This course is part of the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

4.9
stars
389 ratings

George W. Russell, Jr.

Top Instructor

25,936 already enrolled

Offered By

Developing Your Musicianship SpecializationBerklee

About this Course

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After a tremendous response from learners on Coursera, Berklee Online has created a Developing Your Musicianship specialization, and this course is the third course in the series. If you have a general understanding of music theory or if you have completed Developing Your Musicianship I and II, this course will continue to help you understand 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 an intermediate level of harmony and ear training. 
The course will introduce you to new key signatures, and explore how they are constructed. You will continue to train your ear, learning to differentiate between the various intervals and chords that were explored in Developing Your Musicianship I and II. You will learn how to borrow chords from parallel tonalities (modal interchange), and how to write more common chord progressions.  

The course culminates with an assignment that asks you to compose and perform a composition using popular chord progressions. As with Developing Your Musicianship I and II, this course is designed to share the joy of creating music.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Course 3 of 4 in the

Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

Intermediate Level

Students should complete "Developing Your Musicianship" and Musicianship: chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys" before enrolling.

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Describe Chord tensions and their role
Describe The concept of Harmonic Function
Aurally identify chord progressions and chord qualities
Identify Modal Interchange chords in a composition

Skills you will gain

Piano
Music
Performance
Music composition
Music theory

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 3 of 4 in the

Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

Intermediate Level

Students should complete "Developing Your Musicianship" and Musicianship: chord Charts, Diatonic Chords, and Minor Keys" before enrolling.

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

5/5 (36 Ratings)

George W. Russell, Jr.
Top Instructor

Offered by

Berklee

Established in 1945, Berklee is at the forefront of contemporary music education, bringing its award-winning curriculum to more than 3.5 million students around the world. Currently comprising Berklee College of Music, Berklee Online, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee NYC, Berklee Summer Programs, and more, Berklee is shaping the key players of tomorrow’s music industry. With innovative programs in performance, production, business, theater, dance, and more, students come away from their Berklee experience with a professional portfolio, practical job skills, and a strong sense of community.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(3,076 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Welcome to Musicianship: Harmonic Function, Modal Interchange, and Tensions

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 3 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

3 hours to complete

Lesson 1

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 36 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Lesson 2

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 25 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Lesson 3

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 24 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Lesson 4

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 29 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.9

114 reviews

5 stars
91.51%
4 stars
5.39%
3 stars
2.05%
2 stars
0.51%
1 star
0.51%

TOP REVIEWS FROM MUSICIANSHIP: TENSIONS, HARMONIC FUNCTION, AND MODAL INTERCHANGE

by NSSep 22, 2019

The instructor was excellent. The quizzes accurately reflected what the coursework covered. I would highly recommend this and the entire series of musicianship courses.

by PPMay 13, 2020

I learn a lot and practiced on my skills a lot. It's only a hobby, but money well spent!

by CKJul 17, 2021

Builds upon the same formula as the preceding courses in the series and is just as educational. George is a fantastic teacher.

by SGOct 28, 2016

Excellent class. Once again the prof is a joy to learn from. Only real issue is with some of the typed answers during the videos get really specific in this class.

View all reviews

About the Developing Your Musicianship Specialization

Nurture your love for, and understanding of, music with this specialization. Learn the fundamentals of music theory, including major and minor tonalities, chord scales, song forms, and chord qualities. You’ll also practice training your ear to hear and recognize various intervals, chord progressions, and chord qualities. For the Capstone project, you will directly apply the knowledge you’ve gained to write and perform a short musical composition. This specialization begins with the basics of music and builds to more advanced concepts, providing you the knowledge you need to improve your skills as a musician.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Musicianship: Tensions, Harmonic Function, and Modal Interchange

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain