When we start out learning music language .
We start with the chromatic scale
C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
C Db D Eb E F GB G Ab A Bb B

Then we want to focus in on an KEY.
This is a center point " home" relaxed focal point . All the details center around the " tonic" center
Of the key.

Let's look at C major KEY to start .
CDEFGABC
This key has no sharps or flats do it's easier to understand . The chords in the key set the blueprint for how we use sharps and flats.
Here are the chords in C major.

1.CEGB
2.DFAC
3.EGBD
4.FACE
5.GBDF
6.ACEG
7.BDFA

There are 3 " functions " in a key
Subdominant ( some tension
Dominant ( very tense
Tonic ( relaxed landing home .

These functions follow that direction from tense to relaxed .

Let's look at a very common " cadence" in C major .

Fmaj/ Gmaj/ Cmaj

FAC,GBD,CEG

Subdominant Fmaj
Dominant Gmaj
Tonic Cmaj
It's called IV V I progression .

It builds up tension before landing on the tonic ( hero of story)
The tension is music's motion .
You see we have 7 chords in the key but only 3 functions .
That means there is more than one chord for each of the 3 functions .

Let's now see the 7 chords and what function each is.

1.CEGB Cmaj7 .....tonic ( home relaxed
2.DFAC. Dmin7 ....subdominant ( small tension
3.EGBD. Emin7......tonic ( home relaxed
4.FACE...Fmaj7.....subdominant ( small tension
5.GBDF...G7 .....dominant ( very tense
6.ACEG....Amin7...tonic ( home relaxed
7.BDFA.....Bmin7b5...dominant ( very tense

So this is what we have.
1Cmaj7 CEGB
3.Emin7 EGBD
6.Amin7 ACEG

Are tonic , are home relaxed ( the focus of key

2.Dmin7 DFAC
4.Fmaj7 FACE

Are subdominant ( the journey begins small motion

5.GBDF G7
7.BDFA Bmin7b5

Are dominant ( lots tension,motion movement


Now we looked at a " cadence " before the
IV, V, I progression.

Fmaj7,G7,Cmaj7

Cmajor is the center focus like the hero in a story.
But tonic by itself has NO movement only stillness .
So we add subdominant then dominant then tonic
So that we can travel, overcome obstacle then the hero wins at the end .
This means that
If you think of levels of detail.
You would have this .
1.C note ( because key of C
2.C chord , CEG , CEGB ,CEGA
3. a "Cadence" IV,V,I
Fmaj7,G7,Cmajor

Now we see the cadence is an expansion of Cmajor chord . It makes the landing on C chord
" Resolve" at the end ( makes an impact on listener.

Now before we seen that 7 chords in key have 3 functions .

This means a cadence can as appear a few ways while still accomplishing the same thing
( You have flavors to choose from )
So compare this
Fmaj,Gmaj,Cmaj

To this

Dmin,Bmin7b5,Emin

We swapped out chords that are same function to get a different flavor even though is works the same musically.

In JAZZ music ( improvisation)

We make the IV V I progression
Instead a II V I
Dmin7,G7,Cmajor

It's almost the same except the chords follow the cycle of fourths which is strong motion ( feels good to ears )

Try both ways

Fmajor7 FACE to G7 GBDF to Cmajor CEGC

Then

Dminor7 DFAC to G7 GBDF to Cmajor CEGC

See how it's almost the same?

 

Very nice post @MMJ2017, people new to music theory are gonna love this. Thank you for sharing.

 

So far we have seen the key of C major
And how it's 7 chords work in 3 functions .
The 3 functions give movement to music
Subdominant dominant tonic

1.Cmaj7 CEGB
2.Dmin7 DFAC
3.Emin7 EGBD
4.Fmaj7 FACE
5.G7 GBDF
6.Amin7 ACEG
7.Bmin7b5 BDFA

Now this series covers the basics of music language .
So when it comes to playing over a cadence we use the C major Scale CDEFGABC

Let's see our IV, V ,I cadence

Fmaj7,G7,Cmajor

So first we use the arpeggios of the chord on our strong beats.

FACE,GBDF,CEGC

These are the notes to emphasize.
But then we use the Cmajor scale combined to make melodies .

Let's see and example.
Our structure is IV,V,I

So

Fmaj7/ G7/ Cmajor/ Cmajor/

Strong beats are in bold. Weak beats are normal .

FACE, GBDF, CEGB, CEGC

Let's now use the C major scale CDEFGABC
Combined with our chord tones

FGABCD, GABCDEFG, CDEFGA,CDEFGA


Now let's see our II, V,I cadence

Dmin7/ G7/ Cmaj/ Cmaj/

DFAC, GBDF, CEGB,CEGB

And now with the C major scale
CDEFGABC used along with chord tones .

DEFGAB, GABCDE, CDEFGA, CDEFGA

End of part 1.

 

Part 2

We seen the Key of Cmajor , it's 7 chords broken into 3 functions .
Then how those functions make up our cadence
( First chord progression)
Then finally we seen how by using the chord tones on string beats and the major scale on weak beats we can begin to make melodies.

Now it's time to get familiar with other keys and how they work.

The C major KEY has zero sharps and flats .

Now we are going to look at the KEY of Fmajor.

The KEY of Fmajor has 1 flat Bb.
FGABbCDEF

Everything we seen in key of Cmajor works the same in this key except instead of B natural it Becomes Bb B flat.

1.Fmaj7 FACE tonic
2.Gmin7 GBbDF subdominant
3. A min7 ACEG tonic
4.Bbmaj7 BbDFA subdominant
5.C7 CEGBb. Dominant
6.Dmin7 DFAC. Tonic.
7.Emin7b5 EGBbD dominant

So our IV, V, I is

Bbmajor BbDFA subdominant
C7 CEGBb dominant
Fmaj7 FACE tonic


Notice how our chords follow the same layout as with C major?

Look at C majors chords
CEGB
DFAC
EGBD
FACE
GBDF
ACEG
BDFA

And now Fmajor chords

FACE
GBbDF
ACEG
BbDFA
CEGBb
DFAC
EGBbD

So in a key we follow the structure of the letter names in the chord as C major establishes.
So in C major the B chord is BDFA
But in F major the Bb chord is BbDFA

The only difference between F major and C major
Is the B becomes Bb
( And F as center focus)
But the functions are same .
So a cadence works same .
Using chord tones then scale notes works the same.


Let's see a couple examples .

Cmajor IV,V,I cadence

Fmaj7,G7,Cmaj

Fmaj IV,V,I cadence

Bbmaj7,C7,Fmaj

Cmajor ii V I

Dmin7,G7,Cmaj
DFAC,GBDF,CEG

Fmajor ii V I

Gmin7,C7,Fmaj
GBbDF,CEGBb,FAC

 

bookmarked to study, thanks for sharing!

 

Let's look at the G major key.
G ABCDEF#G

This key has 1 # sharp
It is just like C major key,
Except F becomes F#
( Also center focus is on G this time)

G major key
GABCDEF#

1.GMaj7 GBDF# ( tonic
2.Amin7 ACEG ( subdominant
3.Bmin7 BDF#A ( tonic
4.Cmaj7 CEGB ( subdominant
5.D7 DF#AC. ( Dominant very tense
6.Emin7 EGBD. ( Tonic
7.F#min7b5 F#ACE. ( Dominant very tense.

Let's see our IV,V,I cadence in G major

Cmaj7/ D7/ Gmaj7

CEGB,DF#AC,GBDF#

( Remember we just use our G major scale along with chords tones in strong beats To play over it)

CDEF#GA,DEF#GAB,GABCDE,


Now our ii V I cadence in G major KEY

Amin7/ D7/ Gmaj/ Gmaj/

ACEG,DF#AC,GBDF#,GBDF#


You see for every key the chord letters follow that pattern set by C major
( You just make sure you have the right flats or sharps and you Center in the key letter name)

So let's look at D major KEY

DEF#GABC#D

It has 2 sharps F# and C#

1.Dmajor7 DF#AC#.....( Tonic
2.Emin7 EGBD.......(subdominant
3.F#min7 F#AC#E.....( Tonic
4.Gmaj7 GBDF#.....( Subdominant
5.A7 AC#EG..........*dominant very tense
6.Bmin7 BDF#A.....( Tonic
7.C#min7b5 C#EGB......(dominant very tense


Let's see our IV,V,I cadence in Dmajor

Gmaj7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/

GBDF#, AC#EG, DF#AC#,DF#AD

And our ii V I cadence in D major

Emin7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/
EGBD, AC#EG,DF#AC#,DF#AD

Now like before we simply use the notes of D major scale with chord tones on strong beat to create melodies .

Dmajor scale DEF#GABC#D

Dmaj Cadence ii,V,I
Emin7/ A7/ Dmaj/ Dmaj/

EF#GABC#, ABC#DEF#,DEF#GABC#D,DEF#GAB