Jordan Rudess Harmony Explored

When Dream Theater's keyboard wizard teaches a course about rock & pop harmony, it's time to pay attention. Dive into this exclusive, example-filled course by musician extraordinaire, Jordan Rudess!

This course, shot on location in Jordan Rudess' private studio, takes you deep into the world of modern harmonic progressions. Jordan explains the theory while demonstrating the construction of various kinds of chords and their relationship to baselines, melodies and motifs as he takes you deep into the fundamental architecture of cutting edge pop/rock harmonies.

Course Outline:

1. Intro (01:35)
2. The Single Line (01:09)
3. Introducing the 4th & 5th (01:39)
4. 5th & 4th as Used in Key (00:54)
5. 5ths & 4ths in Different Keys (01:06)
6. Exercise: 4ths & 5ths (01:56)
7. Exercise: Advanced 4ths & 5ths (02:05)
8. Dream Theater's Illumination Theory (01:31)
9. Intro to Major & Minor Chords (01:26)
10. Major & Minor Chord Inversions (01:15)
11. Exercise: Chord Inversions (01:52)
12. Chord Inversions - Different Keys (01:50)
13. The Relative Minor & Major Keys (02:19)
14. Exercise A: Chord Inversions & Voice Leading (03:51)
15. Exercise B: Chord Inversions & Voice Leading (01:34)
16. Chord Inversions Summary & Examples (00:46)
17. Practicing Chords in All Keys Exercise (03:05)
18. Close Voicings (02:04)
19. Changing Bass Over Repeating Motif A (01:00)
20. Changing Bass Over Repeating Motif B (02:02)
21. Motif in Improvisation A (00:36)
22. Motif in Improvisation B (02:49)
23. Minor Chords Over a Pedal Tone (03:05)
24. Major Chords Over a Pedal Tone (02:11)
25. Non-Diatonic Chords Over a Pedal Tone (01:30)
26. Pedal Tones in Dream Theater's About to Crash A (00:41)
27. Pedal Tones in Dream Theater's About to Crash B (01:44)
28. 4th Chords: Introduction (00:56)
29. 4th Chord: Explained (00:59)
30. 4th Chords in Key (01:12)
31. 4th Chord with the 7th (00:52)
32. Exercise: 4th Chord (01:40)
33. Chords Over Altered Bass (01:13)
34. Exercise: Chords Over Altered Bass (02:18)
35. Exercise: Chords / Altered Bass in Different Keys (01:23)
36. Options for Altered Bass (01:11)
37. Improvising: Altered Bass Concept (00:59)
38. Adding Tensions to Chords (01:42)
39. Dominant 13 Chord (01:22)
40. Combining the 9 & Dominant 13 Chord (01:27)
41. End (00:47)

(Cover photo of Jordan courtesy of Kayla Rudess)