Questions tagged [chord-progressions]
For questions about sequences of chords, and the relationship of one chord to the next. Typically questions about chord progressions should also be tagged harmony if asking about in depth concepts about them. Questions that are about abstractions of chord progressions use Roman Numeral analysis should also be tagged with Roman-Numeral and analysis if applicable.
731
questions
1
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3answers
72 views
Can a maj7sus4 chord be used like a dominant 7 chord?
I've read that dominant 7 chord drives toward some kind of resolution because the tritone between the 3rd and b7th that creates some form of tension that craves to be resolved one of these two ways :
...
-2
votes
0answers
83 views
Why is this progression so beautiful? [closed]
These chords make me cry: Gm7 C7 Am7 Dm7 Gm7 C7 FMaj7 F7 Bb6 Bbm6 C7b9 F.
Why? I think
C7 Am7 is deceptive.
That F7
That Bbm6 and C7b9
Why do you think?
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Cannot seem to discover what scale is used in a sample (Dm F Em D♯)
I've stumbled upon a sample in one of my sample packs from KSHMR it is labeled as Dm-F-Em-D♯ Progression, I'm new to music theory and just recently started learning how to find scales but this one, in ...
3
votes
3answers
120 views
Block chord progressions on piano: how to improve landing fingers accurately and timely one after another
I dread block chords (just beginning to learn piano). They are much trickier than broken chords, as they require placing multiple fingers on respective correct keys all at once and land on the next ...
0
votes
3answers
74 views
Will a song of F-major sound higher than C-major if they are following the same harmonic progression?
When trying to write songs in F-major, I realize that by using inversions I can achieve a range that is manageable for instruments and voices to play. Yet, I notice that more often than not, my ...
1
vote
2answers
97 views
I can't hear the chords in this song, are there any or am I mistaking chords for melody? [closed]
I'm trying to train my hear to listen and separate out the chords, melody, bass, and drums in music I enjoy listening to, and practice my music by re-creating these styles.
...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
4part harmony, secondary dominant's deceptive cadence
Is it a rule that in a secondary dominant's deceptive cadence the root note goes upper one step to the target chord's root note and the 7th note goes down one step to the 5th note ?
Is this a rule ...
1
vote
5answers
120 views
Chord progressions
Any tips or strategies that you guys would like to share on how you determine the chord progression in a song or a musical composition ? Though I understand chord progressions and the musical theory ...
2
votes
4answers
85 views
IVm6 or IVm7? (in major)
(Note: using the key of C major as generic instead of roman numerals.)
Yesterday I was reading the book "Hearin' the Changes" (by Coker, Knapp and Vincent), which discusses Fm7-B♭7-C as an ...
4
votes
6answers
412 views
flattened-seventh chord function [duplicate]
I this post, I received some information on the usage of a flattened-seventh chord in progressions, which, along with the flattened-third, seem to be popular choices in the rock world to add flavor.
...
4
votes
5answers
361 views
Does the subdominant prepare the dominant : a general rule? [closed]
Can we say that iv prepares the V in a minor key? Because iv is a subdominant chord and V is the dominant?
2
votes
4answers
117 views
How to choose scales for improvisation based on chords used in a progression?
When playing a tune that has both, minor and major chords, what scale would be safe to use for soloing? It seems that a Minor Pentatonic would work for the minor chords, but not that well for the ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Finding root keys and chord progression for arpeggios
I have a riff I've composed using the following power cords notes (here is what is sounds on piano https://soundcloud.com/tomasz-jasku-a-133883769/keyboardforsolo-rzczywistosc) :
Time 1 & 2: C#, ...
1
vote
3answers
83 views
Question about playing over chord changes, go to next chord
In music theory there is a process for going to the next chord that involves playing a note just before the next chord that resolves to a chord tone of the upcoming chord.
However this messes up my ...
3
votes
4answers
175 views
Substitution of ♭VI for iv
Today I was listening Héctor Lavoe, accurately the song "Plato de Segunda Mesa":
I heard something that captured my attention, the substitution of B♭m by D♭...
9
votes
6answers
921 views
+100
In what language-level in Chomsky's hierarchy would the chord-progressions of classical music be categorized?
Formal languages
In language-theory and grammar-theory, a language is the output generated by a grammar.
Let's say "the grammar" is the rules and "the language" is the sentences and words that may ...
-2
votes
1answer
75 views
Do styles have expected sounds?
I was wondering if chord progressions and melody have to sound a certain way to be part of a style of music? Like Hard Rock or Goth. Never heard of goth but if I did I would expect it to have a creepy ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views
Good reference book for the theory and chords of MINOR keys
While decoding Take Five by Paul Desmond and Dave Brubeck I've been told that it's in the key of D Minor - but my books only seem to cover the Major Keys and the Major Scales - is there a good ...
2
votes
3answers
112 views
Can you Help me Understand this Chord Progression | Gospel
I keep hearing the same little chord progression all over the place and I want to understand its function from a music theory perspective. Also I want to understand if there's some cultural reason why ...
1
vote
2answers
54 views
What is this chord in Schubert's D. 531?
Consider following extract from Schubert's Der Tod und das Mädchen (D. 531) :
I assume that the indicated chord in the penultimate bar can be seen as a transition between the chords of D major and A ...
6
votes
4answers
374 views
Tritone sub for a minor chord
I was reading http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chords/passing-chords/
The article writes:
Tritone (of next chord) | CMaj7 - A♭7 | Dm7 |
Is this a mistake? As far as I am ...
4
votes
4answers
120 views
How would you analyze this chord progression and the function of Am7 here?
Disclaimer: Novice songwriter here.
I've started to write a new song, started with a 16 bar funky bass line in C natural minor and kept adding some chords which I think might not be fully correct but ...
0
votes
0answers
81 views
A Dorian scale/chord progressions
So I'm currently jamming a song in G Major with focus on the A Minor. The chord progression goes Am C D. I know that the A Minor Blues Scale sounds pretty sleek, but I just have the feeling that A ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
The rule that Chord I, IV, and V are majors - does that extend to 7th chords?
So for example, in the key of G# major.
D# is the V chord
In major key the V chord should be a major, so does that mean if I am doing a seventh chord, it should be D#maj ? This would be: D#, G, A#, ...
1
vote
0answers
51 views
Stepwise bass movement/intermediate (passing) harmony technique
A song I like adds great motion to an otherwise simple progression by adding passing tones in the bass line, leaving the other harmonies unaltered. Please see the following transcription:
I am ...
13
votes
6answers
2k views
What is the name of using a major chord instead of a minor chord at the end of a progression?
I've heard somewhere that there's a technique where you put a major chord where a minor chord is expected, and it creates a feeling of unexpectedness. If I recall, there's one in Hey Ya by OutKast: ...
2
votes
3answers
117 views
What is the functional role of the subtonic chord?
In this chart
the subtonic major chord can come before the mediant and submedian chords. Does this imply that it has a tonic functionality? If so that seems counter-intuitive; it seems to share more ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
What key can I write a melody/solo in for this chord progression? [closed]
I started learning theory for a few months now and I came with a chord progression but I don't know for sure what key to make melodies in. I figured out D minor can be a candidate but I like to check ...
0
votes
4answers
84 views
Question on antecedent phrase and Secondary Dominant Chord
I am interested in the discussion entitled "Proper Uses of Minor Seventh Chords" in this question proper uses of minor seventh chords. Chord I7 is "secondary dominant" meaning that it has dominant ...
0
votes
4answers
135 views
What is so special about Am G F E chord progression?
I wonder why these 4 chords sound very good together and very common. No matter what kind of music I look at to I usually see these chord progression and very large amount of pop songs using this ...
0
votes
2answers
64 views
Common scale tones when transiioning to a new chord
Yesterday I was practicing scales variation over a jazz progression, in particular
Am - G#°7 - Gm7 - C7sus4
Using respectively
1)A melodic minor
2)G# whole-half
3)G dorian
4)C mixolydian
I ...
0
votes
2answers
166 views
Why does this progression sound so good?
What is the first chord that makes the CMaj9 sound so good? And what is that progression called?
2
votes
5answers
107 views
playing basic tunes on piano reading sheet music using chords
I’m an accomplished jazz trombonist and not actively playing anymore. I would like help improving my piano playing especially my left hand chord fingering. I can sight read and play just about ...
3
votes
6answers
318 views
Are all triads of a key, composed of notes in that original key?
If you go through each note of a key, and create a triad with a root from each note. Are all the triads composed of notes exclusive to that original key?
For example, walking through F Major:
I - F ...
5
votes
6answers
286 views
Is there a theoretical explanation for a change of a major7 to minor7 of the same root in jazz?
In jazz there are many chord substitutions with various names like tritone, but there's a particular chord movement which I have seen in many jazz standards where major7 is immediately followed by a ...
-1
votes
1answer
44 views
What would be a good harmonic progression for this example? [closed]
For my advanced theory seminar class this semester, I am being introduced to formal counterpoint writing procedures. For a homework assignment this week, I have to write a good bass line (First ...
1
vote
3answers
80 views
What determines the function of a chord?
I’ve been trying to learn about functional harmony and I keep asking myself the above question. Each chord seems to have a general function (with exceptions) within scales, but why is that so? Were ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
Does this progression have a name?
I discovered that if I play a major scale, i.e. Ionian mode, then move through the modes with the same root note in the following order:
Ionian
Mixolydian
Dorian
Aolian
Phrygian
Lochrian
At this ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Which kind of progression is applied here? [closed]
I'm noob is music theory and I want to know which kind of chord progression is applied here to the first chord?
The instrument is piano here.
Thanks in advance.
2
votes
4answers
700 views
I'm struggling with changing my chords in time
I have learning guitar for about 2 months now and I learned my chords at the same time concentrating with my fingerstyle. I'm quite good at fingerstyle now even when changing notes. But I found it ...
4
votes
5answers
122 views
Can anyone help me understand this chord progression?
Since it starts and ends in G, I'd assume G major:
G - Cmaj7 - F#m7 - G#m7 - Em7 - Cmaj7 - D/F# - G or
I - IV - (vii#5)- (bii) - vi - IV - V - I or
1 - 4 - 7#5m7? - b2m7? -...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Have I identified my cadences correctly?
I am having so much trouble with cadence identification. After hours of Youtube video explanations I think that I have this correctly. Have I? How can I make this process easier?
a. Perfect
b. ...
2
votes
3answers
93 views
How was this chord progression created?
The song is "Let me love you" by Mario, which is in the key of G minor. In the verse and the chorus,
Cm7 - Gm7 - F
chords are used, which is the iv, i and VII of the G minor natural scale. However, ...
1
vote
3answers
135 views
Why does Am7 work in the song best part part by Daniel Caesar
The cord progression for the song is:
Dmaj7, Am7, Gmaj7, Bbmaj7
And the melody is mostly from Dmaj pentatonic. So the song appears to be in D major.
My question, how does Am7 work here? Since it's ...
1
vote
4answers
83 views
Playing the same melody over different chord progressions
I'm considering a structure of the following sort for a jazz/rock fusion song:
Section A: 2-bar instrumental guitar line repeated a couple of times over a chord progression like C-G-C-G, followed by ...
2
votes
1answer
53 views
Beethoven “Appassionata” measure 42
I’m trying to figure out the chord progression in the highlighted measure. I know the key shifts from A flat major to minor, but what do the #c minor and A major chords do here? How can I write them ...
2
votes
1answer
70 views
Substitution of minor chord for major VI chord
I came up with this progression while trying to make a song that involves guitar arpeggios and string sections:
Em Cm Em/B C6
Em C B-B+ Cm6
(Em/B I mean with a chord inversion and B-B+ I mean half ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Help with analyzing sus and add chords in this progression
I have been trying to analyze a score (the first one that I have attempted) and I'm a bit confused about how to analyze these chords. Here's the part (and here's the full piece for context):
Take the ...
4
votes
3answers
667 views
Understanding bVII harmony [duplicate]
I was analyzing "Try to Remember" from the musical "The Fantasticks" and became stumped on what seems to be a flatted seventh major chord stuck in the middle of the song. I'd like to understand what's ...
2
votes
2answers
107 views
D7 to F in C major: Secondary Dominant, or something else?
In the Cee Lo Green song “Forget you”, the chord progression is C - D7 - F - C, the D7 has an F# which is out of key.
Within the limited music theory I learned so far, the closest thing I can relate ...
