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In this episode of Behind the Score, we're going back to basics with a review of the five main types of 7th chords and how they function in a descending fifth series. We listen to Frank Sinatra singing Fly Me to the Moon as well as a Passacaglia by G. F. Handel. I hope you enjoy!

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7th Chords & Descending Fifths, with Fly Me To the Moon & Passaglia (Handel) - Behind the Score (Episode 8)

This is "7th Chords & Descending Fifths, with Fly Me To the Moon & Passaglia (Handel) - Behind the Score (Episode 8)" by Doug Helvering on Vimeo,...

Comments

Arrow2theACL

Most of this stuff goes over my head, but I will say this is a lot more entertaining then most Continuing Educational Videos I have to attend to maintain my profession. Maybe we could have you teach and add music to the medical profession. What do you say Doug? "The hip bone's connected to the thigh bone...." You know the words.

Zsuzsanna Vázsonyi

I wish we had been taught music like this at school. I really enjoyed this video!

Dan Noyes

Thank you so much for this - After a 50 yr hiatus, I have gotten involved in writing music again - unfortunately, I have forgotten 99% of this... fortunately, you are here to teach it to me again. This is great - You and Rick are coaxing me back... Thanks again.

John Sawyer

Really interesting thanks. I have been trying to build up a library of what chord you can go to next. Somehow I hadn't seen descending 5ths explained like this before. Really useful and it may turn up in my writing soon. :D More of this kind of thing please really enjoying it.

Peter Tutak

Another great lecture, thanks, Doug. It also helps with ear training, (ie recognizing the descending pattern on hearing it) and more immediately understanding where, as a rhythm player, I (and other bassists) need to prepare to go to support the melodic line without depending on the chart. BTW, in a lead sheet like this, transcribers will invariably usually use caps in chord symbols (no matter what chords they are) because of the varying distance between the player and the sheet of music - anywhere from relatively close (for pianists) to much farther (for other rhythm section players). The caps are easier to read and to distinguish from any qualifying nomenclature, despite the analytic conflict they might present. (You could probably do a whole episode on varying chord symbols, nomenclature and how they can appear or be explained differently in either formal analysis, charts, lead sheets, etc., despite them being the same thing). Again, well done, and thank you. Most enjoyable.

David Marshall

Hi Dr. D - would love to get your 7 chord worksheets.

doughelvering

I uploaded a page of one of my chord labeling worksheets. I'll work on an answer key soon.

Toby

Didn't get a word you're saying... Hahaha! Still I enjoyed the video because of the beautiful chords and Frank Sinatra. ;-)

Fred Hill Jr

Funny I studied music for 7 years. I’d planned on going to Southern Cal to study music. But things happened lack of money, not high enough enough grades and a falling out with a band director. So I joined the Air Force. Sad to say the old saying there are a lot of starving musicians. I had Frieda with music degrees then now what. Masters to teach in high school or PhD to teach in college. Some of them joined the military.

Fred Hill Jr

I'm enjoying you YouTube channel. It brings me back when I was in Music. In High School I took Music Theory. I got the theory part, cords structure, the notes...etc. The only thing I was missing was the creativity to write music. It came to me hard to write music that had a flow to it. That wasn't just notes but had a musical flow to it it you can what I mean. Still, I had a blast with music. Sang and played three musical instruments. If they would have let me all I would have taken was music. I really enjoy you breaking down the music, what cord their in. Something I never got was your ear for music to ID the key their in, the cord structure...etc. I'm really having a blast with your reviews of the different groups and their music. Well off to watch more of The Daily Doug.

Jeff Norman

A little knowledge might be a dangerous thing...as in: I thought that, in conventional classical writing, parallel fifths were frowned upon...yet in the Handel piece, at least in the score on the screen, there were more than a few...Bar 21 in the bass, for example... Am I wrong, or was that "rule" propounded post-Handel?