How Suspended Chords Work, And Some Cool Things You Can Do With Them
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- čas přidán 29. 03. 2015
- Suspended chords are odd little chords that don't follow the normal "rule of thirds" chord logic. But if you know how they work you can do some pretty cool things, like setting up tension into neighboring chords or hiding what key you're in.
Check me out on Patreon if you want to help me make more of these: / michaelnew
Gsus, this guy knows what he's talking about.
Gsus H Chord!
You both won the Internet
that’s dm7 cool!
Ac-Chording To Who?
looks like this thread has been suspended
This guy just exposed the secret of every theatrical soundtrack
You should have more views, you're actually a really very good teacher.
He does have a lot of views, not all I agree with...
Wonder if he teaches grammar..
i mean he’s doing pretty well now lmao
He’s great isn’t he?
he has more veiws now
As a physicist who is also in love with music I like the analogy, that major, minor, augmented chords and so on - with their 3rds construction are "gravitational centres" and the sus class is " zero gravity space" wherein you wait for a directing force, which pushes you back into a direction of gravitation :D
I spent over 100 quid on a music course at a local college but learned more from this. I'm subscribing!
This guy is awesome! I'm in my 50's and have been studying music since I was a teenager. Watching these videos is finally clicking on the light bulb.
Thank you!
+Drac03 In my 60's and playing guitar and piano before that since childhood, and I completely agree!
If you've been studying it at that long and are only now getting it, you weren't studying it the right way.
+profd65 most instructors never teach music theory. It's just scales and circle of fifths. You might be taught intervals and that's it. I went to one of the best music schools in the US and got to intermediate level piano and didn't get all this information. At least not had it explained that well. It was mostly being drilled and technique
I'm 72 and the light bulb is broken, but the clicks still feel good. And doesn't that little tiny piano sound good for its size!
Photo Moco it's plugged in.
Suspended chords, at least in the traditional sense, are really not chords on their own. Though today you also see them used as actual chords. One of the most common way is a dominant 9 sus 4 chord. If we are in the key of C, we would most commonly use a G9sus4 (that is basically the same chord as F/G) and it would have a dominant function in the key. But we are still talking about clear functional harmony and technically I don't think that's really a "suspended chord", but I guess the name has just stayed and today it just refers to a chord with the third replaced by a 4th or a 2nd.
Some modal jazz tunes are based on sus chords/stacks of fourths instead of normal stacks of thirds. I guess it's because of the "ambiguous" sound of the chord that you talked about in the video.
I know the explanation of the traditional use of suspended chords was simplified but I just wanted to point out that there were a couple of mistakes. Don't get me wrong, it was a good simple explanation. But I had a problem with a couple of things.
First, during the renaissance period the concept of a "chord" or a "chord progression" didn't really exist yet. That doesn't mean that if you today analyzed a renaissance piece, you couldn't find any chords in it. But my point is, back then they didn't think in chords. They thought in intervals created by many melodies played/sung at the same time. It was based on polyphony and counterpoint. They didn't think about chords the same way we do today.
Suspensions come from two voice counterpoint. The idea of a suspension was keeping "voice #1" still while moving "voice #2" up or down by a step. This created a dissonance (2nd, 4th, tritone or 7th) between the voices that needed to be resolved. And you resolved it by moving down by a step with the "voice #1". There were originally actually three different kinds of suspensions: 4-3 (same as what we today know as a sus4), 9-8 (or 2-1) and 7-6. This is how it worked with two voice counterpoint, and if you wanted to write for more voices, you always started with two voice counterpoint. The basis of modern voice leading is also in modal counterpoint of the renaissance period.
But yeah, the mistake you made was that you used parallel fifths that were avoided in renaissance counterpoint (and not just renaissance counterpoint - they were avoided in music for a pretty long time). So basically the chord change you showed would not have been typical to renaissance or not even to music that came after that. Only during the late 19th century people started experimenting with parallel fifths more. But if you look at music from renaissance to early romantic period, you will notice that parallel fifths were not part of those styles.
A lot more common suspension would be something like C-Gsus4-G-C. Or replace the first C major with F major. Here is what that would look like with three voices:
C -> C -> B -> C
E -> D -> D -> E
G -> G -> G -> G
Or if the first chord was F major:
F -> D -> D -> E
A -> G -> G -> G
C -> C -> B -> C
But whatever, as I said, it was a good simple explanation for how to use suspended chords traditionally and I just wanted to nitpick a bit. And probably nobody will read this but I decided to post it anyway. :)
Hey, I really appreciate you writing that up. I was just trying to illustrate the idea of "suspension" as briefly as I could, but I probably did simplify a little too far, or at the very least I should have made it clear that I was in fact simplifying things. Certainly the parallel fifths were something they avoided like the plague (sorry, terrible joke), and I should have either illustrated things differently or made it clear that it wasn't quite how things worked.
One very fortunate thing about doing lessons this way is that usually if I overlook something, miss something, or just don't present something quite right, it gets spun out and discussed in the comments section. As far as "probably nobody will read this", you'd be surprised how many people will go through the comments section.
I know you've left some pretty detailed responses on a few of my videos. Are you a teacher/professor/music enthusiast of some kind? You obviously have a lot more background that the average CZcamsr.
*****
Yeah. As I said, it was a small mistake that I really didn't have a big problem with but just wanted to point out. :)
But yeah, it's always good to do everything correctly because at least then there will be as little misunderstandings as possible.
I actually study music pedagogy and I'm going to become a music theory teacher. I mostly watch your (and other music theory related) videos to maybe get some inspiration/ideas to my own teaching and to hear how other people explain things (and maybe to also help some people in the comment section or just to talk about music related stuff). And sometimes I may also learn something new.
I legit read all of it, pretty amazing stuff. I understand most of it but the last part got a bit confusing.
I know of many times, in my type of music, Suspended chords don't follow what you say? I might use a Csus4, C, Csus2 as a follow down. Then to maybe a D Major back to C Major. I don't know why it has to fit your agenda, but it does for me on one of my songs. it's not in a key without an accidental.
You must allow outside thinking on this...
buminbeer2
Sure. Today suspended chords are used a lot more "flexibly" than in the past. I was just describing the "traditional" use of them. When suspended chords were "invented", they weren't really considered as separate chords. But as I said in my post, for example a lot of modal jazz is based on suspended chords and they are used way differently than in traditional renaissance, baroque or classical music, and they are actually separate chords - they are not actual suspensions that would resolve to triads (that is the traditional use - suspensions didn't exist out of context). The name "suspension" has stayed, even though the chords don't necessarily have anything to do with actual suspension.
There's nothing "wrong" with using them in the way you described. If it sounds good, it is good. When writing music, never worry about being "correct" (unless you for example want to write in the style of Bach or something like that). There is no music police that is going to arrest you for not following the common practices. If everybody just followed the common practices, music would never evolve. Experiment. That's how you create new sounds.
I love to play sus2 chords on a distorted guitar, it just feels so cozy and atmospheric, really soothing.
A lot of darker sounding metal bands use open 4ths in addition to power chords to keep things sounding too cheery.
Shadow Jim which bands ? And what do you mean by open 4ths just out of curiosity :)
Then you would love My bloody Valentine .
Truong Thanh Pham wut
Joesspell , "My Bloody Valentine", is a band, which utilizes the technique, as referred to by "SladeBallard"
Hi Michael - I am a mature student studying for a music degree in England. My music theory is full of holes and I am finding your videos really useful - you explain things very well. I recommend you to my fellow students if they are not sure of anything - at degree level here we don't get 'taught' but but have find out for ourselves. I am so grateful to have found you on youtube.
+mary tolhurst Hey thanks. Good luck on your degree!
The sus4 does so many cool things such as when playing C to Csus4 in the Pink Floyd song pigs on the wing it sounds very good. Also you'll notice that the chord progression F to C sounds very cool and dramatic. It happens to be that F is the sus4 note of C. AND G7 sounds really good before C and it ALSO happened to be that the seventh of G, which is F, is the sus 4 of C.
Edit: I made these observation from playing the guitar
Gsus is not suspended, it's nailed.
Not funny....please dont joke with faith business.
never get old, lol!
relax man, jesus would find that funny. he’s got humor
suspended in the air though
Andromeda64 lmao
I know some theory but the way you teach and show the usefulness and/or possibilities of the various components of theory is incredible. I wish I could sub multiple times. This is gold.
as some one coming from the guitar, piano is SOOOO much easier. Memorizing the guitar neck and finding all the scales and roots is alot of work. But for piano, its no sweat. Its like music was made for the piano.
+Abhi Pokhrel but on the guitar, once you get all the intervalls and how they "look" you can just slide everything up and down into the other keys :)
Visually maybe. Learning to play well in every key is another story.
I used to feel the same way but for some reason the guitar is easier now.
I feel EXACTLY the same way
Finding intervals on guitar is easy. I get lost on the piano. But hopefully I learn some genius way to find the interval without having difficulty.
Sus 2 is very common in rock
BrotherCrispen yeah? So your point. In bass riffs power chords are important, but in regular rythyms or multiguitar rythyms sus 2 and 4s are VERY common.
Why are you talking to your self
@@melonbals5512 other guy deleted his comment probably
oh
And EDM
This guy has hugely improved my guitar feeling. Makes me look at the neck in completely different ways
your lessons are so concisely presented. keep up the excellent manner of instruction.
Thanks for your willingness to share your knowledge. Your videos are very friendly and helpful.
I've been playing music my whole life, and I never could have explained this as clearly as you do. Awesome job.
Explained so simply and accessibly while teaching some really cool stuff. Will be coming back to this channel!
Thanks for making videos again :) You are seriously the best at teaching music theory!
Friend: what type of chord you're playing?
Me: *that's sus*
Nosnsowsno STOP POSTING ABOUT AMONGUS
WOW!!!! THANK YOU, FOR THIS CONCISE, AND VERY ENLIGHTENING LESSON!!! I ALWAYS APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING THE "MECHANICS" OF WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE, AND HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCES!
Mind blown! I've been binge watching your chords video series for 2 hours now. It is all finally starting to make sense, after 20 years of playing the piano! 😲
When the chord is sus
Lmao
bum bum bum bum bum bum bum... bum bum bum bum
@@Lukas-gz2vx DUN DUN
@@mmmmmmmm2472 bum bum bum bum bum bum bum... bum bum bum bum
When you play chords whose notes are stacked in 4ths or 5 ths
You just earned my subscription!! Fantastic lesson!
The way he introduced this suspended chord before 0:47 is just ART... everything makes sense from there.
What a great tip, I've been learning by myself for a year with tutorials and stuff like that, and the way you explain things is very good. Thanks for doing this so we begginers can learn other things we wouldn't learn any other way.
Thank you for posting all these Piano/Theory videos Michael. I've learned a lot from you.
I'm glad, and you're welcome :)
Glad I saw this suggested to me! I learned a lot about suspended chords.
I've watched several other videos on Sus chords but none have explained them as clearly as you have. Now I have something that will help me with a project I'm working on. Thanks.
The ambiguity of these chords, and their interchangeable nature allows for so many possibilities within chord progressions, phrase development and organization. Thank you for your work!
One of my favourite progressions is G, Csus2, Em, D. It’s a pretty basic chord progression but the Csus2 spices it up massively 😍. Also adding an Em7 too
I always though Sus chords were interesting because they sound like two notes are competing for the dominant tone.
For example, in a Gsus2 (G,A,D), the G->D interval is G dominant, while the A->D interval is D Dominant. So it sounds like G and D are fighting for the base tone.
For a Gsus (G,C,D), the G->D is G dominant, and the G->C is C dominant. The battle is then between G and C.
You just explained in perfect words the reason why I love sus2 chords. Bravo
when you say G -> D is G dominant, what do you mean? what is an interval domination?
Carlos Martín I apologize. I never went to a music class in my life, so I'm not very knowledgeable about the music theory lexicon. All I know is what I've read over the years.
To answer your question: The interval G>D (5th) when played together makes a chord that sounds like G. The interval G>C (4th) when played together makes a chord that sounds like C.
Another Example: The triad G,B,D (G major) makes a very similar tone to its inversion B,D,G (still G major).
In the first chord, There is a G 5th interval (G>D), kinda "solidifying" the G tone.
In the second chord, there is a D 4th interval (D>G), and since the higher tone of the 4th interval is the base tone, the chord is still a G Major.
Great comment. And interesting observation.
+Satan's Rubber Ducky Your approach is good! I supposed you mean that but wanted to confirm, because for me the word dominance is equivalent to tension, the opposite to root sound, so no apologizes man. I also never took a lesson ;P
Such a great video. I use suspended chords a lot but have never understood them very well. Your presentation style is so clear and direct, can't wait to watch through more videos on your channel. Thank you!
Your videos are so helpful!
I really appreciate what you are doing and want to tell you that I like a lot your work. Video, audio, explanation, topics and stuff.
Right now I can't support you with any money but definitely I will.
Keep doing your stuff and thanks a lot
I'm watching all your videos now, even though (as a composition student) I already know more than enough music theory-I'm always looking for ways to explain concepts like these in as clear and understandable ways as possible, and your efforts have set the new benchmark :)
If I can make a suggestion though, please set your MIDI keyboard an octave higher. That way the examples will sound much clearer and don't clash as much with the register of your voice either.
Excellent. Didn't realize the inversions of sus2 create a different sus4 and vice versa! Thanks Michael.
Just want you to know how fantastic these videos are, thank you so much for finding the time to make them!
*Man, I've just found your channel, and I think it's gold right there. Subscribed, and keep up the nice work!!*
When the imposter is sus!😳
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Its crazy. Im learning instruments for 2 years soon (piano and guitar) and nobody told me this although it only took 13 minutes? This video is really valuable. Cant believe how bad music teachers are these days.
I've always know about suspended chords, but never figured out a good way to use it. Using them as a 'tension' chord or to transition is such a good idea, I can't believe i never thought of trying it. Thank you for sharing!
I appreciate your videos. I’ve been playing guitar for years and never bothered to learn theory until recently. You’re one of the best professors I’ve ever had, for what it’s worth
Circle of fifth comes handy here, too.
Have you done a video on modes? Really struggling with them and you have the perfect way of teaching
Not yet unfortunately. People have been asking about that for a while and it's been on my mind quite a bit. I'm going to try and put something together soon. It's a challenging topic though.
This is a great review session!! Thanks, Mike.
Your videos are awesome. You talk about it all in a way I understand. Thank you!!!
I honestly think that suspended chords sound cleaner than augmented and diminished chords
Well yeah that's because a major second is a more consonant interval than an augmented or diminished fifth.
+Seamus Kelly (Bakagain) An augmented 5th? You do realize that that's an 8-semitone interval (essentially a minor 6th), which resembles its major 3rd inversion, right?
Holy shit. It's like first stepping into math class all over again. I have not a damn clue what they're talking about, but alas, I'm the one who started the conversation.
+HëKtik Cool! Would you like some popcorn?
If this was in real life and not over CZcams comments, I would love to sit down with some popcorn. But unfortunately, it kinda defeats the purpose when reading sentences off the internet. Unless it's idiots complaining about which cartoon character they'd date.
When the E is sus!!!!!😳😳😳
The way you explain music is brilliant and exactly what I've been looking for
Man, how come I never stumbled upon this before! You definitely are the best teacher I've seen on music theory ever. You explain things in a very concise and clear way. Amazing man, big fan!
when the imposter is sus4
Just a thought. Maybe you should have given us a bit more context musically. I mean it would be nice if you could play a longer, say 4 to 5 chord progression, with suspended chords thrown here and there to show how they can behave within a piece. That would be interesting or even enlightening :-) But thanks for a very interesting lesson, anyway.
Yeah you're right; that would have been nice. I'm really hoping to get my big Yamaha hooked up soon. It's pretty tough to do much actual playing with the little AKAI. But you're right. I'll try to do a bit more of that in the future.
***** Yeah, gotta second that.
Listen to Pinball Wizard by The Who for a traditional rock use of sus chords or Herbie Hancock’s Maiden Voyage for a more advanced (and masterful) use of them in jazz. Any good classical examples?
@@MichaelNew Angle of the keyboard shot made me dizzy
You are an excellent teacher. Your videos have helped me reach a new level of understanding of music theory. Thank you so much!
Waw, this was exactly what I was looking for. You have such a clear, straightforward way of explaining things. I´m going to check out your other videos too. Thanks!
A suggestion for a topic
if you have not already done this....
a lesson on chord substitution....
I play guitar and like to play classics and standards.
I would like to arrange some of them to use more
than just the basic chords
and to fill in with nice chords in between the standard chords.
cool lesson. i've been a fan of using both sus4 and 2 chords, but i never really clued into the fact that when they are inverted, they can be a different chord. i may have to try using that in something. by the way, what do you call it if you play a suspended chord but also still have the 3rd? is it still suspended or is it just and "add" chord? i tend to do that quite a bit on guitar.
This lesson on Sus4 and Sus2 was great. I enjoy the way you explain it. I can teach it to my piano students who are always eager to learn.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THESE LESSONS! I have been trying for over a year to understand music theory and you have finally made everything click. the way you explain things and use the visual aid if the keyboard is brilliant! I would love to have you as my theory professor :)
I remember some hard rock bands in the eighties used them on ballads to make things more interesting.
Aspirative Music Production sus chords sounded so good on those synths in the late 70’s and 80’s
OMG! I have always loved suspended chords only I didn’t know about them yet, until today! I love this video!
So like, in Bach’s toccata and fugue, in the first few measures, that major chord resolution, that’s a D (?) sus4, to a sus2 to a major chord?
Extremely well described. Never understood this at all until now. Thanks mate! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank for the great instructional video. As a visually oriented musician, your demonstration helps make the concepts VERY clear to me. This is my first stop at your channel. I now have it as a go to site. Keep it up! Good job.
They didn't "get bored of chords" in the olden times, thus coming up with these Sus 4 & Sus 9 chords as refreshments. The music then was contrapuntal. A note (say F) is suspended either to the next harmony and or next measure. So, the F from the say a G7 in prior measure is still sounding/ringing while say, C and G are now struck All making a C sus. Then the F usually drops down to either E Nat. or Eb...producing either a C major or minor. The way Mike is presenting suspension is called 'percussed dissonance', when the C F and G are all hit at the same time or beat. A perfect example of percussed dissonance is the famous first chord of "A Hard Day's Night" before the vocals..'Baaaanngggg !!' " It's been a hard day's......." I alway hear it as G7 Sus.. Some claim it's D Sus..(which would play a more common roll as the dominant chord used as a pickup) as it's C (7th) would resolve to the B (3rd of G chord, its 'A' to the tonic G). But the Beatles were always breaking rules (for the best !). Another Beatle song with first chord as a percussed Sus. is "I Need You" where the 3rd of 'A' triad (C#) goes down to B (Sus. 2 or 9) then up to D as a Sus 4 resolving to C#... in key of 'A'..Yet another Beatle intro is "This Boy" where we hear the 3rd of D maj., F#, go down to E and back to F#, a percussed Sus 2 or 9....If you play or listen to classical music there are millions of examples of real, contrapuntal suspensions and little percussed suspensions...Over all, Mike New is perfectly correct though. It's the origin of 'Sus' that's a tad off kilter .......M
Counterpoint came after raw harmonization, though. It's true they didn't have full out chords, but all the nonharmonic tones, including the suspension, came in to spice up the music.
What is "raw harmonization" and when do you think counterpoint started?
Interesting comment actually. I learned a few things. Good complement to the video. Cheers!
ThatsIsJustCrazy Raw harmony: as in, where they just sang harmony with an existing melody. The first forms of polyphony (in Western music) was the organum, where the same melody was sung one fifth apart.
You don't get true chords until the Renaissance, when the third was introduced, and not treated as a nonharmonic note. This goes on for a while before non-harmonic tones are introduced and resolved.
Counterpoint doesn't start until the Baroque area which comes later. Sure, it uses a lot more nonharmonic notes, and does so intentionally. But it's not when the concept started.
I admit, I was a bit rusty on this before reading up a bit more, but I did remember the basics from my music history classes: polyphony came before counterpoint, and the first harmony was "raw": it was intentionally harmonizing with something else, not doing its own thing like counterpoint does.
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. It's your use of the word counterpoint that threw me off. As the Harvard Dictionary of Music says, "counterpoint is a feature of all music in which combinations of two or more simultaneously sounding pitches are regularly employed." It also says that counterpoint is a property of polyphony which would mean organum contains counterpoint (albeit, a rather simple variety). So "counterpoint came after raw harmonization" is an impossibility.
Do you teach theory somewhere?
He does, on CZcams!
Aye but not for pipe organ
@@T4Cification this is the funniest thing ive seen in a while
I am preparing a series of musical theory in Spanish for my channel, I searched in youtube to see if anyone had done this already, I've found you. Honestly, congratulations for your work!
Really solid job, I needed this refresher.
Speaking of tension, did anyone else feel anxiety with the length of time the marker was uncovered?
How the heck does someone give this a thumbs down. Great vid man. Thanks
Excellent video ! You explain things really well and intuitively !
This video was so helpful. Really great explanation. I have been trying to figure this shit out for weeks, but you just explained it so well with that first example of a Gsus4 being a Csus2
Hey I've got a question regarding suspended chords and key changes. May I use suspended chords (or even 7th chords) as well to change the key?
By the way your videos are great, they helped me alot to understand more from what I'm playing (especially the circle of 5th)!
Kale Kurogawa Certainly. Just remember that you're trying to convince the person listening that your key center has changed. So listen carefully to the chords you're playing, and pay attention to how they change what you're hearing and what you're brain is interpreting as the key center. But absolutely you can do that.
You missed One very nice use of suspended Chords.
Xmaj Xsus2 Xsus4 Xmin
That is a nice tool to switch modes and covering it slightly...
Thank you, this was very coherent and helpful! We need more people explaining harmony fundamentals like that
interesting lesson! I didn't know you could make a sus2 to an other sus4 by inverting them
😳😳😳😳😳😳amogus?!??😳😳😳😳
Really great video. Never really understood Sus chords and how to use them before this. I really like the way you presented everything and showed diff examples + put these in a historical context.
Very illuminating explanation of chords that I've wondered a lot about. Thanks so much!!
Good content. What was throwing me was that several times in the video you mention "D-chord" to something (such as at the beginning around the 15 sec mark D to C). What I failed to catch is why the D-chord has F natural rather than F#. Having seen several of your videos, I know you are proficient in theory and structure so I doubt it was a mistake to do D-F-A instead of D-F#-A. Could you explain if it's a major to/from minor progression or based on specific half steps.
I was referring to that D minor chord in a bit of a lazy way by saying "D chord", in the same way that you might refer to any chord with a root of D as a "D chord", i.e. a Dmin7b5 is a "D chord" as well. It's fairly common to talk that way, but I really shouldn't have. For a lesson video it's really just confusing.
I was also confused by that...pleased you clarified it. Really interesting video!
jesus4
I saw Gsus2 ! LOL
Great video, as always! I've learned a lot from your videos.
Best possible explanation! Thanks! Starting with the basics and making its way to the more complex ones, explaining every step along the way. This is the only way things can be explained and understood! Other "youtubers" should pay attention to that. But nothing can help them have a good explanation if they don't know what they are talking about, in the first place.
i hate the internet
wouldn't a Csus2 be also a Gsus4, and so on with all others?
yee, The G chord would just be in 6-4 inversion when it resolves
Aitor Cazalis this happens because G is the Fifth, Gsus2 is also Dsus4
If you're just going by the notes, you can always come up with alternate ways of naming a chord. That's why the most important thing is how the chord functions.
If you're thinking just note names, then technically yes.
But because we use Lead-sheet notation to describe these types of chords, we take the given note as the root. (e.g., Csus2 having C as the root; Gsus having G as the root)
Just as well, a Csus2 has a different function from a Gsus chord, especially depending on the key (at least if we're thinking in terms of functional harmony).
- In C Major: our Csus2 chord is just our tonic with a suspended second, and the Gsus chord is a Vsus, or the dominant suspending Do (one of my favorite dominants). Therefore you can't really call them the same two chords because, at least in regards to functional harmony, they have completely different roles and do sound differently.
Yeah, but the problem with this analysis is that they both resolve to the same chord. Csus2 resolves with the C going to B making a G chord. Gsus4 the C resolves to B making a G chord. The Gsus4 and Csus2 are, in music theory terms, the same chord in different versions with the function (the resolution) also being the same. If you want to make a Csus2 chord stand on it's own, make it a C9 chord, add in the 3rd and the minor 7th, and use the V-I relationship to resolve it to F. Just about anything else is calling two apples an apple and an orange
that is how one should start a video!!!!!!!!!!! No intro, no blabla, just go... Perfect.
Thanks michale.
Good teaching!!!
Well some inaccuracy in the description of renaissance composers. It's pretty unlikely that they thought of in terms of chords and chord progressions. That was the time of polyphonic vocal music mostly and they thought in terms of counterpoint and intervals that in turn gave rise to harmony. This was the time before functional harmony and Rameau codifying those laws.
Also if you are operating with suspended chords without resolving them, then your harmonic language can be describes as quartal.
Music From the Flatland r/IAmVerySmart
This is obviously for theory beginners. Lighten up, bud
Informative and interesting. Thanks for this video. New subscriber. Also, what's with the asshole comments section?
+ScienceSeance Eh, this is one of those videos that got really popular all of a sudden. The crowd carries the assholes with it. I look at it as an indicator of success.
ScienceSeance Of course. And thank you :)
Thankyou. I love your clear and concise explanation.
Thank you very much yet again Michael, your video's changed my life! I never got around to learning the piano and I started following your lessons 2 years ago and now I can't stop playing! I even bought a guitar a few weeks ago!
Tim Kaelen No way, that's awesome! Man that makes me so happy that you've stuck with it. Enjoy the guitar!
AMOGUS
STOP
2:05 "it's very easy to C" ;)
Great channel and great lesson! Keep up the good work! This channel has definetly helped me in my music theory classes, thank you!!
Very helpful. Thank you for taking the time. Your videos have helped me a lot.
Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
Dididing
Stop
G Sus 😳
Nonono
Excellent summary. great video
Brilliant tutorial, very clear and concise
So the surface of your desk is whiteboard material?
or just a big whiteboard
Looks like glass to me.
it's glass, they have something like that at Ikea I think
By the way, you didn't mention why they are called "suspended" chords. I read elsewhere it is because the 3rd is suspended (i.e. removed from the chord - is that right?
+Larry Heller Hey, yeah they're called suspended because of what I was explaining at the beginning. The middle note is kind of held in place while the upper and lower notes are moved down or up, i.e. "suspended". I guess I never really explained that that's why they're called suspended. Oops.
Thanks, Michael.
It's because the 4th is suspended i.e. keep in the chord at least temporarily before resolution.
that explanation is very unclear. Traditionally it's called suspended because a note was suspended i.e. keep over from the last chord at least temporarily before resolution. " _A note from a previous chord is carried over to the next chord, and then resolved down to the third or tonic, suspending a note from the previous chord. However, in modern usage, the term concerns only the notes played at a given time; in a suspended chord the added tone does not necessarily resolve, and is not necessarily "prepared" (i.e., held over) from the prior chord_ " from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_chord
I never read that, but always assumed that. By removing the 3rd, the chord is ambiguous as far as major/minor is concerned, at least that's the way I hear it.