Review Sheet

Written work

Write and identify intervals.

You should be able to construct any interval within an octave above or below a given note.

Write and identify in any inversion any type of triad or seventh chord covered so far.

You should be able to construct or identify triads and seventh chords.  When identifying a chord, go through these steps:

Step 1: get the chord into root position.  If the chord is already in root position, go to step 2.  When you have the chord in root position you will know the letter part of the chord symbol, it will be the lowest note of the chord.

Mystery chord.  It's not in root position.  You have a choice of moving the top note on the line down an octave, or moving the three bottom notes on spaces up an octave.  I choose to move the top note ("D") down an octave.

Now it's in root position, so you know it's a "D" chord of some type.  I've left the rest of the chord symbol "?"--that's the part we don't know yet.  To determine the quality of the chord we follow steps 2 and 3 below.

Step 2: compare the chord with a major triad (if you have a three-note chord) or a major seventh chord (if you have a four-note chord).

Since we are trying to identify a four-note chord we will construct a major seventh chord on the same root.  You stack up ovals on the spaces above "D", and then using your knowledge of key signatures add sharps in front of "F" and "C".  These four notes are the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes of the D major scale.

 

Step 3: see what's been altered.  Use your knowledge of the formulae and determine what the quality of the chord is.  Now you can complete the chord symbol.

Compared with the major seventh chord we see that the seventh has been lowered a half step, indicated by our mystery chord with a "-7".  Since we know that a seventh chord with 1, 3, 5, and lowered 7 is a "⁷" chord (dominant seven) we can fill in a "⁷" to complete the chord symbol "D⁷".  We're done!

Test yourself:  what is this chord?

Analyze songs in terms of chord symbols, functions, and form. 

Analyze the song in terms of chord symbols and functions

In the excerpt below the chord symbols have already been provided.  You might find yourself someday with a piece with the chords written out as notes but without chord symbols.  You would then have to go through and figure out what the chords are, using the process above.  Once you have figured out what the chords are you can continue with analyzing what the chord progression is in terms of the functions of the chords:

1.) Determine what key the song is in.  Usually you can tell from the key signature.  Often times the song starts on the I chord, and it usually ends on the I chord.  It looks like the following piece is in D major (two sharps in the key signature, starts and ends on a D major chord)

2.) Analyze the song using the diatonically-related chords for that key.  For example, if your piece is in D major, the following chords would be explained by their functions in that key:

3.) Go through the piece and look at the chord symbols.  If they are chords in the key you can write the Roman numeral functions underneath the staff.  If the chords depart from the key you have to consider the possibility that you've modulated.  We'll see songs that modulate later in the course.

Remember to precede your first Roman numeral function with the letter of the key that you're in, followed by a colon (":").  Otherwise your Roman numerals don't have as much meaning, since you don't know what key they refer to.

Analyzing the chord progression is a good way to understand some of the details of the piece.  The way to get a bigger perspective is by analyzing the form.  A useful tool we have developed is the schematic diagram, where you represent the order and length of sections, and then make notes about the instrumentation, method of playing, and style.

Aural work

Identify by ear any triad or one of the two seventh chords: maj⁷ and ⁷.

Find a keyboard and play triads and seventh chords.  Write the chords on paper, look at them, play them, listen.  Find a partner and test each other.

Drill yourself on the sound.

Recognize chord progressions involving I, ii, iii, IV, V, and vi chords.

Write out the diatonically-related chords in different keys.  For each key, play the major scale with your left hand to reacquaint yourself with the key signature.

Then go up and down the scale playing triads with the right hand and the roots with the left hand, saying the function and name of chord.

When playing progressions play the root of the chord in your left hand and the chord with your right hand.  That way you'll hear the root stronger.  Say the name and/or function of the chord as you go.  The best way would be to sing the name or function on the pitch of the root, the note your left hand is playing..

Play simple progressions and gradually make them more complex.  For example, try a series of progressions like:

I    ii    I

I    iii    I

I    IV    I

I    V    I

I    vi    I  (drop down to the vi chord rather than leaping up)

Once you can do three-chord progressions try four-note series, such as:

I    IV    V    I

I    ii    V    I

I    iii    IV    I

I    vi    V    I

Piano

Try progressions with seventh chords, such as ii⁷  V⁷  I maj⁷.  Play progressions with five chords, such as  I   vi   IV   V   I .  Play the progressions in different keys, starting with the simplest: F, C, and G major

 

---

©2001 Robert Willey