Music Theory Survival Guide

the must-have theory knowledge to start creating music today

by Josh Ring

1 3 5 7 9 11 13
C D E F G A B C C <
BEADGCF
w >
&w w w w w w
w
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do

Triads +
C C Cm C
o C sus4

& # ww ww b www b b www www

w w
& T
K C6

Q
1 b3 5 1 b3 b5
K C5
1 3 #5 135 145
E
o o ? KQW
Seventh Chords
K Middle C C4

C m7 ( b 5) C# 7

& www b ww bw b b b www b b ∫ www b ww

C maj7 C7 C m7 C 7

ww b www # ww
C3

w w w
E
K C2

1357 1 3 5 b7 1 b3 5 b7 1 b3 b5 b7 1 b3 b5 b b7 #1 3 5 b7

w ∑
Three Groups of Major Triads Simple Meters
ww www
C F G Each beat divides into Two

& www w 3 œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ
Common Top Numbers = 2, 3, 4
All

˙ Ó 4
Same
Beats per measure
CEG FAC GBD

œ Œ
Beat unit

& # www # www # www

D E A

j‰
Middle
Different

œ
Compound Meters
D F# A E G# B A C# E Each beat divides into Three

# w r≈ 6 œœ . œ œ œœ . œ œ
Common Top Numbers = 6, 9, 12

# ww
8
B
Bottom
Different & œ Divisions per measure
Division unit
B D# F #
 Music Theory Survival Guide by Josh Ring
Extensions, Alterations, Chromatic Solfège & Intervals

˙ #œ bœ ˙ #œ bœ ˙ #œ bœ ˙ ˙
⁄ € ,<‹ ‹ › ,<fi fi >fi fl <‡ ‡ ⁄

&
˙ #œ bœ ˙ #œ bœ ˙
<· · >· ⁄⁄ >⁄⁄ <⁄‹ ⁄‹
Do Di Ra Re Ri Me Mi Fa Fi Se Sol Si Le La Li Te Ti Do
P1 A1 m2 M2 A2 m3 M3 P4 A4 d5 P5 A5 m6 M6 A6 m7 M7 P8

Inversions & Figured Bass

ww ww www
wwww
C C/E C/G
www w wwww
G7 G7/B G7/D G7/F
? w ? www w
w
I I^ I^4 V& V^5 V$3 V@
Major Key
C maj7 D m7 E m7
˙˙˙ ˙˙˙
F maj7
˙˙˙
G7
˙˙
A m7
˙˙˙
B m7 ( b 5)

& ˙˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

˙ ˙ ˙
I±``& ii& iii& IV±``& V& vi& viiJ`&

Minor Key & Mode Mixture*

D m7 ( b 5) E b maj7 A b maj7 B b7
o
b ˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙
b˙ N ˙˙˙˙
C m7 F m7 G7 B 7

& b b ˙˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙ b ˙ b˙ N˙

b ˙
i& iiJ`& <III±``& iv& V& <VI±``& <VII& viiK`&
*Gm = v

# # ˙˙˙˙
Secondary Dominants = V7/??

# ˙˙˙˙
E b7
˙˙ bb ˙ b ˙˙˙ ˙
Major C 7 Minor Key C 7
˙
# n ˙˙˙˙ n ˙˙˙
D7 E7 A7 B7

& b ˙˙˙ b
D7 F7

˙ # ˙˙˙ # ˙˙ & n ˙˙˙ ˙

V&`/IV V&`/V V&`/vi V&`/ii V&`/iii V&`/iv V&`/V V&`/VI V&`/VII

Major C # o 7 o o Minor Key E o 7 o

Secondary Diminished Chords = vii°7/??
D # 7 E m7 ( b 5) F # m7 ( b 5) G# 7
˙˙ ˙˙ b b b ˙˙
F# 7
˙˙˙ b ˙˙˙˙ ˙˙˙
b ˙˙˙
G m7 ( b 5) A m7 ( b 5)
b ˙˙ ˙˙ # ˙˙ b
& # ˙˙ # ˙˙
# ˙ # ˙˙ & n ˙˙ n
#˙ n˙
viiK`&`/ii viiK`&`/iii viiJ`&`/IV viiJ`&`/V viiK`&`/vi viiK`&`/iv v̀iiK`&`/V viiJ`&`/VI viiJ`&`/VII
 Music Theory Survival Guide by Josh Ring

˙ ˙
Major
& ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
Ionian Dorian Phyrgian Lydian
Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian
Lydian – Major w/ # 4 Dorian – minor w/ n6
Ionian – Major Aeolian – minor Locrian – minor w/ b2 & b5
Mixolydian – Major w/ b 7 Phyrgian – minor w/ b 2

b˙ ˙ N˙ ˙
"Harmonic" Minor
b ˙ b ˙
"Natural" Minor
& ˙ ˙ & ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ n
b3 b6 b7 b3 b6 7

N˙ ˙
"Melodic" Minor
& b˙ ˙ ˙ N˙
˙ ˙
b3 n6 n7
Dorian Lydian Lydian Mixolydian Locrian Altered
b2 Augmented b7 b6 #2
Lydian b7 (Lydian Dominant) = 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7 Altered (Super Locrian) = 1 b9 #9 3 b5 #5 b7

˙ b˙ ˙
Major Pentatonic Minor Pentatonic
& ˙ ˙ & b˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
1 2 3 5 6 1 1 b3 4 5 b7 1

bœ ˙ b˙ ˙
Octatonic (half-whole) – Dimished Blues
& # œ ˙ ˙ & ˙ # œ ˙
˙ b œ ##œ ˙ # ˙ b˙ #
1 b9 9 3 4 5 6 b7 1 1 b3 4 4/ b5 5 b7 1

Common Chord Progressions

Major 2-5-1: ii7 V7 IM7 I vi IV V IV I vi V 12-bar Blues:
Minor 2-5-1: ii7(b5) V7(b9) i7 I IV vi V IV I V vi I - I -I-I
Circle of Fifths: iii vi ii V I IV - IV - I - I
I V vi IV vi IV I V
Back Door: iv7 b VII7 IM7 V - IV - I - I
I IV V IV vi I V IV
Tritone Sub: ii7 bII7 IM7
I bVII IV I