Understanding Chords: Thinking in Scale Degrees
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- čas přidán 7. 04. 2017
- If you're not thinking in terms of scale degrees when analyzing harmony and harmonic progressions, stop and watch this video right now! I'm going to show you how to unify your understanding of harmony and uncover similarities between different progressions in different songs. The idea is very simple: stop asking yourself "what chord is this?" and start asking yourself "what degree is this?"
- Hudba
Dear Good Sir,
I have always wanted to learn the piano but been too intimidated by the instrument and by my teacher. You have brought in me such confidence -I follow your channel - practice everyday without fail. if only you knew how thankful I am. Please continue making these videos.
Thank you for everything
Your grasp on the piano keyboard never ceased to amaze me. You have really kept me "going" on my piano lesson.
Thanks alot.
You're welcome Thomas.
You are one of my favorite people to learn from because you are so knowledgeable about music and humble about your approach. The vocal accent is a bonus! :-)
I've been watching and listening to many hours of tutorials on theory and practice. This 11 minutes has increased my understanding by two or three octaves. Thank you, so very much.
Thank you 😊 I love this video! Makes so much sense...helps to see the bigger picture when playing songs that helps so much. Great video!!
This is quality stuff. I had the same concept in my mind and I have been practising this way for a while now. I was so surprised after watching this video.
Thank you as ever. Your videos have helped me understand so much better how music works and how the building blocks fit together.
You're welcome Richard.
What a fantastic explanation! Thanks a lot. I had the similar idea and you made my understaing perfect.
I loved that Fmaj on the A sequence. I dig those kind of "tension" chords.
Same! Beautiful progression :)
Agree. Now trying to learn the progresion in all keys...
To spell it as a G chord, or flat 7, would it be called 7bsus2 11?
No correction from above.. make that a 7b7 sus4 13 (the 5 and 11 omitted)?
Or G7sus4 13
Thank you for this lesson. Beautiful music and wellexplained theory.
Love your video lessons. My english is not good, but i can understand your contents 90%. Besides your musical knowledge you have a nice and easy accent. Thank you so much!
As usual: great video! Thank you!
MangoldProject
Thank you for this informative lesson on understanding harmony I found myself caught up in the trap of asking myself "what chord is this?"
Love this info man. Thanks for getting me to look at music through degree relationships as apposed to scales/chord relationships. You are a piano genius, I love how fluently you understand the keyboard. Great inspiration 🤙🏽
Thanks. Persevere and it'll come to you as well.
Thank you for this useful video on the importance of learning chord progressions in terms of scale degrees or note intervals between the root notes! Have you written any videos to show common scale degrees between root notes and melodic notes played on the main down beats? This would really help me learn how to identify what chords to play with any chosen song in the process learning how to play piano by ear.
Mangold I learned piano by site reading everything, but a couple years ago, a teacher showed me the scale degrees and they are liberating! This is why a pianist can go on stage (at least w pop tune) and an index card that says the key the song is in and then all Roman numerals! It's cool! Also effective tool for composition.
This is exactly wat I needed to hear. Learning without proper guidance is hard lol
It is worth listening to the video just to hear you play!
You are an excellent communicator of harmony, Sir.
Really need to understand how to recognise the "key" of the chord progression. An A for example, can occur in many scales and not always as the root node. Please do a video on that!
Love your content!
I've been wanting to do a video on that for a while ... I have some ideas on how to present it. Now I just need to sit down and record something :)
the root note is the bass note of the first chord of thesong 90%of the time. Otherwise, just remember that each major or minor can only occur in 3 different keys (as degree I, IV or V for major chords and ii, iii or vi for minor chords)
You can learn the key by your scales whole whole half, whole whole whole half or by the sounds as you play the 7 notes of c scale, or d etc.for example the key of d is d, e, f sharp, g, a, b, and c sharp. If you do not hit the sharps, it does not sound good. The chords are fingers 1-3-5 for each degree. So the second degree of d is e and that chord is e-g-b...in the root position.
They're not saying it but the crucial thing is to be able to "feel" the tonal centre, aka the key signature.
You may not believe but that's the most efficient way to find a key signature, you can literally feel it.
There are 12 major and 12 natural minor keys ... only where A letter name is the TONIC ( like root of the chord) : 1st degree of the scale is it A major. Linda Mc's is the usual explanation of copying the C major only white keys interval patterns between fingers ...giving you the major pattern 11 more ways... C#,D , D#,E, F, F#,G,G#,A,A#, B......similarly the 'a (natural) minor' to get 11 more ....Greeks originally used the term tetrachords... concept that unfortunately Linda's common way of explaining/ teaching this destroys and confuses when you go from major to minor.
Thank you very much, blessed teacher
Holy shit this blew me away. Thank you you are a great person for making this video.
thank you for this amazing lesson , all the best :)
This was excellent, thank you!!
Thanks this is a very clear explanation, helped me a bunch!
Love this movement make the melody,tnks a lot
A great lesson that sounds good, too... Thanks.
great explanation... so helpful for the new learner like me :D thank you
May god bless you 🙏 I hv learnt a lot of things from your lesson
Vidéo at 9:24 so beautiful but so short. Always in yours videos an incredible exemple but if only it was more longer. " Merci en tous cas ", it's already so generous.
Great presentation. A very useful skill to learn.
Thanks :) Thanks again :) I have learnt alot from your videos ! Could you please do a video on how you play that small licks/connected notes between Chord to Chord ?
Your videos are definitely helping my theory learning. This video made me look at chords in a way I never paid attention to before. The way you are using he entire octave to play the chords, gave me a different look. Thank you. Very nice job. Easy to listen to as well.
+k+
Oh, Sir, this is so helpful!
Only thing is, I have to slow the playback speed down to catch everything you're doing.
Others on here use some kind of color over the keys during sounding of the notes to help viewers identify what keys are being depressed. Any chance? I know that would be quite a bit more work for you...
Anyway, my sincere THANK YOU!
Reminds me of my days as an applied music major before I dropped out of university. Shoulda never done that
Finally I found what this is called this is the music theory I need to learn
Was waiting for Clapton to come in on guitar when he played the first example haha. Love this lesson
That was killer man. It'd be cool to know why that last chord in the progression worked. For most of the video you emphasized the dominant function. Was the last chord in the progression a substitute for the dominant? Was it serving a dominant function? Was it borrowed from another key -- the parallel key?
Awesome tutorial
👍 @9:27 This what I want to do. Great stuff. Thank you! 👍 and new subscriber.
holy cow it takes youtube 2 freaking years to finally recommend me this!!
Tell me about it ... gimme more subs, CZcams!!!
Really interesting and comprehensive video!
I have a question for you, if you don't mind: I've a fairly good grasp on how the the different scale degrees function in a MAJOR key, but when it comes to chord progressions in minor keys or even modes (like Dorian, Mixolydian, and so on), I often don't know what function a particular scale degree chord has or how to use them in a progression.
Are you planning to do a video about this sometime in the future? I'd be really curious how chord progressions work in (for example) the Dorian or Phrygian mode.
That's a very interesting question. For minor scales it remains mostly unchanged. e.g. a 2-5-1 applies both in major and minor scales. For modes it's slightly different. I hope I"ll get some time to make videos on that soon.
Ahla shieur! But seriously man, this is amazing. Im always eager to hear more from you!
I am looking forward to this video on minor scales and chord progressions. Thank you.
What a video thank you
Thank you so much for this Sir🙌
Most welcome 😊
Great lesson
yes in common this theory resolving how to know the song as what majority human ear expected. like the last prog, a-c#-d-fmaj7, it similiar to c-em-f-fm expected. but i think every musician have their own prog style, they make it to have like an identity/characteristic, to be different from others. especially in specific genre. it is right?
edited:
is this what they teach in music course?
this is like i knew this for years, but you register this clearly in my brain.
thank you so much sir. and that 'funky named' too lul.
Greattttttt video.
Cool lesson by this man! Just don't rush it sir and name 🙏 EACH keynote or chords by LETTERS! Thanks much!
This is helpful again. I have perfect pitch, but it's getting in the way of thinking in terms of scale degrees. E.g. I'll hear G Major before recognizing it as the fifth degree. Will repetition help bring out the degrees? Thanks!
Thanks a lot! You are pretty amazing!))
Thank you Arseniy.
Did you make the video regarding recognizing different keys?Thanks
Very nice please upload more videos
Brilliant
beautiful
Mangold Guy! Very nice lessons. Clear. Articulate. Knowledgeable. But, in this case, maybe too much ado about not a whole lot. So about all I extracted from this one was the usefulness of being able to recognize/use different degrees (I, II, IV etc) for the purpose of transposition. When this lesson REALLY came to life for me (both to the ear and to the head) was in your treatment of that last progression. This is my long-winded way of saying --- please --- do more in the way of demonstrating sophisticated progressions --- ideally used in recognizable songs --- and also some effective, unexpected, interesting substitutions within those progressions. These comments are not in any way a criticism/complaint. Just, basically, a plea. Thanks.
No prob, Dan, I appreciate the suggestions. Doing more analysis is definitely a good idea, I'll put it in the queue ...
Thank you.
can you make a video on how the bass or the left hand work and how choose the bass notes and move the bass hand according to the chord the notes and how you choose notes between the bass notes??
Was the FMaj7 a tritone substitution? (I just came from your other video) :)
From now on you are my piano teacher, if I may be your student. Carlos from Sweden
Welcome on board. Just watch my channel :)
So good😙😙
Hi, thank you for this video. I have a short question. After studying music theory for a while, I am thinking as you suggest, thinking in numbers/degrees is more helpful. However, I couldn't help but notice how easy it is for you to choose a different key and know the notes of that key. Would you suggest to memorize the notes of a key through repetition? Or is there a better approach to get to that level where like you, you know immediately the different notes that are part of a given key?
Hi i think learning the scales will be helpful for your questions.
Once you know the scale, you will know the range of notes you can play within that scale. The chords will follow. :)
Hi: This is truly amazing. Do you have the C to F and the Eb to Ab Progression written in a music sheet, it would bring a multiple impression to playing. Please let me know, if this is possible. Thank you, R
Unfortunately I don't have anything written down. My videos are the only documentation.
How are chord degrees set for minor keys? Are they set in reference to its relative major key or set independently? For instance, is A in the key of A minor vi in reference to C major or i ?
This a ANALYSIS of the last chord. It made my ears perk up. It is very long for clarity. The READ MORE IS LONG. I COMPARE IN C. Here goes
I normally think of what goes with what.. I did enjoy this a lot . Stared at this chord progression for.a good while. Realized I was a little weak in the key of A , so I went back to good old C. A is. 6. In the key of C, so b6 is Ab. it's also a.G# so. a #5.
I noticed that David's base was the b7 (G) of the key of. A with a Fmaj7. The F Maj 7 base.(F) is 2 whole steps below the parent key 🔑 of A. So using that as a pattern..I go down two. whole from steps .C. (Ab)..So I would play an Ab maj7. With a Bb base.In the C. So chord notes Bb Ab C.Eb G. are notes of (Root b7 9 11 13) is a Bb13 sus 4.
NOW let's see if this right by David's example. G base with Fmaj7. Fmaj7/G.. So it's a G something. G F.A C E.. G13sus4
Makes sense . Resolves to a A major chord very nicely . G would go to Root..F to.E. A is root, and E is 5.
this was very confusing
I probably will edit this post I can see where this could be confusing.
I think it was moving between the C major and A major.. I was also working it out as I went. Including def facts about the scale degrees
made it longer.
I would love the day that you finally play with some minor scales.
You're not the first with that request. Could you please give examples of songs you like that are in minor keys? Styles?
How could he make this Eb to Ab progression so beautiful?
I played that 1-3-4-6 progression but instead of the F chord I played f-a-c-a-e-d-a-b melody over G and it sounded pretty good. Not sure where to go from there.
I guess this thinking also applies to other modes besides ionian and aeolian. The question is what progressions do work in each
How can you think about where you are in the scale degrees without figuring out what chords you have to play. I can think of it as certain numbers resolve each other, but I can't understand how I can know where I'm at and what variation of the next number I should play.
Thanks for the video...but don't you think maybe explaining the relationahips of these degrees to each other and why it resolves to a certain degree would help a learner more? Just my two cents, I've learned alot from your videos and greatly appreciate your music wisdom.
There is a season for everything. My Jazz Piano Course here on CZcams goes into more theoretical depth.
8:27
bless you
XD
What was the song called in the beginning?
God bless your intentions against paino teaching
Thanks
It would be great if you were able to have notation on screen or midi download as I am a guitarist and usually do my piano work in piano roll. LOL
What's the 1st degree in the key of Am? A or C?
I've been trying to wrap my head around scale degrees. Especially detecting song progressions of popular songs by ear. I've been failing dismally. All I can recognize is the (1) or Root. After that its down hill. Any ear training tips, anyone?
Maybe musical theory is too complicated for historical reasons. It would be much simpler if they were 12 notes numbered. And degrees numbered also. 4th degrees is 5 semitones. It's complicated to figure out major scales for every root and get from c to f and eb to ab. But if c is 1 f 6. eb is 4 and ab is 9. Everything seems easier. Intervals. Scales degrees and so on. We are already used to 12 basis system with our hours. For example sixth degree of Bb (11+9=20) 20h=8pm so 8 which is G. You channel is great.
That would get you into modulo arithmetic. :)
There are good historical reasons for a lot of the complexity inherent in modern musical theory. If you'll try to build your own system you'll run into the same issues and it will HAVE to become complex to sustain the concepts we have today. Perhaps notation, though, could stand to be improved.
Yes I was talking about the notation. When it is too complicated it is less accessible. The basic mechanism of music is 12 notes. Harmony is mainly made within 3 4 and 5 semitones. Talking of thirds minor or major because of scales instead of intervals in semitones seems crazy too me.
How did you know that the 6bmaj7/7b would fit in the progression?
When you say a common resolution of a ii chord is to the V chord which goes to the I chord you are only speaking about chords right? If we talk about scale degrees in a melody those have their own tendencies right? For example, in a melody the supertonic wants to go to the tonic right? and the subdominant note wants to go to the mediant. Is this correct?
Never understood the usage of the word "resolve" in this context. Progress/ conclude/ settle - I can understand. But why resolve?
BTW, what are the three more you played between the first chord progression example (I - IV)?
A resolution comes after conflict, and harmony is built on creating conflict and finding resolution. Any chord which is not the tonic is "conflicting" with the sense of the key's center the listener has, and must be "resolved".
For the second question, give me timestamps.
Thank you for that clarification.
I was talking about the filler notes between I and IV (C&F and (Eb & Ab) that you played in the very first example. There was a typo which made "notes" to "more".
Gimme timestamp ... as in, exact time in video.
Too short moments to give exact timestamp. But say around 5:20 when you shift chords, you play 3 quick notes. There are similar filler notes ahead as well.
How do you play so gracefully and perfect?
Edwardcage1 he is so good, I'm leaning piano and I am a beginner he inspires me so much I never miss every video of his and every time I always try to figure out how he does it and the way he stretches his fingers is amazing.
I was genetically engineered to play the piano. Did I also mention I can run at 200 mph? :)
(Just kidding, you'll be graceful as well if you practice for several hours a day for a couple of years. It's really that simple.)
MangoldProject b
Just curious if you can analyze the piano piece from the ikea lamp commercial directed by spike Jonze. The music was created by Jonze's brother, Sam "Squeak E. Clean" Spiegel Thanks
Do you mean the 2002 one?
Hi: The most recent one running. The small lamp at the sidewalk picked up by the small girl and repurposed. They hired an ordinary citizen at the end to say a few words. Similar to the first one. 953freshradio.ca/news/4460565/ikea-brings-their-iconic-lamp-commercial-back-with-a-twist/Ikea lamp 2
czcams.com/video/C-czRExdnao/video.html
The 2018 version. I just acquired a piano and am practicing the 4 fundamental chord changes and am going to add the exercise lesson on left hand progression. I thought that might be a good musical piece to try to learn so I can break up the lessons but I cannot play by ear at the moment and cannot find the music, It seems small and simple.
During the last chord progression I inmediatly recognized "If you don´t know me by now" song (except for the last chord). I guess that´s a good way to internalize them, isn´t it?.
I still confused...which finger i play..please
im playing a song, that has the following chords: Dmaj, F#m, Gmaj and last BbMaj. How does this Bbmaj work in this key of Dmaj?
It's a borrowed chord. Functions as a subdominant. I suggest you look up my Jazz Piano Full Course series here on CZcams, but get ready for a time commitment.
I thought you were going to play a
I - iii - IV - iv right there but a FMaj7/G popped up on surprise, where did you get the bVI Major7? Did you borrow it from the Key of C?
It was lying around :).
Seriously, though, I don't think of it as "borrowing" because I'm not really shifting the tonal center. We could try and fit it into some theoretical framework, but for me It's just something that sounds good. Also, shameless plug:
czcams.com/video/lL9MUfbf-KM/video.html
Got it. You answered an earlier question of mine. Just some feedback: if you emphasize the 5-1 resolution throughout the video, then some of us might be trying to understand that last (great!) chord progression in terms of what we learned earlier in the video. So, the natural question for me is why does that last chord resolve so nicely back to A?
Yes how come it's an Fmaj7/G when the scale degree is F# ? You didn't explain this at all ??
I am a complete beginner, which video set should I watch
Try my "piano quickie" series.
Mangold project.
I saw that series and it was nice but I was wondering why it didn't contain rests?
It looks like some of those degrees would make for strong login passwords... Fmaj7/G 6bmaj7/7b
How did you know F maj 7 was going to work there?
Do you give private lessons?
Same concept of thinking as the Nashville number system
Yes e and a are very near to èach other
I would pay Assaf to be my teacher if I could 🙏🧡🧡
got one question. you played Fmaj7/G same as 6maj7/G. but the 6th of a major is a F#. It makes me confused. Can you please explain why?
Look again: it's a 6bmaj7/G, not 6maj7/G, meaning Fmaj7/G and not F#maj7/G.
MangoldProject ooww I see. thanks for the quick answer. I love your tutorials btw. thanks for sharing this with us. thank you my friend!
Cool ... but I think you could have explored the I - IV progression (C -F) better ... when you say V degree resolves to degree I, you're doing exactly the same, the interval from G to C is a fourth, so again, you're on I - IV progression domain (IV and V are total 'brothers' in music harmony). There's the real beauty ;-)
It's the same interval, but the different degrees play different roles (tonic, subdominant, dominant). So I'm not sure I would agree with you on that, unless I misunderstood your intention.
Very well explained..Thank you... but if you played normal triads would be easier to understand.. You play inversions, 7thd, 9ths, and with arpeggios and that confuses me. It is now so obvious wich chords you are playing.
i still don't get it why people using # or b to tell some chords. why can't they just focus in one pattern. like if once use # notation, then just keep using # sign. or if once using b, then keep using b. (i'm sorry if i don't get it. i'm still a new beginner but i really passionate in music. i never have a music teacher or something, just by watching youtube or music website. so i have difficulties in understanding music terms etc. and i don't speak english good enough too to learn things fast. it's not my first language. so please, i'm sorry, i don't have any intention to make someone offended and angry by my question in this comment. if i offend someone, sorry, it's simply because of my lack of knowledge about music and language.
also i need a suggestion of what should i learn first step by step to get the idea of music theories. what should i learn now and then before i can understand the other things. cuz when i learn music, it's so random clicking between videos that i thought interesting. so im afraid i miss some learning flow that i should learn first. i just know things, but not really have a good understanding about them. like, i know basic cdefgabc, i know major minor chord and scales. but just the basic of it.
i have a confusion too when looking at C7 vs CMaj7. it has different notes. what is the difference? what makes that is that? umm.. i mean. i can hear the difference, i know the note is different, but why? what's the purpose? for me it was like "C7 is C major seven, and then i see CMaj7. i see Cm7, but i dont see CMin7." what is that? why is that? it's so interesting. i really excited to know more and more. i love music so much. i wish i had someone to teach me music when i was a baby. my life will be much better. please teach me.teach me everything. i love the way you explain things on your videos. adopt me as your grown up baby. please be my dad who teach me something that i love and guide me to the right path. thank you for making all of these videos. thank you so much. love, best wishes, and respects from Indonesia. gbu sir
damn, i've typed so much words but i still have a lot of questions that i really want to know the answer but i dont know how to ask these questions in english. maybe not just in english, i don't even know how to ask it in Indonesian language. it's so annoying when it happens. arrggghhh... can you make a video about music terms? all music terms especially the terms that you use in your videos. so people with notsogood english and notsogood brain but really wanna learn music more effective an efficient. im so sorry if its too much to ask. i just really wanna learn and i think you're the best teacher that i found. can i email you or something if i have more question? can you be my lifetime mentor? but i don't have money to pay. i can play your videos again and again even when i sleep so u get the money from ads as my thank you though. please please please please.. i'm gonna make you proud one day. please.... im not a piano player, i just love making music in my laptop.
I unfortunately don't have time to tutor 1-1. I highly recommend you seek out a local teacher and take "real" lessons.
Hi. You seem like a great teacher, but i feel it is impossible as a viewer to follow two handed playing.
Thanks. My newer videos also feature on-screen keyboards with note names. I hope that helps.
hello
I love your videos, but i am not learning a thing. I've watched it 3 times. I actually play great, I always have, but I really want to understand the piano better, not just memorize songs.
In that case, check out my Jazz Piano course here on CZcams (just search for Jazz Piano Course + MangoldProject here on CZcams).