Tonic

The three chords that all music is based on go by a variety of names. Tonic, Predominant, and Dominant are what they are commonly called in classical theory. 2-5-1 are the names given by jazz theorists. They create a plot, journey, and sense of direction. 

The tonic most times is a major chord and is the essence of stability and comfort. Creating release and portraying home. Play a Cmaj7 chord, it has C, E, G, and B in it. All white keys on the piano. The sense of calm is palatable. 

However the full effect is not realized without the other two chords. 

Music is easy

Music is easy. That is what I try to convince my students. More specifically, jazz is easy. Yes, it takes years to master and is a life long pursuit but there are many overarching concepts that are simple. The sooner they are understood the quicker the student can become both comfortable and proficient. For example, how many chords are there in jazz? Well there's thousands right? That is why jazz is so crazy. What if I told you there are only three chords? Sure these happen in different keys and with added and altered notes but with all the insanity there is only three chords. More to follow...