Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys

Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys

This course is part of Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

Instructor: George W. Russell, Jr.

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

552 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

552 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll 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'll gain

Details to know

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Assessments

8 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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This course is part of the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 4 modules in this course

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.

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. Then, 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.

What's included

6 videos4 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videos Total 37 minutes

Welcome! 4 minutes
Review from Developing Your Musicianship I 13 minutes
F Major and D minor 6 minutes
Intervals and Chords - Part 1 7 minutes
Module1 Ear Training Practice 6 minutes
Write and Practice in the Key of F Major and D minor 3 minutes

4 readings Total 32 minutes

Course Resources 10 minutes
Earn A Course Certificate 7 minutes
Connect with Your Classmates 5 minutes
Module 1 Study Guide 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 40 minutes

Module 1 Quiz 30 minutes
Self-Assessment: Project 1 10 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 1: Write in the Key of F Major and D minor 60 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 7 minutes

Meet and Greet 7 minutes

In this module, 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 module while adding minor 6th and 7th intervals and the dominant 7th chord.

What's included

6 videos2 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videos Total 33 minutes

Review of Module 1 3 minutes
Diatonic Triads and 7th Chords in F Major 5 minutes
Popular Chord Progressions Using Diatonic Triads 7 minutes
Intervals and Chords - Part 2 8 minutes
Module 2 Ear Training Practice 7 minutes
Write and Practice the Popular Progressions 3 minutes

2 readings Total 35 minutes

Lesson 2 Study Guide 30 minutes
Sign up for the full experience! 5 minutes

2 assignments Total 45 minutes

Module 2 Quiz 30 minutes
Self-Assessment: Project 2 15 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 2: Write the Popular Progressions 60 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Popular Progressions 10 minutes

In this module, 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 modules while adding the tritone and the half diminished (or the minor 7 flat 5) chord.

What's included

6 videos2 readings2 assignments1 peer review

6 videos Total 31 minutes

Review from Module 2 6 minutes
The Key of G 6 minutes
Popular Chord Progressions in the Key of G Using 7th Chords 3 minutes
Intervals and Chords - Part 3 6 minutes
Module 3 Ear Training Practice 7 minutes
Write and Practice in the Key of G Major and E minor 3 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Module 3 Study Guide 10 minutes
Preview of Project 4 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 50 minutes

Module 3 Quiz 30 minutes
Self-Assessment: Project 3 20 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 3: Write in the Key of G Major and E minor 60 minutes

In this final module, 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.

What's included

7 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review

7 videos Total 34 minutes

Review from Module 3 5 minutes
The Major Pentatonic Scale 8 minutes
Chord Charts 7 minutes
Module 4 Ear Training Practice 10 minutes
Compose an 8-Measure Song 2 minutes
Giving and Receiving Feedback 2 minutes
Congratulations! 1 minute

3 readings Total 25 minutes

Module 4 Study Guide 10 minutes
How to Record Yourself for Project 4 10 minutes
Advancing Your Knowledge and Skill 5 minutes

2 assignments Total 40 minutes

Module 4 Quiz 30 minutes
Self-Assessment: Project 4 10 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 4: Compose An 8-Measure Song 60 minutes

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Instructor

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(72 ratings)

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George W. Russell, Jr.

Berklee

10 Courses 165,495 learners

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Berklee

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Reviewed on Sep 28, 2019

A very thorough yet easy-to-learn course consisting of every fundamental thing a musician must know. Finding it really helpful so far!

Reviewed on Dec 31, 2017

complicated music theory easy to understand and really enhancing your musicality. thanks again, prof. russel, for your dedication, fun and clear explanations.

Reviewed on Oct 8, 2020

I enjoyed this course and felt like I learned a lot! I appreciate the way the course material builds, challenging the learner to keep moving forward. Thank you!

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