Passive Chord Progression Training

Learn to Recognize and Anticipate Chord Progressions

For All Instruments – All Levels

 

This course contains 1 audio CD and 1 instruction booklet.

 

Welcome!

 

I am Michael Helm and I would like to welcome you to check out my newest audio course in my “Passive Mind Training Series” – a Series that is tailor made for serious, hard-working musicians of all levels.

 

Following in sequence with “Passive Ear Training”, and “Passive Chord Spelling”, this   course uses the same effective technique of Passive Learning to tackle the enormous and difficult task of comprehending a chord progression as you listen to, or perform a song.

 

Instead of trying to represent every style of music, this course takes a more scientific approach to understanding chord progressions.  For example, if you are in the key of C and you are on a C chord, there are only so many chord possibilities you can jump to.  And you choices become even fewer when you start to learn how predictable most chord progressions are. 

 

The tracks on this CD are audio lessons based on an analysis of what chord patterns are vitally important and happen most frequently in every style of music.

 

As you listen to the tracks, you will hear many examples of chord progressions being played.  Some of them are predictable patterns and some are intentionally random.  The chords in these progressions are fired at you very rapidly many times over and over.

 

While you are hearing this, you are also hearing my voice telling you what chord numbers and intervals you are hearing - as they happen.

 

I think that is extremely important!  You see, we all hear chord progressions every time we hear music, but we usually don’t bother to make a note of what we are hearing and, therefore, nothing is learned.

 

All you have to do is play the CD over and over in the background as you go about your daily business of exercising, watching TV, eating, sleeping, driving, etc… Remember – this is Passive Learning…….I don’t want you to directly concentrate on it!  It is designed to slowly seep into your brain through intense repetition.

 

I don’t want this course to take up any of your time!  I want it to OPTIMIZE your time!   This way you can learn really cool things - like this course - during your recreational activities.

 

This valuable information will get saturated in your brain the same way that song on the radio did – you know, the one you herd over and over - and hate - but still catch yourself humming – and can’t get out of your head?? 

 

COURSE CONTENTS:

 

Track 1:  “Random Diatonic Chords of the Major Scale”

This is a warm up track which rapidly fires at you the 1,2,3,4,5,6and 7 chords of C Major scale.   At the same time you hear the chord played, you also hear my voice naming the chord number so you learn to associate the number of the chord with the sound of the chord.

Track 2:  “Random Diatonic Chords of the Harmonic Minor Scale”

The same exercise as track 1 only using a Minor scale

Track 3:  “2-5-1 Progressions played in a circle of fourths”

Covers both major and Minor 2-5-1 progressions.  The intervals are all the same, but the keys are named which also makes this a great pitch recognition exercise.

Track 4:  “Random 2-5-1 Progressions”

The 2-5-1 Progression is unique in that it eventually finds its way into most songs in some form.  However, unlike lets say - a Blues progression, each 2-5-1 pattern is like its own little key change and has very specific patterns that flow over it.   If you can learn to spot 2-5-1s as they happen, you will have an excellent advantage …… especially in Traditional Jazz where most songs are almost exclusively built on 2-5-1s.

 

Track 5:   “THE ULTIMATE BAND CHORD PROGRESSION COMPILATION”

This is a swing music track with every combination of chord pattern combination and possibility from every direction taking into account every style I could think of.  Whew!   As you hear the chords played, the chord  number is named.  This includes chord numbers 1-7 as well as all your #4s, flat 6ths, #1s and so on.  After listening to this 10 minute plus track  just a few times, your life in a band or musical group is going to get much easier!

Track 6:  “Play Along For Track 5 – Key Of C”

Like the title says, this is the music for track 5 without my voice telling  you anything.  It’s an opportunity to test yourself and practice along with  it.

Track 7:  “Play Along For Track 5 – Key Of Bb”

 

Track 8:  “Play Along For Track 5 – Key Of  E”

 

Track 9:  “A Study In Jazz Fusion Chord Progressions – All 12 Keys”

Jazz Fusion and some other styles are often the exception to all of the usual predictable patterns found in popular music.  This style likes to move from one chord to the next - staying on each chord longer - with fewer discernable patterns that can be found across multiple songs.  This track will get you more comfortable in recognizing the intervals jumped between the chords and, thus, making this sometimes difficult style more do-able for musicians just learning it.

 

Track 10:  “Play Along For Track 9”

Once you have listened to track 9 for a while, you should be able to recognize the intervals on your own.  Track 10 gives you the opportunity  to play along and improvise to track 9.  This is a great chance to spend some time in this often difficult style.

 

Thank you for this opportunity to present my courses to you.

 

I am Michael Helm.  In addition to being an Author, I am a professional Jazz Pianist and Piano Teacher.  I am also a Piano Technician and a member of the Piano Technicians Guild.  I have studied music my whole life and my whole life experience and love goes into my audio courses.  I hope you find them helpful.