Whether you're playing your instrument, composing, arranging, improvising, or transcribing, the ability to quickly and effectively recognize chord progressions is a necessity for the serious musician. Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions details a step-by-step "vertical" (from the root up) and "horizontal" (using the song's key as a reference point) approach to hearing chord changes and progressions. By engaging in a variety of solfege ear training exercises and voice-leading demonstrations, as well as weekly assignments that involve transcribing contemporary music examples, students will learn to internalize the music and identify chords and progressions with ease and confidence. Put your theory background into practice, and learn the practical techniques and ear training exercises that will work for you in your musical life every day.
What Is the Course Like?
Each week, you'll complete interactive online lessons, animated demos, and engage in ear training exercises that will improve your listening skills and enhance your ability to recognize chord progressions. Your instructor will give you direct feedback on each assignment, and because all assignments are posted, you will also have the opportunity to review your classmates' work and learn from them. You can contribute to ongoing threads on the discussion board, which connect you to your classmates and instructor on a daily basis. If you need help with anything, you can chat with your instructor during office hours each week.
By the end of this course, you will:
- Use a step-by-step approach to identify all types of chords and progressions quickly and easily.
- Gain a solid foundation in ear training to enhance all your musical pursuits.
- Apply practical techniques and exercises to improve your performing, composing, arranging, transcribing or improvising skills.
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Bass Lines and the Major Sound
- Hearing the Bass Line
- Assignment: Transcribe the Bass Line
- Hearing the Major Triad Sound
- Hearing the I, IV, and V Triads
- Transposing
- Assignment: Transpose the Bass Lines and Chord Progressions
Lesson 2: More Bass Lines and the Minor Sound
- More Bass Line Identification
- Assignment: Hearing the Bass Line
- Hearing the Minor Triad Sound
- Introducing II-, III- , and VI- In Progression
- Assignment: Sing Along with the Chord Progression
- Memorization
Lesson 3: Introducing Voice Leading and New Triads
- Voice Leading
- Assignment: Real-World Song Selection Practice
- Diminished Triad Sound
- The VII° Triad Sound
- Assignment: Progression Dictation
Lesson 4: Introducing Seventh Chords and Guide Tones
- Major and Dominant Seventh Chords
- Assignment: Singing Diatonic Triad Arpeggios
- Taking the Horizontal Approach: Guide Tones
- Assignment: Progression Dictation
Lesson 5: More Seventh Chords with Guide Tones
- Introducing the Minor 7 and Minor 7b5 Chords
- Introducing the Dominant 7sus4 Chord
- More on Guide Tones with Diatonic Seventh Chords
- Assignment: Creating Guide Tone Lines
- Diatonic Progressions/Dictation
- Assignment: Dictation
Lesson 6: Diatonic Inversions and the Passing 7th
- Inversions of the I Triad
- Inversions of the IV Triad
- Inversions of the V Triad
- Assignment: Inversions Dictation
- The Passing 7th
- Progression Dictation
- Assignment: Dictation
Lesson 7: Introducing the Chromatic Scale and Melody/Harmony Relationships
- Introducing the Chromatic Scale
- Identifying Non-Diatonic Chords Using the Chromatic Scale
- Assignment: Identifying Non-Diatonic Chords
- Melody/Harmony Relationship
- Assignment: Real-World Song Selection Practice
Lesson 8: Introducing Secondary Dominants and More on Melody/Harmony Relationships
- Secondary Dominants
- Addressing the Guide Tones of the Secondary Dominant
- Addressing the Guide Tone of the Secondary Dominant, Continued
- Assignment: Identify the Secondary Dominant via Guide Tone
- Assignment: Real-World Song Selection Practice
Lesson 9: More on Secondary Dominants and the Melody/Harmony Relationship
- More Work with Secondary Dominants
- Assignment: Real-World Song Selection Practice
- More on the Melody/Harmony Relationship
- Assignment: Dictation
Lesson 10: Introducing the II V Pattern and More on Guide-Tone Lines
- The II V Pattern
- Connecting II V Patterns
- Assignment: Real-World Song Selection Transcription
- Assignment 10.2: Dictation
Lesson 11: Arranging, Reharmonizing, and Creating Chord Progressions
- Arranging the Harmony
- Reharmonization
- Project: Create Your Own Chord Progression
Lesson 12: Review and Wrap-Up
- Project Discussion
- Course Wrap-Up
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Completion of Basic Ear Training or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
Textbook(s)
- The Real Easy Ear Training Book by Roberta Radley (Sher Music Co., 2009)
Media and Subscriptions
- Recommended: Harmonic Ear Training (online video tutorials) by Roberta Radley
Recording
- Students are required to record video for their assignments. Options for recording video include:
- Smartphone
- Digital camera
- Webcam (using either video recording software, or the video recording tool that is built into the learning environment)
Software
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Roberta Radley retired from Berklee’s Boston campus in 2021 and was awarded the honorary title of Chair Emeritus, leaving behind the legacy of a 50-year teaching career. She had served as the assistant chair of the Ear Training department since 1997.
A Berklee graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in composition (and a Master’s degree in Linguistics from University of Massachusetts), she joined the faculty in 1976. Since then, Roberta has taught a wide range of ear training and theory classes, using innovative methods to help students hear music more analytically, and has earned recognition for outstanding achievement in music education. As assistant chair of Berklee’s Ear Training department, she oversaw and co-authored the core curriculum, Ear Training 1–4. She has also written two ear training books published by Sher Music, The Real Easy Ear Training Book, and Reading, Writing and Rhythmetic.
One of its leading pioneers, Roberta joined the Berklee Online School in 2002 and continues to be active as an author and instructor. She is the author of several Berklee online courses: Harmonic Ear Training, Ear Training 1, and Ear Training Fundamentals. Since retiring from her administrative duties on campus, Roberta finds teaching in the online school a wonderful new chapter in her seasoned academic career. Thriving in the online environment, Roberta is quoted as “I’ve found my peeps with the online student community.” She received two awards for her teaching excellence in 2020: Berklee’s Distinguished Faculty Award; and The Online and Professional Education Association (UPCEA) New England Regional award—both honoring Radley’s commitment to online teaching.
A life-long lover and maker of music, Roberta also is a knitting activist (ask her about that!), a jigsaw puzzle aficionado, and a year-round lover of gardening. But above all, what brings her true joy… is teaching. Read Less
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Harmonic Ear Training: Recognizing Chord Progressions can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Related Music Career Roles
Employers look for skills learned in this course, when hiring for the following music career roles:
Accompanist
Conductor
Music Director (Church)
Music Director (Orchestra)
Music Director (Performing Artist/Band)
Piano Tuner
Session Conductor
Transcriber
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
