Music Composition 2

Name: Music Composition 2
Rating: 4.6 (816 reviews)

Harmony and Compositional Form

Created byJonathan Peters

Last updated 10/2025

English

What you'll learn

By the end of the course you will understand and be able to compose chord progressions.
You will learn how to develop your harmonic material through a variety of compositional techniques.
You will learn about musical texture and how rhythm, melody, and harmony are combined.
By the end of this course you will also have composed a number of entire pieces in various compositional forms.
You will get practice notating music using music notation software.

Course content

14 sections • 91 lectures • 2h 10m total length

Introduction1:10
Chords of the Scale1:48
In this lecture you will review the basic music theory concept of "key" and the seven chords that can be formed from the major scale. You will also learn which chords of the scale are called "primary" chords and what their usefulness is.
Departure, Anticipation & Return5:14
In this lecture you will learn the definition of a chord progression. You will learn the basic structure "departure, anticipation, and return" and begin the study of tonal function. You will also learn which tonal fucntions the primary chords have.
Voice Leading2:50
In this lecture you will learn about the principle of voice leading and one way of creating better sounding transitions between chords.
Memory Questions (sec.1)1:20
Section 1 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.1)0:02
Listening Assignments (sec.1)0:08

Secondary Chords3:21
In this lecture you will learn about "secondary" chords and their tonal functions. You will also begin learning about function substitutes.
Creating Chord Progressions5:00
Learn how to write chord progressions using a standard formula and an easy to use Venn diagram. View two chord charts that list which chords typically follow other chords.
Amount of Similarity2:06
In this lecture you will learn how to determine the amount of similarity between two chords and how this similarity can create three different types of chord changes.
Memory Questions (sec.2)1:28
Section 2 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.2)0:03
Listening Assignments (sec.2)0:11

Extending Functions2:55
In this lecture you will learn how a chord progression can be developed through the extension of any tonal function.
Progression Chains1:47
In this lecture you will learn how a chord progression can be developed through chaining multiple progressions together.
Partial Progression Formula1:34
In this lecture you will learn about partial progressions. You will also learn how a chord progression can be developed through a combination of the previously learned compositional techniques.
Circle Progressions1:12
In this lecture you will learn about circle progressions.
Memory Questions (sec.3)0:30
Section 3 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.3)0:02
Listening Assignments (sec.3)0:02

The Period2:19
In this lecture you will learn about the harmonic period. You will also learn how the cadence determines the antecedent and consequent relationship in a period.
The Phrase Group1:45
In this lecture you will learn about the phrase group.
The Double Period1:59
In this lecture you will learn about the double period.
Memory Questions (sec.5)0:42
Section 5 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.5)0:38
Listening Assignments (sec.5)0:04

Borrowed Chords3:50
In this lecture you will learn about chromatic chord substitution by using borrowed chords from the parallel key.
Altered Chords4:59
In this lecture you will learn about altered chords. We will take a look at a common altered chord called the secondary dominant and how to use them in your progressions.
Memory Questions (sec.6)1:02
Section 6 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.6)0:02
Listening Assignments (sec.6)0:07

Pivot Chords3:13
In this lecture you will learn about modulation. You will learn about pivot chords and how to modulate using pivot chords.
Modulation Using Altered Chords2:04
In this lecture you will learn how to modulate using altered chords.
Pivot Tone Modulation1:44
In this lecture you will learn about pivot tones and how to modulate using a pivot tone.
Sequential Modulation1:10
In this lecture you will learn about sequential modulation.
Direct Modulation1:39
In this lecture you will learn about direct modulation.
Memory Questions (sec.7)0:40
Section 7 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.7)1:00
Listening Assignments (sec.7)0:04

Homophonic Texture1:21
In this lecture you will learn the definition of homophonic.
Block Chord Accompaniment2:24
In this lecture you will learn about a homophonic texture which uses block chord accompaniment. You will observe a few variants of block chord accompaniment.
Broken Chord Accompaniment4:20
In this lecture you will learn about a homophonic texture which uses broken chord accompaniment. You will observe a few variants of broken chord accompaniment.
Homorhythmic Texture0:54
In this lecture you will learn the definition of homorhythmic and look at an example of music with a homorhythmic texture.
Polyphonic Texture1:42
In this lecture you will learn the definition of polyphonic and look at an example of music with a polyphonic texture.
Other Accompaniments2:06
In this lecture you will learn about pedal point and ostinato as accompaniments.
Memory Questions (sec.9)0:38
Section 9 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.9)0:03
Listening Assignments (sec.9)0:07

Compositional Form1:10
In this lecture you will begin the study of compositional form. You will learn what "form" is and continue the analogy to language that we began in Music Composition 1.
Thematic Design & Harmonic Structure1:43
In this lecture you will learn about the two essential elements to form: thematic design and harmonic structure. You will be introduced to the idea of a "section". You will learn how to label sections and also begin the study of binary form.
Simple Binary2:50
Rounded Binary3:13
Sectional Binary3:38
Continuous Binary2:54
Other Binary Forms1:36
In this lecture you will learn how the four previously learned binary forms can be combined. You will also learn the terms symmetrical binary and asymmetrical binary.
Memory Questions (sec.10)1:17
Section 10 Quiz
Composition Assignments (sec.10)0:25
Listening Assignments (sec.10)0:05

Requirements

It is highly recommended that you take "Music Composition 1" (by the same author) before taking this course.
A basic knowledge of music theory (especially Roman numeral names of chords from the scale). If you do not already have a rudimentary understanding of music theory, it is recommended that you take a music theory course before this course. (See course "Music Theory" by the same author)
Musescore (free music notation software)
Although not a necessity, it is very beneficial that the student have some ability to play the piano (or other instrument)

Description

Music Composition 2 is the second course in a series of two courses that teaches how music is put together and how to write your own music. The course is divided into two parts. Part one covers the study of harmonic composition. Part two covers the study of compositional form. (Rhythmic and melodic composition were studied in Music Composition 1. It is highly recommended that you take Music Composition 1 before taking this course.)

Course lectures consist of both video and text. Each section of the course covers a particular concept (or related concepts). Concepts and compositional techniques are demonstrated throughout the course with real musical examples (pictures and audio samples).

Besides lectures, each section of the course also contains memory questions, section quiz, listening assignments, and composition assignments. Memory questions serve to summarize and reinforce key concepts learned, while the quizzes tests the students’ knowledge and understanding of the material from each section. Students who take this course will get practice notating music with music notation software. In the composition assignments students will get real life practice using the information and techniques learned in each section to write and develop their own harmonic progressions. By the end of the course students will have composed a number of entire pieces in various compositional forms.

Who should take this course? Every student of music should know how to compose! It is a sad but true fact that most modern music teachers and music courses do not include music composition as part of the students’ musical education. In the past it was typical for students of music to be able to compose music. The “complete” musician can play an instrument, has knowledge of music theory AND can also compose! If you want to deepen your understanding of music, learn to write it!

Who this course is for:

Anyone who has always wanted to learn how to write music!
Every student of music!
Beginning Composers/Songwriters
Composers/Songwriters with previous knowledge or experience who want to brush up and hone their skills (and maybe learn some new techniques!)
Although this course uses many examples from classical music, most of the information and compositional techniques learned in this course can be used by musicians of other genres.
If you want to deepen your understanding of music, learn to write it!

Music Composition 2

What you'll learn

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Course content

TONAL FUNCTION7 lectures • 13min

DIATONIC CHORD SUBSTITUTION6 lectures • 12min

DEVELOPING HARMONIC PROGRESSIONS7 lectures • 8min

THE HARMONIC PHRASE5 lectures • 7min

THE HARMONIC PERIOD6 lectures • 7min

CHROMATIC CHORD SUBSTITUTION5 lectures • 10min

MODULATION8 lectures • 12min

HARMONIC RHYTHM4 lectures • 3min

MUSICAL TEXTURE9 lectures • 14min

BINARY FORM10 lectures • 19min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: