Music Theory Fundamentals: The Rules of Voice Leading | Composition | Berklee Online

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In this excerpt from Berklee Online’s Music Theory Fundamentals course, instructor Amy Bellamy discusses voice leading. Working through a common progression (I - V - vi - IV), you’ll learn the best way to notate the progression in a smooth fashion. Remember that the three main tenets of voice leading are: 1) To use common tones (if possible) 2) To move the notes in the chord by half or whole step (if needed), and 3) To avoid any leaps or jumps greater than a 3rd. This video will also provide specific techniques that you can use whenever you want to voice-lead a chord progression. Why do we use voice leading? Simply stated, it sounds good to utilize voice leading in your arrangements and accompaniments.
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ABOUT AMY BELLAMY:
Keyboardist Amy Bellamy has performed with Chaka Khan (for President Bill Clinton), G Love and the Juice, The Nth Power, Oleta Adams, Terri Lyne Carrington, Res, Club D’elf, Cody Chesnutt, the Harlem Gospel Choir, Akrobatik, and more. Additionally, she has shared countless bills with major artists such as Parliament Funkadelic, Morris Day and the Time, Bootsy Collins, Chick Corea and more. As a classical accompanist, Bellamy has appeared on multiple European tours with notable performances at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France and St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy. Along with her husband, bassist Aaron Bellamy (The A-Beez) have led a well-established Tuesday night residency at Boston’s beloved Wally’s Jazz Café for more than two decades. The A-Beez released their debut album “Never Going Back” in 2015, and their second album, “Say Goodbye” was released in 2018.
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Music Theory Fundamentals | Voice Leading | Keyboards | Piano | Amy Bellamy | Chaka Khan | President Bill Clinton | G Love and the Juice | The Nth Power | Oleta Adams | Terri Lyne Carrington | Res | Club D’elf | Cody Chesnutt | Harlem Gospel Choir | Akrobatik | Parliament Funkadelic | George Clinton | Morris Day | The Time | Bootsy Collins | Chick Corea | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music

[@critic5925]

This makes total sense now, thank you!

[@biblicalmeditationfellowsh2537]

Outstanding! The best explanation on CZcams. Your vdo leaves no detail uncovered.

[@ironqueen_osrs]

Very clearly explained, so a beginner like me can understand. thank you!

[@saolairde396]

Thanks 🙏

[@Andrea-xw4xe]

Excellent lesson due to your good communication skils.

[@jambajoby32]

This is helpful!

[@Rad_Burn]

Благодарю ,я не понимаю в музыке , но для изучения английского было очень полезно, взял пару десятков фраз шаблонов.

[@goos_bumps]

How about a lesson on 4-Part Voice Leading?

[@sergemoktali7948]

Awesome!

[@captvdub330]

In the G to A minor connection, you have parallel octaves between the outer voices and parallel 5ths between the bass and alto. Not very good voice leading even in "modern useage". There are better solutions. The problem starts with the choice of using a root position voicing for the I chord in the right hand. A better result can be achieved by starting with a voicing that has the note C in the soprano for the I chord.

[@lewisbons2503]

It sounds like let it be

[@vanjadomazet5505]

G major chord with A minor chord, why not opposite direction bas note against uper voices (classical harmony rule)?

[@Gerard_2024]

@00:23 "tenants" or "tenets"

[@vlads.1]

Why do they say say a larger number then proceed to say a smaller one? e.g. 1 3 6 4

[@captvdub330]

If you study music theory and functional harmony, you will find the answer. Chords are assigned numbers (Roman numerals) based on which degree of the major or minor scale they are rooted on. The Chord progression dealt with in this example is I-V-vi-IV. Almost all of the pop songs written today use this Chord progression. To make intelligible music, you can't simply string chords together at random. Each Chord has a harmonic function and there are "common practice" conventions that dictate which Chord follows another.