Music Video Lesson: What is a Picardy Third?

Hi, this is Robert Estrin at virtualsheetmusic.com and livingpianos.com, with a really interesting show for you about the Picardy third. What is the Picardy third? Well the Picardy third is a very interesting note. It's a single note that can dramatically change the nature of the end of a composition. Simply, the Picardy third raises the third of the chord in the last note. From a piece that's in a minor key, you expect it to end in a minor chord, but then it tricks you, it ends in the major chord, for a really interesting spice. Listen, here's a cadence as you would expect it without the Picardy third, piece in the minor, ending on the minor.

Now listen to the difference when I put the major third at the end, the Picardy third. It's very uplifting, because it's unexpected. And a long piece that's very dramatic and sad, suddenly you have that ray of sunshine, right at the end of a piece. It's a nice little technique for pieces in the minor, if you want to give a little uplift at the end. Thanks so much for joining us here at virtualsheetmusic.com and livingpianos.com.

Automatic video-to-text transcription by DaDaScribe.com

Thank you for your comment, question or request!

Comment/Question deleted successfully.

Post a comment, question or special request:

Comments or questions must be between 3 and 10,000 characters long.

You may: Login  or  

Otherwise, fill out the form below to post your comment:

Add your name below:


Add your email below: (to receive replies, will not be displayed or shared)


For verification purposes, please enter the word MUSIC in the field below

---