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.
676
questions
6
votes
1answer
152 views
Chord progression where tonic chord does not appear at all
The song Weird Fishes (Arpeggi) by Radiohead has a chord progression which has been shared in a website and I believe it is more or less correct:
Em7 F#m7 A A7 A6 Gmaj7
The song seems to be in ...
1
vote
2answers
51 views
Applying some analysis to Amaj Cmaj Dmaj Amaj
Why does Amaj Cmaj Dmaj Amaj work so well?
How can we describe the relationships between these chords?
What key am I even in? Amaj and Dmaj could be I and IV in A major, or Cmaj and Dmaj could be ...
9
votes
4answers
2k views
What is a B-flat major chord doing in the key of A minor?
The piece is Chopin's waltz in A minor op. 34 no. 2, measure 70:
We seem to be in the key of A minor due to the cadences in measures 71 and 73. But B-flat major is not in the key of A minor (right?)...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
transition chords for the ii-V progression
Besides simple half step approaches to the next chord do you know of any nice transition chords between the ii and V and/or the V and ii when playing on a ii-V vamp?
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Expanding the I-IV progression
I wanted to make the I-IV progression a little more interesting by having the I fall a third to its relative minor, vi, before moving to IV (so, I-vi-IV). I do like the melodramatic I-vi progression, ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Non-repeating chord progression in pop verse progression
I am having trouble understanding a pop song verse progression that I came across.
Please see the following screenshot of the sheet music:
Here are the two main things I notice:
1) The first "...
8
votes
3answers
664 views
What other scales can be played over ii chord in ii-V-I besides Dorian?
Soloing over ii-V-I is usually associated with modes. Dorian-Myxolydian-Ionian. I'm trying to expand my soloing by playing "outside", so I wanted to find out what other scales can be played over ...
2
votes
2answers
64 views
added tone chords
Some of my favorite songs included added tones in their chord progressions to keep things interesting. I would like to follow suit, but I tend to become overwhelmed with the options: sevenths, added-...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
Math rock chord progression analysis
I have been given this chord progression I have to analyse:
Em9 | F#m7 F#7/G | Bm11 | Cmaj7 Dmaj7 | Em9 (loop around)
I've got around to set E as the root since it's the one that sounds the most ...
2
votes
2answers
85 views
What are these chords called?
So I have these chords in my song, and was wondering what they're called. I've heard they might be classed as an 'inversion' or 'power chord', but I'm still learning musical jargon so any insight ...
2
votes
5answers
1k views
Do all 7th progessions sound good as triad progressions? [closed]
I am studying non-diatonic 7th chords in chord progressions and was wondering if most non diatonic 7th chords would still sound good in their triad version? I guess the answer is yes but are there ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
Need help analysing song
Newbie here and just stared analysing songs
I came across this tune that has the following chord progression
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 | Fmaj7 Fmaj7 | F#m F | D D
The song seems to resolve on an A but doesnt ...
1
vote
3answers
175 views
Chord progression (Em7,Bm7 what next)?
I’m working on my song and need help with chord progression.
The verse chord progression is : G, Cadd9, A7sus4 and Dsus4
I made a bridge with Em7 and Bm7 but I don’t know what need to come next (I ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
What is the music theory behind substituting the IV chord in a I-IV-V progession in A for a G7 instead of D?
The other day I was playing guitar and messing around with adding various embellishments to a blues I-IV-V progression in the key of A. One I particularly enjoyed was substituting the D (IV) chord for ...
4
votes
2answers
442 views
Flats (b's) in chord progressions
I found out that we had two (basic) chords intervals:
Major scale chords: I ii iii IV V vi vii°
Minor scale chords: i ii° III iv v VI VII
Here one can see some charts of chords from common ...
2
votes
0answers
59 views
Is there a standard way of singing over ii-V-I in jazz?
I am new to music theory especially jazz and blues. I have since learned about writing lyrics or singing over a traditional 12 bar blues progression using AAB form, thus repeating the first line (A) ...
4
votes
2answers
119 views
How can I play a solo when there is no chord progression?
Ok I'll explain the situation.
I have to play a guitar solo during one section of a song. The problem is that during that section the other guitar only plays the D5 chord in an irregular pattern with ...
6
votes
4answers
457 views
Characteristic scale degrees
Came across an article at openMsicTheory.com about harmonic function. Below excerpt was about finding function of a chord
Each of the three harmonic functions — tonic (T), subdominant (S), and ...
0
votes
0answers
48 views
How can i find chord progression for main theme melody?
How does one find chord progressions of the track?
I'm trying to find the sequence to:
melody starts at 3:26 min.
All I could fine :
Key of song is E minor,
...
5
votes
3answers
178 views
How would this chord from “I'll See You In My Dreams” best be analyzed?
In the song "I'll See You In My Dreams", there is a chord progression that I really love. I'm wondering if there is a "best" way to analyze one of the chords.
The song is in the key of F Major, and ...
-2
votes
1answer
55 views
What's the root of this chord progression
I've encountered a chord progression, but I'm not quite sure to which key it belongs (I discovered it by playing around on a guitar). The chord progression sounds like this: Amadd9 Em/G F#7add11
8
votes
5answers
458 views
What Constitutes a Secondary Dominant?
A secondary dominant chord has chromatic notes in it - it's non-diatonic. As in key C, E7 can be called a secondary dominant chord. BUT to be a dominant, or secondary dominant, does it HAVE to lead to ...
4
votes
3answers
413 views
Secondary dominants
I saw this progression as an example on an article about secondary dominants:
C Am B7 C
Is the idea here to have B7 as the dominant of E which is the dominant of Am?
2
votes
4answers
140 views
Understanding Cm7-F7-F#Maj7-G# progression
I recently started studying music theory, and while exploring inverted 7th chords, I put together this chord progression simply because it sounded quite good to me.
What I can’t get is how to ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
Attempt to make Jazz chord progression on 7-Limit tuning
This is a sequel to this question. Refer to it for the just ratio of the tones.
Being septimal, I thought it could be used for Jazz. The chord progression I made is (Based on C):
CM7 - F♯ø7 - FM7 - ...
4
votes
3answers
108 views
Notating “enharmonic” chords, e.g. iv7 vs bVI6
I've seen those two chords bVI6 and iv7 used interchangeably for what seems like the same context following I -> IV chord movements in B sections (sometimes continuing to the dominant, sometimes ...
10
votes
6answers
909 views
How to determine passing chords
How do you determine passing chords from one chord to another, as I've seen how most gospel/jazz pianists do?
So far, I am familiar with progressions such as the II-V-I as means to go from one chord ...
3
votes
3answers
124 views
How does Different Chord Qualities work in Chord Progressions?
I'm curious how different types of chord qualities affect chord progressions, for example:
Can an add9 chord be added into a C F G progression?
0
votes
1answer
115 views
Guitar rif comparisons and similarities
Consider the bass guitar line of a song called "Schism":
and another bass guitar line of a song called "Pneuma".
When Pneuma was ...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
Modulation by a tritone: nomenclature
The chord progression in question follows:
C -> C#7 -> F#
in order to modulate from F to F# (C is the V of F etc.)
But is it F# or Gb? And if it's Gb, should the C#7 be a Db7 instead?
Does it ...
2
votes
4answers
194 views
What is a chord progression?
I do not know about chord progressions.
What is a chord progression?
What is an example of chord progression?
Thank you.
1
vote
2answers
100 views
Hey, I wrote something and I'm not really sure what the chords are [closed]
I wrote a tune but I don't know what chords go along with it. If anyone could figure it out that'd be great.
13
votes
2answers
3k views
I wish you a merry Christmas: what is this chord progression called?
Is there a special term for this chain of secondary dominants V/IV, V/V, V/vi ?
(or in C major: C,F,D,G,E,Am)
It’s a frequent chord pattern in the era of Baroque and has also been used in the ...
5
votes
1answer
177 views
Intro of A Whiter Shade of Pale: is my analysis of chords correct?
I wonder about 2 points in this intro (I can ask them in to different questions if desired)
I'm not sure whether I hear this progression correct ...
The beginning ...
3
votes
2answers
105 views
Suspensions in 'The Long and Winding Road'?
Ian MacDonald (music critic/author) writes of the "heartbreaking suspensions" that characterize the harmony of "The Long and Winding Road". I was curious about this, so I printed the first page of ...
2
votes
3answers
214 views
Non-cadential use of 6/4 chord
I guess the 6-4 chord in common practice music is typically seen as a "cadential" 6-4, used to embellish the chords around it by means of bass arpeggiation.
In rock music, however, a I chord in ...
1
vote
3answers
161 views
Why do I hear a major key lament bass in Bach's Chaconne in D minor?
I noticed as I listen to Bach's Chaconne in D minor, that not only do I hear a lament bass when Bach is in D minor but also when he is in D major. But why? It isn't like the lament bass is normally ...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
Are there songs written using non-functional harmony
I have been trying to write music that does not resolve to a tonic. Would this be non-functional harmony?
CMaj7 / Dbdim7 / BMaj7 / Eb7b5
2
votes
2answers
44 views
Determining roman numeral notation
I am just starting to learn music theory so if I'm making an obvious mistake, forgive me.
Given the chord progression D major B♭ major F major C major, I have assumed that it is in the key of F major ...
1
vote
1answer
149 views
Chord progression integrity/plagiarism [closed]
I am wondering what connotes plagiarism--or at least a lack of artistic integrity--with regards to chord progressions. Could you indicate a progression which: a) should be used openly, b) shows a ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Notes of chords of chord progression
I'm trying to learn chord progressions and it's still kind of mystery for me. According to this article every chord in chord progression is always three notes and every note of a chord is at distance ...
0
votes
2answers
202 views
What is this chord progression? and where do this chords came from?
( Ryuichi Sakamoto "Loneliness" )
after the sudden change to [B] part at measure 7, a chord progression
Dbm7 Fm6 F#m7 F#m6 appears.
I can't figure out where this chords came from.
Edit: We were ...
5
votes
4answers
203 views
ii-V-I versus I-IV-V
The I-IV-V progression is used in a lot of blues, rock, folk, country and pop music, while jazz music tends to favor the ii-V-I.
I am aware that the ii and IV chords are both subdominant and they ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
What are lockups and lockdowns in chord progressions?
I've been watching this video from 8-bit music theory
and he mentioned lockups and lockdowns in chord progressions (at 4:17). What does that mean?
1
vote
2answers
287 views
Effective Verse-Chorus Pairs in Rock Songwriting [closed]
Ken Stephenson, in What to Listen for in Rock, holds that harmonic contrasts help delineate form in rock music. "In rock, where repetition of harmonic patterns is so common," he explains, "any break ...
4
votes
3answers
144 views
Compelling Use of Non-diatonic Chords in Rolling Stones
"Brown Sugar" by The Rolling Stones is in C major, but makes forays into E-flat major (based on the preview of the sheet music at least!). My guess is that the inclusion of these chords can be ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it possible to know the exact chord from the roman numerals
I was taking a look at this chord progression and attempted to play it just using the roman numerals.
Seeing the V(G) I played what would be the right most G in the image with the B and D above it so ...
3
votes
2answers
118 views
1-2-#2-3 progression; why does this work?
In Don't Get Around Much Anymore, the opening chord progression is CM7 Dm7 D#dim7 Em7.
Is that #2 a substitution or inversion or something? How does it fit in the C major chord progression?
Is it ...
3
votes
1answer
447 views
What is the Roman Numeral analysis for “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X? [closed]
Link to the song:
The chords in the song are as follows: G# - B - F# - C# (All in Major)
But as I listen to the song I keep thinking it's in the key of G# Minor (...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
Slonimsky's Harmonization of Pattern 10 with Seven Major Chords
What method of harmonization is Slonimsky using to generate the seven chord progression that belongs to pattern 10? My understanding so far is that the pitches that divide the octave C-F#-C into equal ...
