter a note that sounds ugly over a certain chord, try moving it a
half-step up or down and you should find something usable.
● As with rock music and any other genre influenced by the blues, pentatonic scales
provide a great resource for topline writing. Use the pentatonic scale (major or
minor) that corresponds with the key of the chord progression. You will quickly
recognize the familiar sound since many famous soul songs use these scales.
Techno & Melodic Techno
Genre Overview:
Since its birth in Detroit during the ‘80s, techno has evolved and fractured into several
sub-genres and styles that can sound drastically different from each other on first blush.
Similar to house, the various types of techno are united in four-on-the-floor kicks, off-beat
hi-hats, extended repetition, and heavy use of synths. Older techno focussed largely on
clear melodic phrases played on bright synths, often in major keys, which gave a strong
rave and party vibe. In recent years, the genre has become much more subdued and
sophisticated.

The chord progressions in this pack derive mainly from “melodic techno”, which features
strong use of sustained and arpeggiated chords, spacious atmospheres, and simple
melodies that drift in and out. The other forms of modern techno are often devoid of
harmony altogether, emphasizing bass lines and dark textures instead.

Harmony in Techno Music:
Chord progressions in modern techno form the basis of the tune’s emotional impact and
are are prominently featured through various arpeggiated synths. Some harmonic
tendencies:
● A common trend in electronic music, techno included, is to favour minor keys over
major keys. By nature, minor keys have a more complex and tense sound which
aligns directly with the intent of modern techno.
● There is an interesting but sensible difference between tracks in major keys
versus those in minor:
○ In major keys, extended chords are extremely common, and of all the chord
types used, add9 chords show up most frequently.
○ Minor keys feature, almost exclusively, triads. When the goal of the
harmony is darkness and tension, simple minor triads are king. Anything
added to the chord will either diffuse its impact or overcomplicate the
sound.
○ When extended chords do appear in minor keys, they are most often major
seventh chords or add9 chords.
● It is common for chords to last a very long time in genres like techno. Each chord
is its own world, full of motion and texture. This quality creates a trance-like or
meditative state in the listener.
● Since chords often drone on for many bars, the chord progressions are usually
short—between 2 and 4 chords is the norm.
Writing Toplines:
Melodies within this genre of melodic techno are, ironically, rather sparse—the genre
might better be labelled “harmonic techno”. That being said, melodies do occur and we
can say some things about writing for this style. Some ideas:
● First, make sure your drums, chords and bass are in place before beginning with
the melody. All of these other elements will influence the specifics of what you
write.
● Second, listen to the track and decide what is appropriate. Short blips with big
reverb? Long ethereal notes? Nothing?
● The chords being arpeggiated are often enough of an interesting focal point that
true melodies are not needed. This is not always the case but it is something to be
aware of.
● Before writing your melody, make sure your synth patch is loaded down with all
the appropriate effects. A sound with delay and reverb will cause you to write very
differently than if the same sound were dry.
● Because of the spacious quality in this music, choose your notes very carefully.
Each note carries great emotional meaning so make sure you are certain about
your choices.
● In terms of what notes to choose, we recommend simply experimenting and using
your ear instead of worrying about scales and theory.
Trance & Psytrance
Genre Overview:
Trance originated alongside techno in the 1980s, however, it is generally more melodic
and uplifting. Clearly, as the name suggests, trance music developed with the purpose of
inducing trance-like states of joy, euphoria, and bliss through extended compositions that
build over time, culminating in a massive drop of pulsing synths and drums. Arpeggiation,
gating, and filter sweeps are some of the techniques used to create the swirling motion
common in many trance songs.

There are various sub-genres in the trance world, each emphasizing and de-emphasizing
certain elements to achieve a specific emotional vibe. For this pack we have used
“progressive trance” and “uplifting trance” as our main focus due to their extensive use
of harmony.

Harmony in Trance Music:
The chord progressions in trance music are similar to pop but feature heavy use of
extended chords. This specific harmonic vocabulary allows for a deep emotional impact
that is easily comprehended and familiar. Let’s take a look:
● Modern trance music is interested in creating an emotional, energetic space to get
lost in. Extended chords—add9, maj9, m9, and m7add11 chords in particular—are
the main harmonic tools used to achieve this goal.
○ This is especially true in major keys where triads are rare, though not totally
absent. The simplicity of major triads often do not hold enough weight or
tension to be used in genres like trance, unless they occur in a minor key
context.
● In minor keys, trance employs a much greater use of triads. Minor triads are, by
nature, more harmonically complex and tense, which means they can often stand
alone, without extensions, as the basis of a trance song.
● Modal chords are surprisingly rare. Instead, trance favours diatonic progressions
which are more familiar and easy to digest. When extensions are added to
diatonic chord progressions, a balance between simplicity and complexity is
struck.
● Inversions, due to their inherent lightness and instability, do not appear often in
this genre. As with most four-on-the-flour electronic styles, power and stability in
the chord progression, which is attained through chords being in root position, is
most important.
● The order in which chords appear is similar to pop music, in that almost every
order and configuration is used. There are no special rules of functional harmony
to follow.
Writing Toplines:
Toplines, in the usual sense of the word, are not the norm in trance. There are some
forms of trance that feature vocal melodies, and lead synth lines do appear from time to
time, but most often, in modern trance, it is the chords that take center stage. Here is
how that works:
● Whenever a chord is sounded, it is usually the highest note in the chord that will
be most obvious to the listener. As such, a chord progression will create a sort of
melody out of the top note in each chord. This is true for all chord progressions
but is particularly pertinent in trance.
● Topline creation and chord construction are often one and the same because of
this. As you listen to the chord progressions, take note of the melody created by
the top notes of each chord.
○ If you were to attempt to sing the chord progression—which is not really
possible, normally speaking—you would, most likely, sing this soprano (top
note) melody because it is these notes that stand out.
● When creating your own chord progressions, either via the individual chords in
this pack or through your own knowledge, be critically aware of this important
melodic aspect.
○ Each note that makes up a given chord could be placed as the highest note
of a specific voicing. You can generate these chord-melodies consciously
by being picky about the exact voicing of each chord.
● It is also possible, of course, to write conventional melodies on top of these chord
progressions. To do this, follow the same logic found in writing for other genres
with diatonic chords:
○ Use the scale that corresponds to the key of the chord progression. For
example, for the key of E Minor, use the E Minor Scale.
○ This scale will be your template or starting point for experimentation and
improvisation. Play around and be attentive to any notes that sound overly
dissonant.
○ If something sounds wrong, either omit that note or shift it up or down a
half-step.
Appendix A: Chord Formulas

Below is a modest list of the most common chord varieties. They have been separated
into the categories of Major (natural third and seventh), Minor (flatted third and seventh),
Dominant (natural third, flatted seventh) and Other (common chords that don’t neatly fit
in other conceptual boxes).

Using this table you should be able to decode the notes of most chords you will
encounter when browsing the internet, theory books, jazz charts and so on.

Numbers in brackets (i.e. #11) denote altered tones—scale degrees that have been
changed from their usual state.

Major Types Minor Types
Maj: 1 - 3 - 5 Min: 1 - b3 - 5
Maj6: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 Min6: 1 - b3 - 5 - 6
Maj7: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 Min7: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7
MajAdd9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 9 MinAdd9: 1 - b3 - 5 - 9
Maj6/9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9 Min6/9: 1 - b3 - 5 - 6 - 9
Maj9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 Min9: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9
Maj9(#11): 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - #11 Min11: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11
Maj13: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 13 Min13: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 13
Dominant Types Other Types
7: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 Sus2: 1 - 2 - 5
7sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7 Sus4: 1 - 4 - 5
9: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 Maj(#4): 1 - 3 - #4 - 5
9sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7 - 9 Aug: 1 - 3 - #5
13: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 13 Dim: 1 - b3 - b5
7(#5): 1 - 3 - #5 - 7 Dim7: 1 - b3 - b5 - 6
7(#9): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - #9 Min7(b5): 1 - b3 - b5 - b7
9(#11): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - #11 MinMaj7: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7

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I ii iii IV V vi vii

Maj min min Maj Maj min dim

i ii III iv v VI VII

min dim Maj min min Maj Maj

Dominant Types Other Types

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