Back to Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys
Berklee

Musicianship: Chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys

After a tremendous response from learners on Coursera, Berklee Online has created a Developing Your Musicianship specialization, and this course is the second course in the series. If you have a basic knowledge of music theory or if you have completed Developing Your Musicianship I, this course will continue to help you understand key musical concepts, enabling you to create and perform contemporary music. Taught by Berklee College of Music professor George W. Russell, Jr., the course includes four lessons that delve into the next level of harmony and ear training. The course will introduce you to new key signatures, including minor tonalities, and how they are constructed. You will train your ear to hear minor intervals and 7th chords. You will learn how to build 7th chords, and how to build common chord progressions. You will also learn the major pentatonic scale and how to construct melodies using this scale. The course culminates with an assignment that asks you to compose and perform an 8-measure composition using popular chord progressions and the Major pentatonic scale. Just like Developing Your Musicianship I, the course is designed to impart the joy of creating music and sharing it with others.

Status: Instrumental Music
Status: Musical Composition
IntermediateCourse11 hours

Featured reviews

DC

5.0Reviewed Jun 1, 2017

very very good course you learn a lot in it and your mind is open in an incredible way to music. thanks a lot berklee

JB

5.0Reviewed Aug 31, 2020

Excellent class taught by an engaging and knowledgeable teacher. The Berklee classes are the best music classes I have found on Coursera.

AG

5.0Reviewed Mar 30, 2025

Auditing this class so not able to mark assignments as done. I will come back to this information as I relearn music theory

C

5.0Reviewed Dec 31, 2017

complicated music theory easy to understand and really enhancing your musicality. thanks again, prof. russel, for your dedication, fun and clear explanations.

XL

5.0Reviewed Nov 10, 2019

A very well organized and very interesting course! It won't scare you away at the beginning. But you surprise yourself as you complete this course and realized how much you've learned.

BH

5.0Reviewed Oct 8, 2020

I enjoyed this course and felt like I learned a lot! I appreciate the way the course material builds, challenging the learner to keep moving forward. Thank you!

MB

5.0Reviewed Jan 24, 2019

I love professor Russell's style and simplicity! Mandatory fun :D This course has helped me finally "click" years of theory as a working musician.

RS

5.0Reviewed Jul 7, 2020

This is a helpful, top class programme. Do it at a flexible pace. The instructor is excellent and the assignments make sense. I learn about chord progressions, chord charts, and F and G major scales.

MA

5.0Reviewed Jul 28, 2019

Instructor is charming, didactic, and very fun to listen. Concepts are explained gradually and clearly. You definitely need some prior knowledge, so don't take this as your first music course.

HH

5.0Reviewed Feb 15, 2017

very cool professor ..feel so happy and good to see you smile while teaching sir.it was great learning all the music concepts with you in musicianship 2very well designed.thank you

GP

5.0Reviewed Jul 15, 2020

Professor Russel is awesome. Congratulations for this class. I hope one day be able to have in campus class with him. God bless everyone.

SJ

5.0Reviewed Apr 26, 2017

Seeing the professor apply the theory he was explaining was actually very empowering and helpful in my own approach to application.

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