Sing Aloud: Pentatonic Scale
Learn the Pentatonic Scale by Singing the Formula Out Loud 1, Flat 3, 4, 5, Flat 7, 1
Extensions for Major and Minor Chords
Spice up your chords with different colors by learning about scale degrees and tensions that work over major and minor chords.
Scale Degrees and Extensions
Spice up your chords with different colors by learning about scale degrees and tensions.
Song Creation
Now that you understand chord function, write your first song!
Modes Informational
Modes existed long before what we now call “major” and “minor”. In early Western music — especially during the Medieval and Renaissance periods — composers didn’t think in terms of keys; they thought in terms of modes. Each mode had its own tonal center and distinct emotional character. In this blog, we discuss three ways to learn and think about modes.
Supertonic Song
The supertonic (scale degree 2) is a powerful melody note. It can resolve down to 1 or move up to 3, making it a favorite in many popular songs. In this worksheet, you’ll write melodies using only scale degrees 1–2–3.
Scale Tensions
Learn how scale tension and release can enhance your songwriting.
Chord Functions Part 3
Music tells stories, even without words. One of the most powerful ways it does this is through chord functions—grouping chords by their role in a key: tonic, subdominant, and dominant. When you understand these groups, you can think of your music as a narrative, with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.
Songwriting with Chord Functions
Songwriting gets a lot easier when you understand chord functions. Write a song with the three main chord families.
Modes Informational
Modes existed long before what we now call “major” and “minor”. In early Western music — especially during the Medieval and Renaissance periods — composers didn’t think in terms of keys; they thought in terms of modes. Each mode had its own tonal center and distinct emotional character. In this blog, we discuss three ways to learn and think about modes.