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Unison Theory Blueprint PDF
Unison Theory Blueprint PDF
Contents
Music Theory
Key Center
Scales
Chords
Chord Types
Roman Numeral Analysis
Terms
Genres
Ambient & Downtempo
Big Room & Progressive House
Classical
Disco
Folk
Funk
Future Bass & Melodic Trap
Gospel
Hip-Hop & Rap
House & Deep House
Jazz
Latin & Reggaeton
Neo-Soul
Pop & Future Pop
R&B
Reggae
Rock & Metal
Soul
Techno & Melodic Techno
Trance & Psytrance
Appendix
Appendix A: Chord Formulas
Music Theory
Key Center:
If you have spent much time in the music production scene or with traditional musicians,
you will have undoubtedly heard the term “key” used frequently. This is because keys
(not the keys of a piano!) are at the heart of Western music.
Key is short for “key center”, which refers to a note that organizes and makes sense of
the other notes, scales, and chords surrounding it. For example, when a song is said to
be “in the key of C”, it means that C is the center of that musical universe—it is the note
that feels like home, rest, and stability in that song. All of the other notes and chords in
that song will feel, to one degree or another, away from home and lacking stability.
Any note can be used as a key center. What makes a given note feel like home is not the
note itself but the specific pattern—or relative position—of the other notes in the song.
Depending on the specific pattern used, the key center will not only feel like home, but
also have a sense of being major or minor. The details of how this happens are outside
the scope of this guide, unfortunately, but are very interesting!
Knowing all this, we now know what it means when someone says, “this chord
progression is in the key of C Major”. The note that feels like home is C, and if we were to
make a chord based off that note, it would be a major chord.
Key centers are very often misunderstood, but since this whole pack is about chord
progressions in various keys, it is important that you accurately understand what a key is.
Every chord progression in this pack is available in every key. This means that, even
though the specific notes that make up the chords are different in each key, the overall
sound of the chord progression will remain the same. So, if you find a progression you
like in the key of C Major, but your song is in G Major, you can find the same progression
in G Major and use that for your song.
Scales:
A scale is a set or pattern of notes ordered by pitch. The exact pattern of notes used will
determine what kind of scale it is. There are an incredible number of different possible
scales, but we are only concerned with three: The major scale, the minor scale, and the
chromatic scale.
Here are all the notes used in Western music, ordered by pitch:
A - A# - B - C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G#
This is called the “chromatic scale”.
The chromatic scale is unique because it contains all possible notes.
When we want to create a major or minor scale, we need to know two things:
1. The notes of the chromatic scale.
2. The scale formula for the scale we want to create.
Here are the scale formulas:
Major: R + W + W + H + W + W + W
Minor: R + W + H + W + W + H + W
Here, R stands for “root note”, which is the note by which we name the scale (like C
Major, G Minor or Db Major), the note that generates the scale—the key center.
W = Whole Step (distance from C to D)
H = Half Step (distance from C to Db)
To build a scale using a formula, simply choose whichever root note you want to start
with, plug it into the R value in the formula and begin adding whole steps and half steps
as the formula indicates, taking each new note you arrive at as the next note in the key.
We will build G Major:
Major: R + W + W + H + W + W + W
G A B C D E F#
You may have noticed that there are major keys and major scales, as well as minor keys
and minor scales. Though, in the strictest sense, these thing are different, we will take
them to mean the same thing for the purposes of this guide. This way of understanding
keys and scales is very common because it simplifies things.
As was mentioned earlier, each folder in this pack related to keys is labelled with a pair
of keys, such as:
1 - C Major / A Minor
This is because every major key has a minor key that is relative to it, and vice-versa.
Relative, in this sense, means that it uses the same set of notes. Using the scale formulas
shown above, we can construct the following two scales and compare them:
C Major: C-D-E-F-G-A-B
A Minor: A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Notice that both scales contain the same notes, they just begin in different places. What
this means for us is that the keys of C Major and A Minor (or any other pair of relative
keys) consist of the same set of c hords as well, which is why they share one folder in this
pack.
The difference between any major scale and its relative minor (or vice versa) is which
note we sense to be the key center, or, in other words, which chord feels like home—the
point of greatest rest in the key. To specify this, we use a system of chord analysis
utilizing Roman numerals to denote which chord is the key center.
Chords:
Chords are simply collections of notes. These notes can either be played
simultaneously—a block chord—or one by one—an arpeggio. There are many types of
possible chords, from the most pleasant to the most harsh and dissonant. Modern music
works by taking certain sequences of chords, called chord progressions, and looping
them over and over until a new chord progression starts. This may seem too basic to
mention, but since this pack deals with thousands of chord progressions, it is good to be
clear on what we are talking about.
The notes of a chord are always derived from a major scale according to a chord
formula. For instance, here are the chord formulas for major and minor chords:
Major = 1 - 3 - 5
Minor = 1 - b3 - 5
Here, the numbers are referring to degrees (note numbers) of a major scale. For a Cmaj
chord, we take the first, third and fifth degrees (notes) of the C Major scale and play them
all at once. For a Cmin chord, we take the first, f latted third, and fifth degrees of a C
Major scale. Referencing the table above that shows the notes of C Major, we get these
notes for each chord:
Cmaj = C - E - G
Cmin = C - Eb - G
Playing either of these note groupings will produce the corresponding chord. It is
important to note here that the only difference between a major chord and a minor
chord, based on the same root note, is that the minor chord has a lowered third.
There are formulas for every chord type imaginable. You can find a list of some of the
most important chord types at the end of this guide in Appendix A.
Chord Types:
Triads
In music speak, a triad is the most basic kind of chord. Triads consist of 3 notes and
come in 4 varieties:
Major
Minor
Diminished
Augmented
Each of these chord types has a very specific sound. Through experience you can come
to know the sound of each chord, and be able to identify it upon hearing.
Major and minor chords are by far t he most common chords in the world, especially
compared with the other two triads. Major chords have a bright, positive sort of sound,
while minor chord have a more melancholy, dark feeling. Diminished and augmented
chords are difficult to describe, but they certainly more dissonant and rough sounding
than the other two.
Just because triads are the most basic kind of chord does not mean they are lame or not
as good as more complicated chords! The majority of the world’s most popular songs
have consisted of nothing but triads because of the way in which they convey emotion
powerfully and directly. The choice of whether to use triads or extended chords should
stem from one’s personal taste and experience, rather than a concept about them.
Extended Chords
This category encompasses all chord types that contain more than three notes with a
maximum of 7 (an entire scale played simultaneously). When we speak of a chord having
a certain number of notes, this is referring to the number of distinct letter names in the
chord, not the actual number of keys being played. Here is an example:
Cmaj7: C-E-G-B
This chord contains four separate letter names, making it a four note chord. However, we
could create a voicing (specific arrangement of notes) wherein each letter name appears
two or more times in various octaves of the keyboard. Imagine a 60-piece orchestra
playing this chord; there are many instruments in many different octaves, but each
instrument is playing one of those four notes. If any one of those 60 players played a
note other than C, E, G, or B, we would have to give the chord a new name because it
would now be a five note chord.
Extended chords have a complexity or richness to their sound that is not possible using
triads because there are now more notes interacting with one another. The number of
different types of extended chords is essentially infinite, and so we will not get into an
explanation of the various kinds in this guide. Suffice it to say, if you are looking for a
jazzy, complex or more sophisticated sound, extended chords are what you want.
Within the folders of individual chords, you will often find a number of different extended
variations for each note of the scale. Here is an example with C major:
Cmaj6/9
Cmaj7sus2
Cmaj9
CmajAdd9
These chords are essentially interchangeable. You can try out each variation to see
which best fits the sound you are going for. You could even use a different version each
time the chord progression repeats!
Modal / Borrowed Chords:
So far, all the chords listed have been created using only the notes of the selected key,
but this isn’t always the case. It is possible (and in fact very common) to use chords in
your progressions that are built from notes found in other keys to spice up the sound,
adding interest via unexpected notes. In this pack, we refer to these chords as “modal
chords”—because they come from parallel modes—or “borrowed chords”. These
borrowed chords range from simple alternatives to spine-tingling, exotic sounds that,
when used sparingly, can provide moments of heightened emotion, drama or impact.
Like with anything in life, it is important not to overuse these chords within our tracks
because they will begin to lose their meaning and impact. Similarly, bass frequencies
have the greatest impact when they are separated by open space, creating a relationship
of tension and release. If we have heavy bass with no gaps or space throughout our
entire track, it will become meaningless and lose its appeal. When using strongly
coloured modal chords, it is best to find opportune spots to place them that will increase
their impact. For modal chords that are more simple, we can use them more often in our
progressions without fatiguing the sound.
You can easily spot many modal chords in the names of various progressions because
they appear on flattened scale degrees, such as bII or bVII. When using borrowed
chords, it becomes possible to utilize all 12 notes of the chromatic scale as root notes for
chords, vastly expanding the possibilities for interesting bass lines and melodies.
Altered Chords:
When chords contain special notes that have been chromatically shifted—moved up or
down a half-step—they are known as “altered chords”. This category of chords is most
prevalent in jazz and other genres that have borrowed from the jazz vocabulary. Altered
usually have a very tense sound and are used in specific circumstances.
Inversions:
Most of the time, chords will have their root note (the note by which you name the chord,
i.e. C major or F# minor) as the lowest tone in the chord, the bass note. So if you’re
playing an A minor chord, the bass will usually play an A. This method will give the
greatest strength and stability to the chord voicing. However, you can also place one of
the other notes in the chord as the lowest note—this is called an inversion. An example
would be to play an A minor chord again but to have the bass instrument play a C note
instead of an A.
Amin = A-C-E
This chord would now be written as ‘Am/C’ (read, “A minor over C”).
Am/C = C -E-A
When the root note is in the bass, the chord is said to be in “root position”.
When the 3rd of the chord is in the bass, the chord is in “first inversion”.
When the 5th of the chord is in the bass, the chord is in “second inversion”.
Inversions appear fairly regularly within the chord progressions in this pack, but the
inversion will not be notated in the name of the file. This is because the method of
labelling inversions using roman numeral analysis does not lend itself well to standard
text writing. Instead, the chord will be written as if it is in root position.
Roman Numeral Analysis:
Roman numeral analysis is standard practice in all styles of Western music and makes
looking at, speaking about and thinking of chords and chord progressions much simpler.
Major Keys
Maj: 1 - 3 - 5 Min: 1 - b3 - 5
Maj6: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 Min6: 1 - b3 - 5 - 6
Maj7: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 Min7: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7
MajAdd9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 9 MinAdd9: 1 - b3 - 5 - 9
Maj6/9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9 Min6/9: 1 - b3 - 5 - 6 - 9
Maj9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 Min9: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9
Maj9(#11): 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - #11 Min11: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11
Maj13: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 13 Min13: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 13
7: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 Sus2: 1 - 2 - 5
7sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7 Sus4: 1 - 4 - 5
9: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 Maj(#4): 1 - 3 - #4 - 5
9sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7 - 9 Aug: 1 - 3 - #5
13: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 13 Dim: 1 - b3 - b5
7(#5): 1 - 3 - #5 - 7 Dim7: 1 - b3 - b5 - 6
7(#9): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - #9 Min7(b5): 1 - b3 - b5 - b7
9(#11): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - #11 MinMaj7: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7