YUNOVA · Keyboard & Piano
Module 10: Advanced harmony
Extended chords: 9th, 11th and 13th
Key points
- Extended chords stack more thirds above a seventh chord.
- A 9th chord adds the note a ninth above the root.
- Some notes, often the fifth, can be left out to keep voicings clear.
Chord voicings on the keyboard
Key points
- A voicing is how the notes of a chord are arranged across the keys.
- Inversions put a note other than the root at the bottom.
- Moving to the nearest notes between chords gives smooth voice leading.
Circle of fifths
Key points
- The circle of fifths arranges keys a perfect fifth apart.
- Each step clockwise adds one sharp; anticlockwise adds one flat.
- Neighbouring keys on the circle share most of their notes.
Modulation and key changes
Key points
- Modulation moves a piece from one key to another.
- A pivot chord shared by both keys makes the change smooth.
- Closely related keys sit next to each other on the circle of fifths.