Introduction
Now that we have an understanding of keys, scales and intervals, it's time we move on to the wonderful world of chords!
This quest will guide you through the new content and will teach you about how chords are formed, what kinds of chords there are, and how to use them when composing your own pieces.
By completing this quest you will have:
- Learned about the three basic types of chords (aka the three basic chord qualities)
- Synthesized the importance of scales and their relation to chords
- Built some basic chords and forged your very own chord progression ending in a cadence
- Composed your very own piece using your newfound knowledge
All of this will be done through watching short videos, interacting with educational websites, answering some questions to check for understanding and finally writing your own short piece to exemplify your understanding.
Task
This is your roadmap to our webquest:
Stop 1) Watch a youtube video at the link provided and take written (or typed) notes on the content presented. Write down and answer the questions given in the process.
Stop 2) Read the first TWO paragraphs of the provided article. Take notes on or recreate the first chart. It will come in handy!
Stop 3) Take a lesson on Musictheory.net. Take notes if you feel the need to. (you definitely should!)
Stop 4) Follow the link to a worksheet to print out or complete electronically. Turn it in to Mx. Mudford when you're done.
Stop 5) Watch another linked Youtube video and take some notes. Write down and answer the questions given in the process. Show Mx. Mudford your answers to check on your progress and understanding.
Stop 6) Go to Noteflight and start creating your composition given the parameters set by the rubric in the Evaluation section of this quest.
Process
Start here!
- Building Chords: Our first stop is at Youtube. We'll watch a short video by guitarist, Sean Daniel. He'll show you how to build a triad and give you some insight as to how scales and chords are related.
Take some notes!
- What root notes make major and minor chords?
- What's the third type of chord we learned about in this video and what root note makes it?
- What is a triad and how do we make one?
- Infer: How could numbers be used to describe what chords are being played in a piece?
2. Chord Qualities: Our next topic in our journey towards composing is the qualities of chords. When we use the word Quality in music, we're referring to what kind of chord is being made. Is it major? Minor? Diminished? Augmented? We'll dive into those last two a bit later on in the course, for right now we're mostly concerned with recognizing what notes will create what quality chords in major and minor keys. Here's a great article on diatonic harmony, it's a quite large one, but you only have to read the first and second sections. No need to worry about seventh chords... yet...
3. Roman Numeral Analysis: Next we're going to our old friend, Musictheory.net to learn about Roman Numeral Analysis (aka RNA). Go through the lesson regarding RNA. We'll complete an exercise to drive home this lesson.
Link to the Lesson: https://www.musictheory.net/lessons/44
4. Below is a link to a worksheet for you to electronically complete or print out to work on. Use the blank staves as scratch paper for whatever you need! Turn them in to Mx. Mudford when you're done.
Worksheet: https://uhsband.com/musichistory/exercises/romannumeralanalysis1.pdf
5. Cadences: Next, watch this video explaining cadences and what chords go together to create them.
Take some notes!
- What three chords are most commonly associated with cadences? Give the roman numeral names for them.
- What cadences end in a tonic chord?
- How many types of cadences are there?
6. Composition time!
Go to the school Noteflight page and start your composition! Go to the Evaluation page on this webquest to see the rubric and expectations for your project.
Evaluation
Below is the rubric for the composition project associated with this section
|
|
1 Point |
2 Points |
3 Points |
|
Piece length |
Well under 24 Measures |
Reasonably close to 24 Measures |
24+ Measures |
|
Instrumentation |
The piece is written for a single instrument. |
The piece is written for two instruments. |
The piece is written for your chosen instrument and piano. |
|
Playability |
The piece has multiple jumps over an octave wide. The piece is above high school/college level playability, or overly simple. |
The piece as jumps over an octave wide but is playable at a high college level. |
The piece has jumps within the octave and can be played by a high school student. |
|
Use of chords |
The lines of the composition do not form triads at any point. |
The lines of the composition create triads some of the time. |
The composition utilizes a clear chord progression created by the piano part interacting with the solo line. |
|
Use of cadences |
The piece has no evident cadences. |
The piece has one or two cadences. |
The chord progressions of the piece utilize cadences at the ends of phrases. |
|
Melodic content |
No clear melody or unclear use of melody. The melody doesn’t work with the chord progression. No use of antecedent and consequent phrases. |
Melody is evident but is separate from the chord progression. Antecedent and consequent phrases are somewhat evident. |
There is a clear melody that works in conjunction with the chord progression. Antecedent and consequent 8 bar phrases are evident. |
Conclusion
You did it! Hopefully now you have a good grasp on the topics of triads, chords and their qualities, RNA, and cadences! We'll be exploring these topics a little more in-depth as a whole class, but this should give you a good foundation for what we're about to jump into. I look forward to looking at and listening to your compositions and all the hard work you put into them!
Credits
Video 1) Sean Daniel, 2012, August 26. Building Chords, Easy Music Theory. YouTube. https://youtu.be/__VtlxQZhXs?si=DaPF6tzsxIvDFfc9
Article 2) Harlow, R. Peyton, H. Schwabe, J. Swilley, D. (2023) Comprehensive Musicianship, A Practical Resource. Pressbooks.
Lesson 3) Roman Numeral Analysis:Triads. Musictheory.net. Retrieved September 14, 2023, from https://www.musictheory.net/lessons/44
Worksheet 4) Roman Numeral Analysis Worksheet. Uhsband.com. Retrieved September,14, 2023. From https://uhsband.com/musichistory/exercises/romannumeralanalysis1.pdf
Video 5) David Hartley, 2021, January 18. Musical Cadences: Explained! YouTube https://youtu.be/EknaUvmYB4k?si=A6293lC70B1tedNl
Teacher Page
National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) Standards fulfilled (per 2014 theory/composition standards):
Plan and Make: MU:Cr.2.1.c.llla, and MU:Cr.2.1.c.lllb
Analyze: MU:Pr4.2.c.llla
Rehearse, Evaluate and Refine: MU:P.5.1.c.llla (Identify form, repetition, variation of form, compositional techniques, style and historical context.)
Interpret: MU:Pr.4.3.c.llla
Resources needed to complete:
Printer access and paper
Access to a notation software (i.e. Finale, Noteflight, Musescore)