Michael New Music Theory Tutorials
Michael New’s YouTube Music Theory Lessons are for advanced choristers who want a different perspective on musical concepts. Michaels 10-25 minute lessons offer new perspectives on the structure of chord progressions, the Circle of Fifths, and songwriting techniques.
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Lesson 1 - How Basic Chords Work
This lesson is on chords, how they work, and the basic intervals that make them up. Learning the underlying music theory behind chords will not only allow you to find any chord you want, anywhere you want, it will also give you a solid foundation to build your entire understanding of music theory on.
This lesson is on chords, how they work, and the basic intervals that make them up. Learning the underlying music theory behind chords will not only allow you to find any chord you want, anywhere you want, it will also give you a solid foundation to build your entire understanding of music theory on.
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Working on major and minor keys this time!
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Lesson 3 - How To Fit Chords Into A Key
Starting to get into chord progressions here. Learn about how to figure out the different chords you can use when playing in a key.
Starting to get into chord progressions here. Learn about how to figure out the different chords you can use when playing in a key.
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Lesson 4 - How Seventh Chords Work, Part 1
Seventh chords (chords with four notes). For some reason a lot of people learn the basic triads (three note chords), but they never really get comfortable with the seventh chords. There's no reason not to though. If you understand your triads then learning this is simple; you just learn how to find that fourth note and you're done. They're beautiful chords too, by the way.
Seventh chords (chords with four notes). For some reason a lot of people learn the basic triads (three note chords), but they never really get comfortable with the seventh chords. There's no reason not to though. If you understand your triads then learning this is simple; you just learn how to find that fourth note and you're done. They're beautiful chords too, by the way.
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Seventh Chords Continued!
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Lesson 6 - How to Invert Chords
This is a music theory lesson all about chord inversions. Inverting chords is a simple concept; you just play notes in different octaves so the chord gets sort of "flipped around". You can use inversions to make a chord sound different (and a lot of times more interesting), but most importantly you can invert the chords in a chord progression to move smoothly and fluidly from one to another. If you aren't comfortable with basic chords yet you might want to start with this video:
This is a music theory lesson all about chord inversions. Inverting chords is a simple concept; you just play notes in different octaves so the chord gets sort of "flipped around". You can use inversions to make a chord sound different (and a lot of times more interesting), but most importantly you can invert the chords in a chord progression to move smoothly and fluidly from one to another. If you aren't comfortable with basic chords yet you might want to start with this video:
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Lesson 7 - The Circle of Fifths: How to Actually Use It
The circle of fifths is easy to learn, but what to do with it can be confusing. I'll show you a quick way to memorize it, and then ways to use it for things like chord building and key changes.
The circle of fifths is easy to learn, but what to do with it can be confusing. I'll show you a quick way to memorize it, and then ways to use it for things like chord building and key changes.
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Lesson 8 - The Circle of Fifths: Minor Keys and Advanced Uses
Why the normal circle of fifths doesn't cut it and how to use the advanced version.
Why the normal circle of fifths doesn't cut it and how to use the advanced version.
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Lesson 9 - How Suspended Chords Work
Suspended chords are odd little chords that don't follow the normal "rule of thirds" chord logic. But if you know how they work you can do some pretty cool things, like setting up tension into neighboring chords or hiding what key you're in.
Suspended chords are odd little chords that don't follow the normal "rule of thirds" chord logic. But if you know how they work you can do some pretty cool things, like setting up tension into neighboring chords or hiding what key you're in.
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Lesson 10 - How To Change Keys
This lesson is all about changing keys. It's a tough topic, but if you understand what it means to change keys you should begin to understand a lot more about how music works in general.
This lesson is all about changing keys. It's a tough topic, but if you understand what it means to change keys you should begin to understand a lot more about how music works in general.
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Lesson 11 - Why C Major is Bad, and Other Random Topics
I get asked these questions a lot, and I though I'd answer them.
1 - I made something up that I don't understand, is that cool?
2 - Why do you always teach things in random keys? That's so dumb.
3 - Is a scale the same thing as a key?I get asked these questions a lot, and I though I'd answer them.
1 - I made something up that I don't understand, is that cool?
2 - Why do you always teach things in random keys? That's so dumb.
3 - Is a scale the same thing as a key? -
Lesson 12 - How To Turn A Mode Into Music
This video looks at how a lydian mode goes from a fairly meaningless scale into chords, melody, and actual music.
This is definitely the most advanced music theory lesson I've uploaded to date (as well as the longest).
This video looks at how a lydian mode goes from a fairly meaningless scale into chords, melody, and actual music.
This is definitely the most advanced music theory lesson I've uploaded to date (as well as the longest).
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