Music Lesson: Harmonic Analysis & Minor Key Theory

http://www.creativeguitarstudio.com/

Andrew Wasson of Creative Guitar Studio answers a viewers question:

Q: I have subscribed to your channel and watched a lot of your videos. My background is limited in theory, but Ive learnt enough theory to have questions. I will limit them to the following it would be great if you could answer them. They are

#1). Are there different rules for Harmonic Analysis? I have noticed that you always write all of the roman numerals as upper case. I see other teachers write minor chords as lowercase and major chords as upper-case. Can you please clarify this.

#2). I can hear major keys just fine in music, but I have difficulty understanding how to hear and know if a song is in a minor key. Are there any basic rules for understanding when songs are in minor keys?
- Thanks, Wayne Calgary, AB.

Thanks for writing in! The harmonic analysis may vary depending upon where you went to school. Berklee, Musicians Institute and University Programs, Departments and Professors/Instructors can and will teach differently. In the video lesson I cover the most popular types.

When it comes to Minor Key Theory, it is important to know what establishes a tonality of minor. A large part of this theory in Minor has to do with the Harmonic Minor Scale. In the video lesson I cover important principles of Minor Key resolve.

The complete lesson article for this video, is available on the Creative Guitar Studio website. Follow the link below to read the complete article:
http://www.creativeguitarstudio.com/lessons/music_theory/harm_alalysis_minor_...
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[josiahgust]

Although some of this is a bit over my head at this point, I really appreciate how clear and simple your teaching is.

[LeonardandPaul]

Love your channel, we are so glad we stumbled onto it. We subscribed - Leonard and Paul

[colourfulwithaU]

At 9:52, you say 'flat 7', I think you meant flat 6.

[sonico73]

the chords in a minor key is the same way you building for a major key are the same chords but starting from the relative minor Am ( C MAjor key) after you have all the natural minor chords you can see are the same just change the position, How ever in some cases you want that v minor sound more like a Dominant 7 so you add a note that doesn't belong to the key in this case G# to make a major third and will become adding the 7 a Dominant 7 so you have that strong resolving sound.

[vascu2]

@listenhose Hi. You're only going to rely on the major family chord to get the minor chords. Follow my instructions. in your guitar (or piano), do an A-minor chord (A-C-E), then of course the bass note is A. Now disregarding the other notes of A-minor, move the A bass note "3 steps" (in guitar you will land of fret III), then you will get the note "C". It means: key of A-minor = Key of C-Major, the only difference is the root chord, but 100% the chords used are the same in both keys.

[TheFergie1967]

listenhose - minor chords are built the same way as major chords- using notes 1 3 and 5 from whatever root note you wanna play with. Its the minor third interval that gives it the minor sound eg in the key of Aminor your basic Aminor chord is A C and E

[listenhose]

Hi, I meant to ask how to build chords in minor keys?

[listenhose]

Hi, How are chords built in a minor key? For example what are the chords in the key of A minor? I understand building major chords however to build minor keys I am not too sure. Thanks Jake.,,,

[listenhose]

Hi, How are chords built in a minor key? For example what are the chords in the key of A minor? I understand building major chords however to build minor keys I am not too sure. Thanks Jake.