Why do some chords sound great next to each other and others not so much?
Long ago, musicians who recognized this mysterious fact got together and designed a system called Functional Harmony. Functional Harmony assigns roles or functions to each chord within a key based on the chord’s relationship to the Tonic chord, which is built on the most prevalent note of the key.
The three main functions are:
- Tonic: The Tonic Chord is the chord that feels comfortably at home. It is the familiar place that the music always comes back to. Moving away from the Tonic chord adds tension to your music.
- Dominant: The dominant chord is a chord that feels slightly unresolved. It feels like it wants to move to the tonic chord. It is often used to create a sense of tension and release.
- Subdominant: The subdominant chord is the chord that feels like it wants to resolve to the dominant chord. It is often used to create a sense of movement and progression.
Functional harmony is a powerful tool that can be used to create a variety of musical effects. It is used in a wide variety of genres, including classical music, jazz, and popular music.
Try this exercise to see if you can use Functional Harmony to develop your own musical journey!
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