Great lesson, Brent. Instead of II-V-I, I like to think in terms of the sequence VII, III, VI, II, V, I, IV. (You use the proper chord types depending in whether you are playing major or minor.) I think of this as the mother of all diatonic cadences. It contains all 7 purely diatonic chords in any of the 12 keys. In order to get shorter cadences, you omit some of these seven chords...but play what remains in the above order. Note that II-V-I is an example. So is II-V-I-IV. And VI-II-V-I. And II-V and V-I.
When learning the melody, I also try and understand how each note in a phrase fits with the chord progression (chord tone? guide tone?), as you explain in your book.
Wow! Just used this for the first time while starting on Ornithology. I was able to get the chord sequence for the first 16 bars down in minutes. Thanks!
Great tutorial and the best way to memorise chord sequences. All the Things You Are a perfect example! What I would add, bar 6, is a sweet movement from Dbma7 to Dm7 before the G7 to Cma7, making it not just a V-I but a ii-V-I to the key of C. The common tones C & F (the 7 & 3 of the Dbma7) are now the 7 & 3 of the Dm7. I like it!
Informative points in the lesson, thanks Brent! I tend to favor learning the chords by ear method, something about struggling with the intuitive part of your head to figure out how the chords are coming that really burns it into your brain! You're right, learning the chords before the melody, is like putting wagon before the horse. One of the things I try to do is, before looking at a score's transcript or lead sheet I'll try sounding out a melody on my instrument from the way I hear it in my head (as whacky as that can sometimes get) write it out (on music staff) and then take a look at the lead sheet for comparison's sake. If it's too far out to be used as the head, it can sometimes make for interesting ideas when improvising...
Great job, Brent! These are the practical kinds of things musicians want to know. You've put the missing pieces together in a very informative way on an issue that puzzled me for the longest. I'm a pianist who understands basic theory but learned even more by carefully watching this video and applying your analyzation process to a standard I had been trying to memorize. You're a good teacher. So glad I'm on your email list, thanks.
Thanks for this excellent analysis!! Your breakdown makes a seemingly complicated tune quite do-able. I'm sure lots of tunes are not as simple as this one through the analysis, but, I think many are. Thanks for demonstrating the process!
Tks memorisation (dynamic) is always challenging (2bs or not), but i think you have exposed jazz/music grammar. I think spotting the key centre is the most challenging as you are tracking a moving target. You start in key centre a, move to b, repeat, move to c , all usually by 4ths. E.g F then Bflat(lV) /C(V)/d(vi) As you explained there's a helluvalot of repetition going on. Just like we can often finish peoples sentences, a progression can only go a couple of ways. You move up a fourth & reset to B repeat, resolve back to key centre A A FIXED sequence o is much easier to remember as you can easily guess what the chord pattern is or should be. Thanks this will totally changes how i look @ & memorise songs. I tried it on georgia which has a iii vi ii v i pattern & it was certainly easier than trying to remember each individual chord in isolation. Similary other progressions break down into key centre changes & repeat, or not. I guess how these key centres align is the key to how original a song sounds
I have to admit that this was WAY outside my pay grade. I've been playing piano for 3 months and I've joked all my life that I have two left ears. But I've been trying to apply myself to learning music theory. I listened to what you said, and it was like when I had to learn French. Even if I think I followed about a third of the chord changes you talked about, I know if I had the circle of fifths chart next to me it would have been better. I'm going to go back to plunking out chord changes and inversions and arpeggios and get my chops, this gives me hope. BTW you don't need to look for another job quite yet.
I know a very good youtube piano instructor: DanTheComposer. Try him out! I took some time away from the guitar to study piano, and DanTheComposer really helped me learn the basics fast. Not to downplay Brent in any way, because he is great!
Thanks. I know all this, but I still forget the chord sequences because, for example, how the key centers change or which progressions follow one another.
Very informative, and addressed a couple of things I'd forgotten (or simply never known.) Thank you. Now, this is going to be a phenomenally ignorant question, but ... considering the different keys we're moving between, why does the written staff stay in A-flat? Convenience?
One answer is, simply, that one has to start the chord progressions somewhere! Plus, if you want/need to transpose a song to a different key to accommodate a singer or other instruments, then knowing where to start tells you where to go, in terms of transposing to a different key.
Thanks for sharing, Brent, an excellent explanation of one of the first standards I studied as a student a lot of years ago, you really refreshed my memories of those good ol' times 🙂 Just let me add something I never noticed until now, and that really opened me a BIG window: if you look at the first four tonal key changes (or tonal centers), we have Ab Major, C Major, Eb Major and G Major, which root notes are exactly the notes of AbMaj7 (Ab - C - Eb - G), the first chord of the main tonal center of the song. I never thought about it this way (maybe you mentioned in the video and I didn't catch it), and it could be another way to memorize tonal key changes, what do you think about it? Anyway, the author was a genius...🙂 Thanks again
Well done… Similar method of what I teach my students. One thing I might point out is that every time you play the melody you’re doing that three eighth note walk up to the first note and that is not part of the melody. Just don’t wanna confuse people actually trying to learn the song.
So… and forgive the n00b question, you can use Roman numeral analysis sort of like a movable do where for each section you can redefine a tonal center and do the analysis from there? That means you do not need to keep the numerals across all the chords and fiddle with borrowed and secondary dominants? You use color to segment the new key, but can this be done on the staves with a new key signature?
@Kevin Stevens thank you for your interest. You may click the video when it appears on the screen, but no worries, here's a link to that: ua-cam.com/video/FJm4CZzkgxw/v-deo.html
Why don't you say the first four bars resolve down so they move in 5ths? I'm confused by the difference between the cycle of 4th and 5ths. Would you please offer some clarification? Thanks.
This will sound like a stupid question: if the key of this tune is Ab Major why are chords not diatonic to Ab Major part of it? I understand the idea of borrowed chords and parallel minor but I'm still confused.
The song changes keys a lot. Look at the "I" chords; those help indicate key changes. The progressions move toward resolution, generally at a "I" chord, and then go up a 4th you might say, and proceed into the next key. The melody really is the most important thing to know first. I always have loved the Artie Shaw version of All the Things You Are. The melody wrote itself on my brain after hearing the Artie Shaw band do this tune. Give it a listen :-)
I'm having trouble memorizing these fucking standard melodies. What is your tip to memorize melodies, bro? Chords are no problem. Pro tip: NEVER worry about the correct key for a tune. You should know the INTERVALS BETWEEN CHORDS RELATIVE TO THE KEY OF THE TUNE and you can fucking play over any chords as well as memorize it. If you learn a tune and it's interval patterns between chords, you should be able to apply that to ANY key. This will also make you a favourite with vocalists.
I realize this is a very old comment but one thing you could do is think about what chord tones the melody hits and how it gets there, that being said you should probably just listen to them until you can sing them without any music, that's how you know you've really internalized the tune.
Great lesson, Brent. Instead of II-V-I, I like to think in terms of the sequence VII, III, VI, II, V, I, IV. (You use the proper chord types depending in whether you are playing major or minor.) I think of this as the mother of all diatonic cadences. It contains all 7 purely diatonic chords in any of the 12 keys. In order to get shorter cadences, you omit some of these seven chords...but play what remains in the above order. Note that II-V-I is an example. So is II-V-I-IV. And VI-II-V-I. And II-V and V-I.
Or you can play them all, like Charlie Parker did in the first five bars of “Blues for Alice”!
When learning the melody, I also try and understand how each note in a phrase fits with the chord progression (chord tone? guide tone?), as you explain in your book.
Wow! Just used this for the first time while starting on Ornithology. I was able to get the chord sequence for the first 16 bars down in minutes. Thanks!
Congrats on the new guitar man! Awesome lesson as always.
Thanks!
Great tutorial and the best way to memorise chord sequences. All the Things You Are a perfect example! What I would add, bar 6, is a sweet movement from Dbma7 to Dm7 before the G7 to Cma7, making it not just a V-I but a ii-V-I to the key of C. The common tones C & F (the 7 & 3 of the Dbma7) are now the 7 & 3 of the Dm7. I like it!
.. if you ask learners to also think of the lyrical path..lyrics...it helps identify the key centers via language
Love this vid. Thank you!
Informative points in the lesson, thanks Brent! I tend to favor learning the chords by ear method, something about struggling with the intuitive part of your head to figure out how the chords are coming that really burns it into your brain! You're right, learning the chords before the melody, is like putting wagon before the horse. One of the things I try to do is, before looking at a score's transcript or lead sheet I'll try sounding out a melody on my instrument from the way I hear it in my head (as whacky as that can sometimes get) write it out (on music staff) and then take a look at the lead sheet for comparison's sake. If it's too far out to be used as the head, it can sometimes make for interesting ideas when improvising...
Great job, Brent! These are the practical kinds of things musicians want to know. You've put the missing pieces together in a very informative way on an issue that puzzled me for the longest. I'm a pianist who understands basic theory but learned even more by carefully watching this video and applying your analyzation process to a standard I had been trying to memorize. You're a good teacher. So glad I'm on your email list, thanks.
Thanks for this excellent analysis!! Your breakdown makes a seemingly complicated tune quite do-able. I'm sure lots of tunes are not as simple as this one through the analysis, but, I think many are. Thanks for demonstrating the process!
That was an awesome and complete breakdown of a complex song. Thank you!
Tks memorisation (dynamic) is always challenging (2bs or not), but i think you have exposed jazz/music grammar. I think spotting the key centre is the most challenging as you are tracking a moving target. You start in key centre a, move to b, repeat, move to c , all usually by 4ths. E.g F then Bflat(lV) /C(V)/d(vi)
As you explained there's a helluvalot of repetition going on. Just like we can often finish peoples sentences, a progression can only go a couple of ways. You move up a fourth & reset to B repeat, resolve back to key centre A
A FIXED sequence o is much easier to remember as you can easily guess what the chord pattern is or should be.
Thanks this will totally changes how i look @ & memorise songs. I tried it on georgia which has a iii vi ii v i pattern & it was certainly easier than trying to remember each individual chord in isolation.
Similary other progressions break down into key centre changes & repeat, or not.
I guess how these key centres align is the key to how original a song sounds
I have to admit that this was WAY outside my pay grade.
I've been playing piano for 3 months and I've joked all my life that I have two left ears. But I've been trying to apply myself to learning music theory. I listened to what you said, and it was like when I had to learn French.
Even if I think I followed about a third of the chord changes you talked about, I know if I had the circle of fifths chart next to me it would have been better. I'm going to go back to plunking out chord changes and inversions and arpeggios and get my chops, this gives me hope.
BTW you don't need to look for another job quite yet.
I know a very good youtube piano instructor: DanTheComposer. Try him out! I took some time away from the guitar to study piano, and DanTheComposer really helped me learn the basics fast.
Not to downplay Brent in any way, because he is great!
It's true. I've noticed that if I haven't mastered the melody of a song, I also find it hard to memorize the chord changes
excellent lesson. thanks! those switches to the IV maj 7 have always thrown me lol
Wonderful content. Thankyou
Excellent advice. Thanks so much.
Thank you!
Thank you for this video - it is very helpful
Great approach! Hard to find!
Thanks. I know all this, but I still forget the chord sequences because, for example, how the key centers change or which progressions follow one another.
Great analysis and explanation! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Very informative, and addressed a couple of things I'd forgotten (or simply never known.) Thank you.
Now, this is going to be a phenomenally ignorant question, but ... considering the different keys we're moving between, why does the written staff stay in A-flat? Convenience?
One answer is, simply, that one has to start the chord progressions somewhere! Plus, if you want/need to transpose a song to a different key to accommodate a singer or other instruments, then knowing where to start tells you where to go, in terms of transposing to a different key.
Thanks for sharing, Brent, an excellent explanation of one of the first standards I studied as a student a lot of years ago, you really refreshed my memories of those good ol' times 🙂 Just let me add something I never noticed until now, and that really opened me a BIG window: if you look at the first four tonal key changes (or tonal centers), we have Ab Major, C Major, Eb Major and G Major, which root notes are exactly the notes of AbMaj7 (Ab - C - Eb - G), the first chord of the main tonal center of the song. I never thought about it this way (maybe you mentioned in the video and I didn't catch it), and it could be another way to memorize tonal key changes, what do you think about it? Anyway, the author was a genius...🙂 Thanks again
This is so helpful, thanks!! What program do you use for the color coating?
Hi! I use Canva
Thanks!
Great lesson. That guitar is a thing of beauty. Who made it? Thanks
Well done… Similar method of what I teach my students. One thing I might point out is that every time you play the melody you’re doing that three eighth note walk up to the first note and that is not part of the melody. Just don’t wanna confuse people actually trying to learn the song.
Yep that struck me too.😉
So… and forgive the n00b question, you can use Roman numeral analysis sort of like a movable do where for each section you can redefine a tonal center and do the analysis from there? That means you do not need to keep the numerals across all the chords and fiddle with borrowed and secondary dominants?
You use color to segment the new key, but can this be done on the staves with a new key signature?
I didn’t see a link for the next video on screen. Can you add it to the description?
@Kevin Stevens thank you for your interest. You may click the video when it appears on the screen, but no worries, here's a link to that: ua-cam.com/video/FJm4CZzkgxw/v-deo.html
hey nice new box
And the key centers are the Abmaj7 arpegio Ab C Eb G
I also use that A flat major as guide to the keys visited.
What guitar Is that? Looks and sounds very pleasing. Cheers!
Why don't you say the first four bars resolve down so they move in 5ths? I'm confused by the difference between the cycle of 4th and 5ths. Would you please offer some clarification? Thanks.
Have asked iReal Pro to offer color to bar measures for easier analysis
Please tell us what guitar is that you are playing.
What guitar is this?
This will sound like a stupid question: if the key of this tune is Ab Major why are chords not diatonic to Ab Major part of it? I understand the idea of borrowed chords and parallel minor but I'm still confused.
The song changes keys a lot. Look at the "I" chords; those help indicate key changes. The progressions move toward resolution, generally at a "I" chord, and then go up a 4th you might say, and proceed into the next key. The melody really is the most important thing to know first. I always have loved the Artie Shaw version of All the Things You Are. The melody wrote itself on my brain after hearing the Artie Shaw band do this tune. Give it a listen :-)
beautiful...but I have to find the notes and chord shapes
I'm having trouble memorizing these fucking standard melodies. What is your tip to memorize melodies, bro? Chords are no problem. Pro tip: NEVER worry about the correct key for a tune. You should know the INTERVALS BETWEEN CHORDS RELATIVE TO THE KEY OF THE TUNE and you can fucking play over any chords as well as memorize it. If you learn a tune and it's interval patterns between chords, you should be able to apply that to ANY key. This will also make you a favourite with vocalists.
I realize this is a very old comment but one thing you could do is think about what chord tones the melody hits and how it gets there, that being said you should probably just listen to them until you can sing them without any music, that's how you know you've really internalized the tune.
At 9:50 learners need more explanation viz. measures 4 -> 5 -> 6