The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Part 3: Tunes
89
8
Melodies 91
Combining Tones and Rhythms ......................................................91
Common Melodic Techniques ........................................................92
Dvorˇák’s 
New World Symphony 
..................................................92
Bach’s 
Minuet in G 
........................................................................93
Michael, Row the Boat Ashore ........................................................94
Pachelbel’s 
Canon in D 
..................................................................95
Composing Your First Melody ........................................................95
What Makes a Melody Memorable? ................................................97
Center on a Pitch ............................................................................97
Make Sure You End Up at Home ....................................................98
Stay Within the Scale ......................................................................98
Use the Big Five ..............................................................................99
Find the Hook ................................................................................99
Create Variations ..........................................................................100
Write in Four—or Eight, or Sixteen ............................................100
Make It Move ..............................................................................101
Take Small Steps ..........................................................................101
Stay in Range ..............................................................................102
Avoid Unsingable Intervals ............................................................102
Keep the Rhythm Simple ..............................................................103
Stay in Time ................................................................................104
Set Up—and Resolve—Tension ......................................................104
Set Up a Call and Response ..........................................................105
Establish Symmetry ......................................................................105
Balance Repetition and Variety ......................................................106
Follow the Chord Progressions ........................................................106
Follow the Form ............................................................................107
Follow the Words ..........................................................................107
Write for a Specific Instrument or Voice ........................................108
Be Unique ....................................................................................108
Learn More About Composing ......................................................108
9
Chords 111
Forming a Chord ............................................................................112
Different Types of Chords ..............................................................112
Major Chords ................................................................................113
Minor Chords ................................................................................114
Diminished Chords ........................................................................114
vii

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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory, Second Edition
viii
Augmented Chords ........................................................................115
Chord Extensions ............................................................................116
Sevenths ........................................................................................116
Other Extensions ..........................................................................119
Altered, Suspended, and Power Chords ........................................120
Altered Chords ..............................................................................120
Suspended Chords ..........................................................................121
Power Chords ................................................................................122
Inverting the Order ........................................................................122
Adding Chords to Your Music ........................................................123
The Complete Idiot’s Chord Reference ........................................125
10
Chord Progressions 
127
Chords for Each Note in the Scale ................................................127
Creating a Progression ..................................................................130
It’s All About Getting Home ..........................................................130
One Good Chord Leads to Another ..............................................131
Ending a Phrase ..............................................................................133
Perfect Cadence ............................................................................133
Plagal Cadence ..............................................................................133
Imperfect Cadence ..........................................................................133
Interrupted Cadence ......................................................................134
Common Chord Progressions ........................................................134
I-IV ..............................................................................................134
I-V ..............................................................................................134
I-IV-V ..........................................................................................135
I-IV-V-IV ....................................................................................135
I-V-vi-IV ......................................................................................135
I-ii-IV-V ......................................................................................136
I-ii-IV ..........................................................................................136
I-vi-ii-V ......................................................................................136
I-vi-IV-V ......................................................................................136
I-vi-ii-V7-ii ..................................................................................136
IV-I-IV-V ....................................................................................137
ii-V-I ............................................................................................137
Circle of Fifths Progression ............................................................137
Singing the Blues ............................................................................138
Chords and Melodies ......................................................................138
Fitting Chords to a Melody ............................................................138
Writing a Melody to a Chord Progression ......................................142
11
Phrases and Form 
145
Parts of a Song ................................................................................146
Introduction ..................................................................................146
Verse ............................................................................................146
Chorus ..........................................................................................146
Bridge ..........................................................................................147

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Contents
ix
Instrumental Solo ..........................................................................147
Ending ..........................................................................................147
Putting It All Together ..................................................................147
Head Cases ......................................................................................148
Classical Music Forms ....................................................................149