Using Dominant Function in Pop Music like Taylor Swift

Описание: First things first, every song that we listen on the radio has a key.

A key is really just a series or notes. For example, C major is C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

A chord can be built from every singe one of these notes: C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, and B diminished.

Second things second, each chord in a key has a function that's independent of the key you're in.

In this video we examine the dominant function, which is the tendency of the dominant chord to resolve to the tonic chord. What does that mean?

The dominant chord is the fifth chord of the scale. And the tonic is the first chord of the scale. So for example, in the key of C major, C major is the tonic chord and G major is the dominant chord.

A chord function simply means that a chord wants to go to another particular chord. Generally, the dominant wants to go to the dominant. Thus the dominant function is the resolution of the dominant to the tonic.

The dominant-tonic resolution is the strongest resolution types in Western Music.

It pops up everywhere. Since this channel primary analyzes pop songwriting, I examine some examples of dominant function in Taylor Swift.

But, in general, pop artists use the dominant function to create hard landings into important song sections, especially the chorus. So, for example, at the end of the verse, pre-chorus, or bridge, you'll find the dominant chord. Then the next chord is the first chord of the chorus and it's the tonic chord.

It's really that easy. Just be mindful when you're writing your songs how each section transitions into the next section. Knowing harmonic theory can help you create relatively strong or weak transitions -- whatever you need. The dominant to tonic resolution creates a hard landing into the next section.