Hooktheory I Outline

Chapter 1: Building Blocks

1.1 The Building Blocks of Music

• The major scale
• Medley with the major scale
• C major scale
• D major scale

1.2 Relative Notation

• C major scale
• D major scale
• C major scale on relative staff
• G major scale on relative staff
• “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi (melody only)

1.3 Chords

• Formation of a I chord
• Variations of a I chord
• Formation of a ii chord
• Block representation of chords
• Scale degrees of basic chords

1.4 Combining Chords And Melody

• vi → IV → V → I → IV → V chord progression
• vi → IV → V → I → IV → V arrangement of scale degrees
• “Livin On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi (full)

1.5 "Wrap Up

• “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart

1.6 Check For Understanding

• Scale degrees of basic chords
• “U And Ur Hand” by P!nk

Chapter 2: Harmony I

In the previous chapter, you learned that a song can be broken up into two fundamental building blocks; the chords and the melody. In this chapter, we will look at the function of some of the basic chords to see how they can fit in a chord progression. In particular, we’ll begin to answer the question, “if this chord were played next, would it sound good and why?”

2.1 The I Chord: Home Base

• Identify the location of the I chords (pt. 1)
• Identify the location of the I chords (pt. 2)

2.2 Basic Chord Function

• “Blowin’ In The Wind” by Bob Dylan (hidden chords)
• “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith
• “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty (hidden chords)
• “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
• “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan
• “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty
• “Push” by Matchbox 20
• “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars

2.3 The vi Chord: A Minor Sound

• “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey
• I → V → vi → IV Medley

2.4 Being Creative

• “Push” by Matchbox 20
• “Love Story” by Taylor Swift
• “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion (Verse)
• “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion

2.5 Check For Understanding

• “Who Knew” by P!nk
• “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

Chapter 3: Melody

While the importance of a song’s chords cannot be overstated, it is often the melody that stands out the most to the casual listener. In this chapter, we’ll discuss the underlying structure behind a melody. We’ll answer the question, ”How do I know what note to sing?” and show you that a song’s melody can be broken down and understood just like its chords.

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Meter

• “Wake Me Up” by Avicii
• Simple meter
• Compound meter
• “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson

3.3 Stable vs. Unstable Scale Degrees

• “If We Hold On Together” by Diana Ross
• Melody A (Stable Scale Degrees)
• Melody B (Unstable Scale Degrees)
• “Home” by Daughtry
• Melody A (With Passing Notes)
• “Sun And Moon” from the musical Miss Saigon
• “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
• “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson

3.4 Rhythmic Patterns

• “Umbrella” by Rihanna
• “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga

3.5 Melodic Themes

• “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt
• “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5
• IV with unstable scale degree 5 vs. iii with unstable scale degree 4
• “Somebody Told Me” by The Killers
• “Friends Forever” by Vitamin C

3.6 Check For Understanding

• “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
• Passing Notes
• Compatible with a V chord
• Modified repition

Chapter 4: Harmony II

In this chapter we will continue our study of some of the basic chord types that make up popular music. The harmony you learn in this chapter will greatly expand the number of songs that we can understand and opens doors to much more creativity in your songwriting.

4.1 The iii Chord

• “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson
• “If We Hold On Together” by Diana Ross
• “So What” by P!nk
• “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry
• “Night Minds” by Missy Higgins
• “Basketcase” by Green Day
• “Canon In D” by Pachelbel

4.2 The ii Chord

• “Those Magic Changes” by Sha Na Na
• “Sherry” by The Four Seasons
• “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” by Bon Jovi
• “Halo” by Beyonce
• “Fireflies” by Owl City

Chapter 5: Inversions

In this chapter we discuss the use of chord inversions, where a subtle reordering of the notes in a chord can significantly alter its function. Inversions will give you access to a whole new harmonic toolset that allows more flexibility and creativity in your songwriting.

5.1 Introduction

• Inversions of I

5.2 The I⁶ Chord

• “The Heart of Life” by John Mayer
• “The Road And The Radio” by Kenny Chesney
• “All American Girl” by Carrie Underwood

5.3 The V⁶ Chord

• “You Look Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton
• “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Elton John
• “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith
• “Ever Ever After” by Carrie Underwood (from the motion picture Enchanted)

5.4 The Cadential ⁶₄ Chord

• “I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams
• “Circle of Life” from the motion picture The Lion King
• “Let Your Hair Down” by MAGIC
• “Secrets” by One Republic

5.5 Pedal Harmony

• “I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams
• “Eye of The Tiger” by Survivor

5.6 Final Thoughts

• Common inversions

Chapter 6: Conclusion

6.1 Closing Remarks

Hooktheory II Outline

Chapter 1: Seventh Chords

Every musician loves a new trick that can quickly expand their repertoire. In this chapter you’ll learn about an easy way to raise the level of sophistication of your music through a new type of chord called the “seventh” chord. Seventh chords are just extended versions of the chords you already know; they contain an extra note that adds complexity and lets you do some really neat things. For example, the “seventh” version of V can be used to enhance its qualities as a progression-ending “cadence” chord; the “seventh” versions of ii, iii, and vi can be used to make a progression sound more smooth and mellow; and inversions of seventh chords can be used to connect baselines in new and beautiful ways.

1.1 Extending The Basic Chords

• “Lost Without U” by Robin Thicke
• “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire

1.2 Qualities of Seventh Chords

1.3 Seventh Chords In Music

• “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
• “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie
• “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars
• “Underneath The Stars” by Mariah Carey
• “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli
• “Clarity” by John Mayer
• “Fallin’ For You” by Colbie Caillat
• “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
• “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake
• “Gimme All Your Love” by Alabama Shakes

1.4 Inversions of Seventh Chords

• “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
• “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John
• “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles
• “Fellow Travellers” by Procol Harum
• “Theme of Love” by Nobuo Uematsu
• “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boyz II Men

1.5 Summary

Chapter 2: Secondary Chords

Up until this point, the melodies and chords you’ve learned have been built from the seven scale degrees that make up the major scale. The exclusive use of these notes is the foundation that underlies much of the theory we’ve discussed so far.

Of course, the truth is that songs do at times use notes that are outside their scale. In this chapter, we’ll discuss the first of several important classes of chords that do this. The fact that songs can sometimes use notes outside their scale does not mean the theory you’ve learned so far is being invalidated. The majority of the songs you hear on the radio really do stick almost entirely to their scale. When notes outside the scale are used, it is often done in very specific ways that reinforce the ideas you’ve been taught. This chapter will discuss one of the ways this is done and show you how to incorporate these techniques into your own songs.

2.1 The “V of V” chord

• “Piano Man” by Billy Joel
• “We Are the Champions” by Queen
• “O Come All Ye Faithful”
• “Summertime” by Kenny Chesney
• “Dreamin’ With A Broken Heart” by John Mayer
• “Forget You” by Cee Lo
• “American Pie” by Don McLean

2.2 The “V of IV” and “V of vi” chords

• “Fallin’ for You” by Colbie Caillat
• “Desperado” by the Eagles
• “Something” by The Beatles
• “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
• “She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel
• “Imagine” by John Lennon
• “Hysteria” by Muse

2.3 Inversions of Secondary Chords

• “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga
• “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John
• “In Your Atmosphere” by John Mayer
• “Baby Love” by The Supremes
• “Waterloo” by ABBA

2.4 Other Secondary Chords

• “Who Says” by John Mayer
• “Flaming Moe’s” from The Simpsons by Jeff Martin
• “Thnks fr th Mmrs” by Fall Out Boy
• “Bridge over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel
• “Photograph” by Nickleback
• “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” from Cheers by Gary Portnoy

2.5 Summary

• “Life On Mars?” by David Bowie
• “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes

Chapter 3: Embellishments

In the chapter on seventh chords, you were introduced to one way that the basic chords could be extended to give your musical ideas more complexity. In this chapter, we will learn about several other ways to alter and extend chords that can create some surprisingly beautiful sounds.

3.1 Extended Chords

• “The Girl From Ipanema” by ‎Antônio Carlos Jobim

3.2 add9 chords

• “Nightminds” by Missy Higgins
• “Dreaming of You” by Selena
• “3AM” by Matchbox Twenty
• “In The Fields” by Doug Hammer
• “Nadia’s Theme” from The Young and the Restless by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr.
• “My Heart Will Go On” by James Horner

3.3 Suspensions

• “My Grown Up Christmas List” By Kelly Clarkson
• “Tearin’ Up My Heart” by NSYNC
• “Ka Nohona Pili Kai” by Keali’i Reichel
• “Domino” by Jessie J
• “Clarity” by Zedd

3.4 V¹¹

• “Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel
• “Valentine” by Martina McBride
• “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” by Michael Jackson
• “Desperado” by The Eagles

3.5 Summary

Chapter 4: Creative Techniques

So far you’ve learned a lot about chords, melody, and how they fit together to make a great sounding song. This is a great start, but just because you’ve been exposed to the theory doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll able to use it effectively.

There’s a lot more to writing a great song than just knowing which chord goes after another. In this chapter we will pause for a moment to discuss some common creative techniques that you can apply using the knowledge you’ve obtained in earlier chapters (and Hooktheory I) to make music that is more unique and memorable. We hope this will help you unlock some of the potential in the tools that you have at your disposal.

4.1 Energy Control

• “Ever Ever After” by Carrie Underwood from the motion picture Enchanted
• “We Are the Champions” by Queen
• “Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis

4.2 Deception

• “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith
• “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked by Stephen Schwartz
• “That’s the Way it is” by Celine Dion
• “Wonderboy” by Tenacious D
• “Break Free” by Ariana Grande

4.3 Harmonic Scope

• “Out from Under” by Britney Spears
• “Take A Bow” by Rihanna
• “E.T.” by Katy Perry
• “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars

4.4 Summary

• “Beautiful Now” by Zedd

Chapter 5: Songs in Minor

Up to this point, the songs we have been learning to write have all been based around the major scale. The set of chords that are formed from the notes in this scale gives rise to a vast and interesting sonic space through which one can explore. It is not, however, the only space available to you as a songwriter to work in. The major scale leads to a home base centered around a chord that is major in quality, and sometimes this sound isn’t appropriate for the feel a song is trying to evoke. For many songs it’s useful to be able to center your progressions around a different chord, a minor chord instead, for example. In this chapter, we will introduce the minor scale and discuss the techniques that go into writing a great song based around it.

5.1 A New Home Base

• “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in major
• “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in minor
• “Paradigm Shift” by Masashi Hamauzu

5.2 Chord Function in Minor Keys

• “Here Comes the Sun” By The Beatles
• “Mr. Saxobeat” by Alexandra Stan
• “Smooth Operator” by Sade
• “Same Old Love” by Selena Gomez
• “Burn” by Ellie Goulding
• “Hello” by Adele
• “Sweet Dreams” by Beyoncé
• “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye
• “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye (in major)
• “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus

5.3 Relating Major and Minor

• “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix
• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
• “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
• “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
• “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
• “Thank You” by Dido

5.4 Summary

• Theme from motion picture The Rock by Hans Zimmer

Chapter 6: Modes and Modal Mixture

In the previous chapter, we learned about the new musical possibilities that are opened through the use of the minor scale. We also learned that while the minor scale can be thought of as a separate entity in its own right, it is also useful to understand it as a shifted version of the major scale that begins on scale degree 6.

Of the seven notes in the scale, so far we’ve studied two of the notes as possible home bases. However, there are five other notes, and any of these notes can be used as the tonal center of a song. There are thus a total of seven possible home bases, and these lead to seven of what are known as “modes”: The dorian mode (home base on the 2nd degree of the major scale), phrygian mode (3rd degree), lydian mode (4th), mixolydian mode (5th), minor mode (6th), locrian mode (7th), and the major mode itself (1st).

In this chapter we’ll explore some of the common modes used in popular music. We’ll look at some examples so you can hear the different feel that modes give a song, and we’ll see some of the ways that songs in these modes use chords differently. Lastly, we’ll explore the concept of modal mixture, in which a song is not purely and unambiguously in one mode or another. We’ll discuss how this is done and listen to examples from real songs.

6.1 Dorian Mode

• “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in the dorian mode
• “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in the minor mode
• “Scarborough Fair” by Simon and Garfunkel
• “I See You” by Leona Lewis from the motion picture Avatar
• “I See You” by Leona Lewis in minor
• “Moondance” by Van Morrison
• “Mad World” by Tears For Fears
• “Mad World” by Tears For Fears transposed to minor

6.2 Mixolydian Mode

• “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in mixolydian
• “Clocks” by Coldplay
• “It’s My Life” by No Doubt
• “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC
• “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
• “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
• “The Visitors” by ABBA
• “The Visitors” by ABBA (in major with B naturals)

6.3 Modal Mixture

• “Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day
• “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri
• “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
• “You Are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson
• “Only Hope” by Mandy Moore
• “You Don’t Know Me” by Ariana Grande
• “Let it Go” by the Idina Menzel

6.4 Melody Over Borrowed Chords

• “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri
• “Starman” by David Bowie
• “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
• “Take A Bow” by Madonna
• “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen (♭6 in melody replaced by 6)

6.5 Modal Mixture in Minor

• “Hold It Against Me” by Britney Spears
• “You Know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse
• “Ken’s Theme” from the video game Street Fighter II
• “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood
• “Django” by Luis Bacalov from the motion picture Django Unchained
• “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal
• “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt
• Soundtrack from the television series Game of Thrones by Ramin Djawadi
• “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles
• “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from the motion picture Frozen
• “Skyfall” by Adele from the motion picture Skyfall
• “James Bond Theme” by Monty Norman
• “The Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani

6.6 Other Modes

• “Twinkle Twinkle” in the locrian mode
• “The Simpsons Theme” by Danny Elfman from the television series The Simpsons
• “Lost Woods” from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• “Yesterday” by The Beatles
• “Forget You” by CeeLo Green
• “Dreaming With a Broken Heart” by John Mayer
• “Lovely Rita” by The Beatles
• “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee
• “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake featuring Lil Jon
• “Malagueña” composed by Ernesto Lecuona
• “Hava Nagila” composed by Abraham Zevi Idelsohn and Moshe Nathanson
• “Piano Sonata No. 14”, first movement, by Ludwig van Beethoven
• “Speak Softly, Love” by Andy Williams

6.7 Summary

• “History” by One Direction
• “The Only Exception” by Paramore
• “It’s My Life” by No Doubt
• “The Only Exception” by Paramore
• “Almost Is Never Enough” by Ariana Grande