After a tremendous response from learners on Coursera, Berklee Online has created a Developing Your Musicianship specialization, and this course is the second course in the series. If you have a basic knowledge of music theory or if you have completed Developing Your Musicianship I, this course will continue to help you understand key musical concepts, enabling you to create and perform contemporary music. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes four lessons that delve into the next level of harmony and ear training.
The course will introduce you to new key signatures, including minor tonalities, and how they are constructed. You will train your ear to hear minor intervals and 7th chords. You will learn how to build 7th chords, and how to build common chord progressions. You will also learn the major pentatonic scale and how to construct melodies using this scale.
The course culminates with an assignment that asks you to compose and perform an 8-measure composition using popular chord progressions and the Major pentatonic scale. Just like Developing Your Musicianship I, the course is designed to impart the joy of creating music and sharing it with others.
This course is part of the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization
Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys
Offered By
About this Course
4.9
267 ratings
What you will learn
Aurally identify minor intervals and 7th chords
Explain the relationship between a Major key and its related minor
Practice playing and writing in the keys of F Major, D minor, G Major, D minor scales
Write a chord chart
Skills you will gain
Music PerformancePianoMusicMusic compositionMusic theory
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
11 hour to complete
Welcome to Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys!
Welcome to Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys (also known as Developing Your Musicianship II)! Here we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your course experience.
1 video (Total 4 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz
1 video
Welcome!3m
5 readings
A Note From George5m
A Note From Your Teaching Assistant10m
Connect with Your Classmates1m
Course Resources5m
Earn A Course Certificate5m
1 practice exercise
What Are Your Goals?8m
4 hours to complete
Lesson 1
In this lesson, we will spend a little time reviewing the material from Developing Your Musicianship I. We will learn about the Key of F Major and its related minor key, D minor. We will also practice training our ears to hear minor 2nd and 3rd intervals and major and minor 7th chords.
5 videos (Total 34 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
5 videos
F Major and D minor6m
Intervals and Chords - Part 16m
Lesson 1 Ear Training Practice5m
Write and Practice in the Key of F Major and D minor2m
2 readings
Lesson 1 Study Guide30m
Check Your Work: Write in the Key of F Major and D minor10m
1 practice exercise
Lesson 130m
Week
24 hours to complete
Lesson 2
In this lesson, we will explore diatonic 7th chords in the key of G major and F major. We will learn four new popular chord progression using diatonic triads. We will continue to train our ears, reviewing the intervals and chords from the previous lesson while adding minor 6th and 7th intervals and the dominant 7th chord.
6 videos (Total 33 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
Diatonic Triads and 7th Chords in F Major5m
Popular Chord Progressions Using Diatonic Triads7m
Intervals and Chords - Part 27m
Lesson 2 Ear Training Practice6m
Write and Practice the Popular Progressions2m
2 readings
Lesson 2 Study Guide30m
Check Your Work: Write the Popular Progressions10m
1 practice exercise
Lesson 230m
Week
34 hours to complete
Lesson 3
In this lesson, we will learn about the key of G major. We will play with the popular chord progressions from the last lesson by adding the 7th. We will continue to train our ears, reviewing the intervals and chords from the previous two lessons while adding the tritone and the half diminished (or the minor 7 flat 5) chord.
6 videos (Total 31 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
The Key of G5m
Popular Chord Progressions in the Key of G Using 7th Chords3m
Intervals and Chords - Part 36m
Lesson 3 Ear Training Practice6m
Write and Practice in the Key of G Major and E minor3m
2 readings
Lesson 3 Study Guide30m
Check Your Work: Write in the Key of G Major and E minor10m
1 practice exercise
Lesson 3 Quiz30m
Week
44 hours to complete
Lesson 4
In this final lesson, we will explore the major pentatonic scale. We will also learn how to write a chord chart using the popular chord progressions from this course. We will continue to train our ears, reviewing all of the intervals and chords from the course.
7 videos (Total 34 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes
7 videos
The Major Pentatonic Scale7m
Chord Charts6m
Lesson 4 Ear Training Practice10m
Compose an 8-Measure Song1m
Giving and Receiving Feedback1m
Congratulations!45s
3 readings
Lesson 4 Study Guide30m
How to Record Yourself for Your Assignments10m
Advancing Your Knowledge and Skill5m
1 practice exercise
Lesson 4 Quiz30m
4.9
65 Reviews50%
started a new career after completing these courses
25%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
very cool professor ..feel so happy and good to see you smile while teaching sir.\n\nit was great learning all the music concepts with you in musicianship 2\n\nvery well designed.thank you
This is a solid follow-up to Developing Your Musicianship. Anyone who enjoyed that course and wants to continue down that path should feel at home here.
Instructor
George W. Russell, Jr.
ProfessorHarmony/Piano
About Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.
About the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization
Nurture your love for, and understanding of, music with this specialization. Learn the fundamentals of music theory, including major and minor tonalities, chord scales, song forms, and chord qualities. You’ll also practice training your ear to hear and recognize various intervals, chord progressions, and chord qualities. For the Capstone project, you will directly apply the knowledge you’ve gained to write and perform a short musical composition. This specialization begins with the basics of music and builds to more advanced concepts, providing you the knowledge you need to improve your skills as a musician.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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