Chord Progression Theory

[Hack_and_Nickel_Sacks]

Background for beginners

You must understand that in Major Scales the notes go as
follows: (C maj)

Numbered: I II III IV V VI VII
Note: C D E F G A B
Chord: Maj Min Min Maj Dom Min Dim

Their names in order from left to right:
Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Sub-Dominant, Dominant,
Sub-mediant, Leading Note.

Theory of Chord Progressions

Rules were developed to give harmony a more easily used and
understood method (as is most other things with music and this world).
The rules were based on consonance and dissonance of the movement from
one chord to another, they were made to establish one chord as the
root, so you would get a strong resolution with your progression when
it ends.

The role of the primary chords (C,B,A etc... not Em7, Aadd9)
was made from what is called cadence. A cadence describes how the
progression ends, or SUGGESTS an end with a sound of resolution or
completion. There are four different cadences in primary chord
progressions.

-The PERFECT CADENCE is RESOLUTION from the V chord to the I chord

-The IMPERFECT CADENCE is PROGRESSION from the I chord to the V chord
it occurs normally in the middle of a chord sequence, not the end and
isn't just from the I chord, mostly any chord to the V chord gives
IMPERFECT CADENCE

-The PLAGAL CADENCE is RESOLUTION from the IV chord to the I chord

-The INTERRUPTED CADENCE is PROGRESSION from the V chord to any chord
but the I chord

*Recognize that it says resolution referring to the resolving of the
progression*

*When it says progression, it refers to the cadence giving a hint of
suggesting an end to the progression*

The above rules are used in the Major key, because the V chord
has a minor triad in the minor scale. This is why they created the
harmonic minor scale with a 7th raised by a semitone. In harmonic
minor the chords have a different series which are as follows

-I chord : minor
-II chord : diminished
-III chord : augmented
-IV chord : diminished
-V chord : major <=== 'tis major now
-VI chord : major
-VII chord : diminished

The result of changing the dominant chord to have a major triad allows
the same rules of cadences to be applied to both scales.

In traditional harmony, there is are general rules for how
diatonic chords should be used in progressions. They have the musical
tastes of what it was like when the diatonic system was made.

-I chord can change to any chord
-II chord can change to any chord except the I chord
-III chord can change to any chord except the I or the VII chords
-IV chord can change to any chord
-V chord can change to any chord except the II chord or the VII chord
-VI chord can change to any chord except the I or the VII chords
-VII chord can change to any chord except the II or IV

This is my first lesson so I definitly want feedback and
questions if possible. And I hope I've helped...

- Matt

I totally can't post again, so I'll just add it here and hope they come back.

Resolution is what makes music...work, I guess. It's like, take a scale for example and play a bunch of notes on it then hit the root, and you *should* hear how it feels complete in a sense. That's resolution, it's how your progression or solo or riff or whatever you are doing with that fretboard comes to an end with a sound that gives it an 'end'

Cadence is the titles for the different resolutions and resolving sounds you get in your progressions.

If you have more questions...try to break 'em down so they're easier to answer

[fishkarma]

[code]
chord chart
chords------------|---i-----|---ii----|--iii----|--iv-------|---v--------|--vi------|----vii-----|
Regular-----------|Major----|-Minor---|-Minor---|-Major-----|-Major------|-Minor----|-Diminished-|
Sixth-------------|Major 6--|-Minor 6-|---------|-Major 6---|-Major 6----|----------|------------|
Seventh-----------|Major 7--|-Minor 7-|-Minor 7-|-Major 7---|-Dominant 7-|-Minor 7--|-Minor 7b5--|
Ninth-------------|Major 9--|-Minor 9-|---------|-Major 9---|-Dominant 9-|-Minor 9--|------------|
Eleventh----------|---------|-Minor 11|-Minor 11|-Major 7#11|-Dominant 11|-Minor 11-|-Minor 11b5-|
Thirteenth--------|---------|-Minor 13|---------|-----------|-Dominant 13|----------|------------|
melodic Min7------|Min/Maj7-|-Min7----|-Maj7#5--|-Major 7---|-Major 7----|-Minor 7b5|-Minor 7b5--|
harmonic min7-----|Min/Min7-|-Min7b5--|-Maj7#5--|-Minor 7---|-Major 7----|-Major 7--|-Diminished7|

[/code]

[fishkarma]

stuff u could use/\

[Hack_and_Nickel_Sacks]

You're my hero

[Hack_and_Nickel_Sacks]

ugh and they used the bad one, i will edit it so its readable.

[fishkarma]

no bother man i had to edit it a lot when i made it for this site
cos it kept coming out wonky lol

[qivrinspleen]

very helpful. btw this is my first post since i arrived in japan. craaazy huh

[triowest]

Hey guys,
what on earth is a ****:
Augmented?
Diminished?
Thanx dudes

[fishkarma]

what on earth is a ****

having stars there for all we know you could be saying f.u.c.k ect
it dont help.
try putting it in with dots between letters so we can see
and im gonna guess this isnt a chord progression question so post in beginner questions
but if it is go ahead and ask itn this thread!

[hashbrown339]

Hey that was a great lesson it was a little more straight to the point than alot of the other lessons ive seen on chord progresions.

[scotty_x]

A couple of 2 chord progressions that I'm constantly hearing in the kind of music I listen to...
I -> IV -> I
intro to "Shoulder to the wheel" by Saves the Day
intro/chorus to "seventy times 7" and "mix tape" by Brand New
intro to "bleeder" by Alkaline Trio
"A decade under the influence" by Taking Back Sunday
and "Brick" by Ben Folds Five... you get the idea.


vi -> IV -> vi. It's really big. It's in a lot of break-down-ish type stuff, sort of...
"short stories with tragic endings" by From Autumn To Ashes
Chorus of "bleed american" by Jimmy Eat World
the breakdown of "sic transit gloria" by Brand New
and in the (second) intro to "my last serenade" by Killswitch Engage
I'm pretty sure that it's in a lot of metal songs, too. It's fun to train your ear to hear this sort of stuff.

[scotty_x]

Oh, and an augmented chord is the result of two consecutive major 3rds, it's a major chord with a raised 5. It's like C E G#.

And a diminished chord is the result of two consecutive minor 3rds, it's a minor chord with a flatted 5. It's like C Eb Gb, or B D F.

[Hack_and_Nickel_Sacks]

Hey guys,
what on earth is a ****:
Augmented?
Diminished?
Thanx dudes

you gotta understand intervals before you can look at chords deeply, or you're lost.

I always think of diminished and augmented chords as there interval, because a perfect interval raised a semitone is augmented and if it's lowered a semitone it's diminished, which is where the chord gets it's name, the interval of the fifth.


EDIT: I almost forgot, thanks for the positive feedback guys and thanks for helping out fish and scotty

[teknotard]

great post, you beat me too it.... Excelent explanations

[xlx_blackplague_xlx]

Excellent tip that helps alot

[fishkarma]

EDIT: I almost forgot, thanks for the positive feedback guys and thanks for helping out fish and scotty

dam'n straight

[Janus]

Great! Good work.

[Kentucky Fried Chicken]

Well that kinda of straitens things out for me thanks guys

[U_Got_Nufan]

Sorry but this made ABSOLUTLY no sense to me

[Warmgrape]

I would have to agree, what is all this cadence resolution diminished stuff.
Speak in lamens terms because i am lame