Building Blocks of Music-Chords

**This is an intermediate level theory class and assumes learners have a firm understanding of reading notes on the staff, accidentals, key signatures, and scales.  If your student is a beginner, or is unsure of their note reading, I suggest first checking out my other courses in the series “Secret Language of Music”. 

Maybe you know what a chord is, but have you ever wondered about the multiple types of chords?  There are patterns and similarities, but for many, these can be confusing.  

If you have been playing from sheet music, lead sheets, chord charts, or even just singing in a group, you have been playing (and singing) chords.  They are everywhere!  And they are the building blocks of the music that we listen to and read.  

This class will remove some of the confusion by breaking things down to simple patterns and concepts.  We will learn how the various chords are formed and named.  We will also look at inversions, and how to determine what the chord is when it looks all jumbled up on the staff!  We will also be reading lead sheets and chord charts, so that you can understand which chords to play.  

This class with take your music theory to the next level of understanding.  The general learning schedule will be:


Day 1
- What is a chord?
- The basic structure of major and minor triads
- Naming a chord

Day 2
- Inversions and finding the root of a chord
- Diminished and augmented triads

Day 3
- 7th chords (Major, minor, diminished, dominant)
- Beyond 7th chords
- Harmonizing a melody with chords