Secondary Dominant Chords - Music Theory Lesson

Okay, what are Secondary Dominants? Basically we’re using chords from an other key to kinda “Spice Up” our chord progressions.

Check out this diagram. I ii iii IV V vi viio I. Here we can see all the chords in a major key. As you may or may not know, the V chord (This guy right here) has a strong pull to the I chord. We call this V chord the “Dominant” chord. (If you want to know more about this, check out my video on functional harmony)

Now let’s add in some lead sheet symbols. We know this G wants to go to C. Now forget that. Let’s plug the key go G into this diagram. Here we can see that the V chord is a D. So the D chord is the dominant chord int he key of G and there for wants to go to the I chord, G.

Now back to the key of C major. Let’s make a chord progression in this key. We’ll go C, F, G C. I IV V I Check it out.

How let’s take that G chord and put the V chord in the key of G before the G chord. Now we have C, F, D, G, C. So this is kinda crazy because now we are playing a D major chord in the key of C, and there’s no D major in C. But, D is the V chord in the key of G. And in our progression that D chord is going straight to the G. So listen to how it sounds now.

Pretty cool right. That’s basically what a secondary dominant is. We put a dominant chord from an other key , or a secondary key, into our progression. We call this a V of V. Because it’s the V chords of the V chord.

Now let’s take it a step further, you can play a secondary dominant before any chord. Let’s make a new chord progressions just using chords in the key of C. C, Am, G, C. Or I vi V I Now, let’s look at that Am, the minor vi. In the key of Am the V chord is E. So we can put that E amor chord int he progression right before the Am. Now we have C, E, Am, G, C.

Seeing as how Am is the minor vi in the key of C we would call E V of vi. So you can have a V of whatever you want. [Show, V/ii V/IV V/vii] Check this out. C E Am B Em F D G C.

Granted, that’s a bit over the top. But you get the idea of how it works.

Before we go here’s a few more quick notes on secondary dominates, all of these V chords can be V7s. So in out C F D G C example, the D could be a D7, which sounds really cool. Also, the same works in minor keys. {Show i bio bIII iv V bVI bVII i with lead sheets] Like the V/bVII would be F here for example.

Let me know if you have any question about all this. It can be a lot to take in, this had to be explained to be multiple time when I was younger before I was able to fully grasp the concept. That being said, a friend of mine over at Orcastra Studio has a good video on this same topic and so does Signals Music Studio. It’s always good to get multiple views on these concepts, so please go check their videos out too. I have links in the description!

Thanks for watching!!

[CarinaPrimaBallerina]

I love how the music plays the chords you're talking about in the background, even when you're not playing the examples directly!

[ap]

I love how subtle the background piano is and how it helps illustrate what you're trying to teach! I really love that approach of demonstration

[meehanbindra]

bro my professor had so much trouble explaining this to me and now i actually get it LMAO. Thank you much love.

[low-epilgrim]

I got so confused about secondary dominants that I gave up on music studies in my music theory class. Didn't understand them until about a year ago. If I would have had seen this video back when I was still in college my mind would not have been so wrapped up. Outstanding explanation. Well done!

[Dt]

wow... your tutorial are gold and the way you explain---- man... a 5 year old can understand....
thank you...

[Sukiicore]

my AP theory teacher tried explaining this to me for like 4 hours and this did it in just under 4 minutes, you are truly a blessing thank you 🙏

[antoniomaccagnan]

You have an excelent way of explaining music theory in a simple and unpretentious why. Thanks a lot.

[sshtkqf]

I’ve spent all day watching about 10 different videos on YouTube about this and didn’t understand it at all but after watching yours it makes so much sense. Thank you, great vid!!

[drcf]

summed up weeks of university lessons in literally a 5 minute video, thank you!

[MrStevem]

This is why I love YouTube. You get to hear 20zillion people talk about one concept, and between them all, it starts to make sense to me. Attacking from all angles.

Regardless of that, really well explained. Nice one

[khz]

so basically you're switching the V to another V of whatever key that you're in. GOT IT! thank you!

[Darfaultner]

Bro, I just checked Wikipedia for what secondary dominant keys were and it may as well have been in Greek. This took 5 minutes to completely understand what it was all about and I heard what it does. Perfect, thank you.

[KateMelekhova]

THANK YOU!!! The best explanation video I found! Keep going with those short music theory vids.

[kamilahn]

No cuz tell me why my teacher made a 45 MIN VIDEO that was mad confusing-- when all I needed was the first 3 mins of this vid !?!?! YOU'RE THE GOAT !!

[djquixx]

This was by fat the best tutorial I've seen on this topic. Straight forward, quick, easy to follow. Subscribed!

[sonyaerickson]

Thank you for this video. You stuck with definitions, showed each derivation step clearly, and let us hear chord progressions both with and without the dominant. WHAT, HOW, & WHY. ❤

[mrrizzla]

Finally, it clicks! And with such a simple and straight forward explanation and example. Than you!

[williamlannhard]

I this format of explaining a topic. Explaining the subject and then showing an example in conjunction to that explanation. Can't get better! Consider me a new subscriber!

[Prodbykidjake]

Yea you said it yourself, I’ve been struggling understanding this concept for about 3 months now, this video has helped me FINALLY understand it

[btbb]

This may be the most practical/doable music theory insights I’ve seen in YT. Thanks! 👍🏻