7ths & Inversion Reflection

Step 6

• Answer the following questions regarding Dominant 7th Chords & Inversions

1. What is the purpose of inversions? They are used to smooth out chord progressions by moving the notes around so they are closer together. 

2. What material would you feel confident explaining to your classmates? I am moderately confident in explaining how triads are inverted. 

3. What material would you not feel confident explaining? Inverting dominant 7th chords and recognizing chords on sheet music when it is not just in snowman form. I am just not confident in 7th chords in general 

4. What material do you think you understand but cannot explain at this point? Figured bass

5. What can you do to prepare yourself to be able to explain this material? I will take notes on my own to make sure I can explain the material to myself and do it on my own. 

Step 2

• Provide a brief summary in your own words to define/describe secondary dominant chords and why you might choose to use them in a chord progression(their purpose)  

Secondary Dominant chords are built from taking the 5th (or any chord) from a certain key, and finding the dominant of THAT key. They are used to create more interesting harmonic patterns to create movement and/or emphasis. 

Step 2

• Answer the following questions in your own words

1. What is modulation? A modulation is the act of changing from one key to another within a piece. 

2. Why would modulation be used in a composition? This is used to create structure or form to a piece, as well as add interest. IT tends to drive music to new levels of energy. 

3. What types of modulations are there? You have direct modulations, parallel modulations, and pivot chord modulations

4. Cite 3 of your favorite songs that modulate Beatles: Come Together, Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody (ending), Rainbow Connection

5. What listening clues heard in the Rainbow Connection indicate a modulation? We hear a slight crescendo into some sort of a pivot chord leading into the modulation 

6. Cite the time of the change and provide the lyric location  At 2:08