Music Theory

Resources

Ethan Davis video on Music Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlAqx_8_7vU
Taetro Music Theory Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CluuHrr7HG4&list=PLoO2tOP2r-XvoFc7cnfYcomf1X0XcQvDC

Scales

Notes

In a scale, notes are numbered with roman numbers:
I II III IV V VI VII

Major Scale

Root Note - I
Whole Step - II
Whole Step - III
Half Step - IV
Whole Step - V
Whole Step - VI
Whole Step - VII

Minor Scale

Root Note - I
Whole Step - II
Half Step - III
Whole Step - IV
Whole Step - V
Half Step - VI
Whole Step - VII

Chords

Basic Chords

Multiple notes in the scale played simultaneously.

Major chord

I, III, V in a major scale

Minor chord

I, III, V in a minor scale
Basically correspond to I, III minus half step, V in a major scale

Chords are always

Major - I, III, V - Chord I
Minor - II, IV, VI - Chord II
Minor - III, V, VII - Chord III
Major - IV, VI, I - Chord IV
Major - V, VII, II - Chord V
Minor - VI, I, III - Chord VI

Chord progressions

A suite of chords in a particular order.
Most notable would be:

I, VI, II, V
II, V, I
I, V, VI, IV

Spicy Chords

7

maj7 - Major 7th - Add the VI note
7 - 7th Chord (or dom7 - dominante 7th) - Add the VI note, down a half step
min7 - Minor 7th - Add the VI note in a minor scale

add 2nd note

I, II, III, V
can also be done with 7

Add I and V on top

You can add I and V on top of almost every chords
Example: https://youtu.be/KlAqx_8_7vU?si=TgjG37K4t7XbkQOk&t=1132

Breaking the rules

Playing a note out of scale

Augmented chord

This chords are often used as transitions.
aug: Playing a major chord, but use V + half-step
example: Caug: I. III. V + half-step => C, E, Ab

Major II Chord

This chords are often used as transitions as well.
Chord II should be minor -> switch to the corresponding major chord