Let's start with a trick question. Is this a Red, Blue, or Yellow chord? I see that it is made of the notes C-E-G. I was being really sneaky because I didn't show you the key signature (the sharps and flats next to the clef, that define where DO is.). Second year students will always tell me this is a RED chord, and for now, they are correct. But third year students have learned the magic of key change. But those smart third year students will say, "That's a C-chord and it could be RED or BLUE or YELLOW! It depends where Do is!"
The Role of Chords
Imagine I were going to tell you 3 stories, and Linda happens to be in them all. Here's a photo of Linda, a new mother. Linda is the mother in the first story.
And here's another look at Linda with her mom. Linda is still the same, but she'll play the role of daughter in the second story.
Finally, Linda plays the role of grand-daughter in my third story. Linda didn't change anything about herself, but depending on who she was with, her role in the story changed. Now let's think about chords! A chord can play the role of RED, BLUE, or YELLOW depending on which other chords it is with and where DO is.
Red, Blue, Yellow The Red, Blue, and Yellow chords play roles in songs and music. The RED CHORD is HOME. Songs begin and end with RED. It just doesn't feel complete otherwise. The BLUE CHORD gives us a traveling, moving sensations in our music. We sing "we like to run and roam" because the BLUE CHORD helps us add interest and movement. The YELLOW CHORD has a distinct sound that really pulls back to RED. "Yellow is the chord that leads us back to home."
Our songs are harmonized with these three players. A chord can be ANY of these colors, depending on where Do is. I'll explain more in the next post! Read it here. - Gina Weibel, MS Let's Play Music Teacher
It's the third year of Let's Play Music class and time to learn the MAGIC of key change. Make A Major Scale In a recent article, I showed you how you can choose any key to be the tonic, DO, and build a major scale using a pattern of whole steps and half steps (WWHWWWH). Yes, DO can be on any note. What does it look like to play a song in one key (Do is C) and switch to another key (Do is F or G)? Let's check it out! Magic Keys Song It happens quickly in class, so here is a replay of what you saw in class:
Let's review all the music theory that we just mashed into one powerful minute, and YES when I ask these probing details of my students, they know the answers! The Key of C 1. If there are no sharps or flats next to the clef, you're in the key of C. 2. We say 'key of C' to mean that DO is C. 3. A red chord (I chord) is always Do-Mi-Sol, so it is spelled C-E-G. 4. You can make a major scale, starting on C, playing all the white keys. The Key of F The Key Signature is the clef at the beginning of the song, with sharps or flats next to it. It announces where DO is. 1. If there is one flat next to the clef, you're in the key of F. 2. The one flat will always show up on B. 3. 'Key of F' is another way of saying that DO is now F. 4. A red chord is always Do-Mi-Sol, but now it is spelled F-A-C. 5. FA gets the flat. (Fa is the fa-lat) So, you can make a major scale starting on F, but it only works if you always change the B to a B-flat. As you play a song in F, you have to remember to always change every B to B-flat, that's why the flat is printed at the beginning of the song next to the clef. It would get too tiring and messy to write a flat next to every B in the song.
The Key of G 1. If there is one sharp next to the clef, you're in the key of G. 2. The one sharp will aways be an F. 3. 'Key of G' means DO is G. 4. A red chord is always Do-Mi-Sol, but now it is spelled G-B-D. 5. TI is the tone that needs a sharp. (Do is G because the F# is a TI!) You can make a major scale or play a song in G, but only if you always change every F to F-sharp.
Let's start with a trick question. 
