Chord progression

In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic

progression is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the
foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the
common practice era of Classical music to the 21st century.
Chord progressions are the foundation of Western popular music
styles (e.g., pop music, rock music) and traditional music (e.g.,
blues and jazz). In these genres, chord progressions are the
defining feature on which melody and rhythm are built.
0:00 / 0:00
In tonal music, chord progressions have the function of
establishing or contradicting a tonality, the technical name for
A IV–V–I progression in the key of C major. The
what is commonly understood as the "key" of a song or piece.
chords shown are F major, G major, and C major.
Chord progressions are usually expressed by Roman numerals in
Classical music theory. For example, the common chord
progression I–vi–ii–V. In many styles of popular and traditional music, chord progressions are expressed using the name and
"quality" of the chords. For example, the previously mentioned chord progression, in the key of C major, would be written as C
major–A minor–D minor–G major in a fake book or lead sheet. In the first chord, C major, the "C" indicates that the chord is built
on the root note "C" and the word "major" indicates that a major chord is built on this "C" note.

In rock and blues, musicians also often refer to chord progressions using Roman numerals, as this facilitates transposing a song to
a new key. For example, rock and blues musicians often think of the 12-bar blues as consisting of I, IV, and V chords. Thus, a
simple version of the 12-bar blues might be expressed as I–I–I–I, IV–IV–I–I, V–IV–I–I. By thinking of this blues progression in
Roman numerals, a backup band or rhythm section could be instructed by a bandleader to play the chord progression in any key.
For example, if the bandleader asked the band to play this chord progression in the key of C major, the chords would be C–C–C–
C, F–F–C–C, G–F–C–C; if the bandleader wanted the song in G major, the chords would be G–G–G–G, C–C–G–G, D–C–G–G;
and so on.

The complexity of a chord progression varies from genre to genre and over different historical periods. Some pop and rock songs
from the 1980s to the 2010s have fairly simple chord progressions. Funk emphasizes the groove and rhythm as the key element,
so entire funk songs may be based on one chord. Some jazz-funk songs are based on a two-, three-, or four-chord vamp. Some
punk and hardcore punk songs use only a few chords. On the other hand, bebop jazz songs may have 32-bar song forms with one
or two chord changes every bar.

Contents
Basic theory
Diatonic and chromatic chords
Progressions
Common progressions
Simple progressions
Three-chord progressions
Blues changes
1950s progression
Circle progressions
 Harmonizing the scale
Minor and modal progressions
See also
Sources
Further reading
External links

Basic theory
A chord may be built upon any note of a musical scale.
Therefore, a seven-note diatonic scale allows seven basic
diatonic triads, each degree of the scale becoming the root
of its own chord.[1] A chord built upon the note E is an E
chord of some type (major, minor, diminished, etc.)
Chords in a progression may also have more than three
notes, such as in the case of a seventh chord (V7 is
particularly common) or an extended chord. The The key note, or tonic, of a piece of music is called note
number one, the first step of (here), the ascending scale
harmonic function of any particular chord depends on the
iii–IV–V. Chords built on several scale degrees are
context of the particular chord progression in which it is numbered likewise. Thus the chord progression E minor–
found.[2] F–G can be described as three–four–five, (or iii–IV–V).

Diatonic and chromatic chords

The diatonic harmonization of any major scale results in three major triads, which are based on the first, fourth, and fifth scale
degrees. The triads are referred to as the tonic chord (in Roman numeral analysis, symbolized by "I"), the subdominant chord
(IV), and the dominant chord, (V), respectively.[3] These three triads include, and therefore can harmonize, every note of that
scale. Many simple traditional music, folk music and rock and roll songs use only these three chord types (e.g. The Troggs' "Wild
Thing", which uses I, IV and V chords).

The same major scale also has three minor chords, the supertonic chord (ii), mediant chord (iii), and submediant chord (vi),
respectively. These chords stand in the same relationship to one another (in the relative minor key) as do the three major chords,
so that they may be viewed as the first (i), fourth (iv) and fifth (v) degrees of the relative minor key. For example, the relative
minor of C major is A minor, and in the key of A minor, the i, iv and v chords are A minor, D minor and E minor. In practice, in a
minor key, the third of the dominant chord is often raised by one semitone to form a major chord (or a dominant seventh chord if
the seventh is added).

In addition, the seventh degree of the scale (i.e. the leading tone) forms a diminished chord (viio).[4]

A chord may also have chromatic notes, that is, notes outside of the diatonic scale. Perhaps the most basic chromatic alteration in
simple folk songs is the raised fourth degree (♯ ) that results when the third of the ii chord is raised one semitone. Such a chord
typically functions as the secondary dominant of the V chord (V/V). In some instances, chromatic notes are introduced to
modulate to a new key. This in turn may lead to a resolution back to the original key later on, so that the entire sequence of chords
helps create an extended musical form and a sense of movement.

Progressions
Although there is a large number of possible progressions, in practice, progressions are often limited to a few bars' lengths and
certain progressions are favored above others. There is also a certain amount of fashion in which a chord progression is defined
(e.g., the 12-bar blues progression) and may even help in defining an entire genre.[5]

In western classical notation, chords are numbered with Roman numerals. Other types of chord notation have been devised, from
figured bass to the chord chart. These usually allow or even require a certain amount of improvisation.

Common progressions

Simple progressions
Diatonic scales such as the major and minor scales lend themselves particularly well to the construction of common chords
because they contain a large number of perfect fifths. Such scales predominate in those regions where harmony is an essential
part of music, as, for example, in the common practice period of western classical music. In considering Arab and Indian music,
where diatonic scales are used, there are also available a number of non-diatonic scales, the music has no chord changes,
remaining always upon the key-chord, an attribute which has also been observed in hard rock, hip hop,[6] funk, disco,[7] jazz, etc.

Alternation between two chords may be thought of as the most basic chord progression. Many well-known pieces are built
harmonically upon the mere repetition of two chords of the same scale.[2] For example, many of the more straightforward
melodies in classical music consist entirely or mostly of alternation between the tonic (I) and the dominant (V, sometimes with an
added seventh), as do folk songs such as "Polly Wolly Doodle" and popular songs such as "Achy Breaky Heart".[8] The Isley
Brothers' "Shout" uses I–vi throughout.[9]

Three-chord progressions
Three-chord progression are more common since a melody may then dwell on any note of the scale. They are often presented as
successions of four chords (as shown below), in order to produce a binary harmonic rhythm, but then two of the four chords are
the same.

I–IV–V–V
I–I–IV–V
I–IV–I–V
I–IV–V–IV
Often the chords may be selected to fit a pre-conceived melody, but just as often it is the progression itself that gives rise to the
melody.

Similar progressions abound in African popular music. They may be varied by the addition of sevenths (or other scale degrees) to
any chord or by substitution of the relative minor of the IV chord to give, for example, I–ii–V. This sequence, using the ii chord,
is also used cadentially in a common chord progression of jazz harmony, the so-called ii–V–I turnaround.

Three-chord progressions provide the harmonic foundation of much African and American popular music, and they occur
sectionally in many pieces of classical music (such as the opening bars of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony[10]).

Where such a simple sequence does not represent the entire harmonic structure of a piece, it may readily be extended for greater
variety. Frequently, an opening phrase has the progression I–IV–V–V, which ends on an unresolved dominant, may be "answered"
by a similar phrase that resolves back onto the tonic chord, giving a structure of double the length:

I IV V V
I IV V I
Additionally, such a passage may be alternated with a different progression to give a simple binary or ternary form such as that of
the popular 32-bar form (see musical form).

Blues changes
The 12-bar blues and its many variants use an elongated, three-line form of the I–
IV–V progression that has also generated countless hit records, including the most
significant output of rock and rollers such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard. In its
most elementary form (and there are many variants), the chord progression is

I I I I
IV IV I I
V IV I I

Again, blues progressions have formed the entire harmonic basis of many recorded
songs but may also be confined to a single section of a more elaborate form, as
frequently with The Beatles in such songs as "You Can't Do That", "I Feel Fine",
and "She's A Woman". They have also been subjected to densely chromatic
elaboration, as in the Bird blues.
Blues progressions influenced a
great deal of 20th century American
Steedman (1984) proposed that a set of recursive rewrite rules generate all well-
popular music
formed transformations of jazz, both basic blues chord changes and slightly
modified sequences (such as the "rhythm changes"). Important transformations
include:

replacement of (or addition to) a chord with its dominant, subdominant or the tritone substitution.
use of chromatic passing chords.
extensively applying the ii–V–I turnaround.
chord alterations such as minor chords, diminished sevenths, etc.[11]

1950s progression
Another common way of extending the I–IV–V
progression is by adding the chord of the sixth scale
degree, giving the sequence I–vi–IV–V or I–vi–ii–V,
sometimes called the 50s progression or doo-wop
progression.
0:00 / 0:00
This progression had been in use from the earliest days
of classical music. But, after generating popular hits
A 50s progression in C
such as Rodgers and Hart's "Blue Moon" (1934),[12]
Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' 1936 "The Way You
Look Tonight", and Hoagy Carmichael's "Heart and Soul" (1938),[13] it became associated with the black American vocal groups
of the 1940s, such as The Ink Spots and The Mills Brothers ("Till Then"), and thus later became the entire basis of the 1950s doo-
wop genre, a typical example being The Monotones' "The Book of Love".

Taken up into the pop mainstream, for example with Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "All I Have to Do Is Dream", a hit for The
Everly Brothers, in the 1960s it continued to generate records as otherwise disparate as The Paris Sisters' "I Love How You Love
Me" (written by Mann and Kolber) and Boris Pickett's "Monster Mash". It continued to be used sectionally, as in the last part of
The Beatles' "Happiness Is a Warm Gun",[14] and also to form the
harmonic basis of further new songs for decades ("Every Breath You Take"
by The Police and Madonna's "True Blue").

The Mills Brothers' recording of "Till Then"

looked forward both to the end of World
War II and to the popular music of the
1950s.

Circle progressions
Introducing the ii chord into these progressions
emphasises their appeal as constituting elementary forms
of circle progression. These, named for the circle of
fifths, consist of "adjacent roots in ascending fourth or
descending fifth relationship"—for instance, the sequence
vi–ii–V–I ascends with each successive chord to one a
fourth above the previous. Such a motion, based upon
close harmonic relations, offers "undoubtedly the most
common and the strongest of all harmonic
0:00 / 0:00
progressions".[16] Short cyclical progressions may be
derived by selecting a sequence of chords from the series
A circle progression in C major
completing a circle from the tonic through all seven
diatonic chords:[16]

I–IV–viio–iii–vi–ii–V–I

This type of progression was much used by classical

composers, who introduced increasingly subtle inflections.
Particularly, substitution of major for minor chords giving, for 0:00 / 0:00
example, I–VI–II–V allowed a more sophisticated
chromaticism as well as the possibility of modulation. These The ragtime progression (E7-A7-D7-G7) often
harmonic conventions were taken up by American popular appears in the bridge of jazz standards.[15] The III7-
entertainers, giving rise to many variations on those harmonic VI7-II7-V7 (or V7/V/V/V–V7/V/V–V7/V–V7) leads back
to C major (I) but is itself indefinite in key.
staples of early jazz that have been dubbed the ragtime
progression and the stomp progression. All such progressions
may be found used sectionally, as for example in the much-used "rhythm changes" of George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm".

Harmonizing the scale

As well as the cyclical underpinning of chords, the ear tends to respond well to a linear thread; chords following the scale
upwards or downwards. These are often referred to as step progressions because they follow the steps of the scale, making the
scale itself a bassline. In the 17th century, descending bass lines found favour for "divisions on the ground", so that Pachelbel's
canon, the Bach orchestral suites (the famous Air on a G String), and Handel's organ concerti all contain very similar
harmonizations of the descending major scale. When this was reintroduced into mid-20th century pop music, it brought with it
many Baroque trappings (The Beatles' "For No One", Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale", and The Steve Miller Band's
"Dear Mary" and "Baby's House").

At its simplest, this descending sequence may simply introduce an extra chord, either III or V, into the I–vi–IV–V type of
sequence described above. This chord allows the harmonization of the seventh degree, and so of the bass line I–VII–VI.... This
strategy underlies Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry". The Baroque
examples descend for an octave, while "A Whiter Shade of Pale" manages a stately two octaves, before "turning around" through
the dominant chord to recommence upon the key note.

Ascending major progressions are not as common but many exist: the verse of "Like a Rolling Stone" ascends by steps to the
fifth, I–ii–iii–IV–V (or I–ii–I/iii–IV–V) before descending again to the key-note, IV–iii–ii–I (or IV–I/iii–ii–I)—the latter being
another common type of harmonization of a descending major scale. The Four Pennies' hit "Juliet" and The Beatles' "Here, There
and Everywhere" both use similar ascending progressions.

The descending chromatic scale has also formed the basis of many progressions, from the Crucifixus of Bach's Mass in B minor,
through Beethoven's Thirty-two Piano Variations, to songs such as Bob Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate", George Harrison's
"Something", and Lucio Battisti's "Paradiso", a hit for Amen Corner when translated as "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice".

The finale measures of the first movement of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G feature the harmonization of a descending hybrid scale
(phrygo-major). In this special case, Ravel used a parallel series of major triads to brilliant effect (G F♯ E D C B♭ A♭ G).

Minor and modal progressions

Similar strategies to all the above, work equally well in
minor modes: there have been one-, two- and three-
minor-chord songs, minor blues. A notable example of a
descending minor chord progression is the four-chord
Andalusian cadence, i–VII–VI–V.
0:00 / 0:00
Folk and blues tunes frequently use the Mixolydian
scale, which has a flat seventh degree, altering the A typical Andalusian cadence por arriba (i.e. in A minor). G
position of the three major chords to I– ♭ VII–IV. For is the subtonic and G♯ is the leading tone.

example, if the major scale of C, which gives the three

chords C, F and G on the first, fourth and fifth degrees,
is played with G as the tonic, then the same chords will now appear on the first, fourth, and seventh degrees. These "Mixolydian"
harmonies also appeared in the pop music of the 1960s, notably with The Beatles' album Help! and The Rolling Stones' Beggar's
Banquet.

The minor-third step from a minor key up to the relative major encouraged ascending scale progressions, particularly based on an
ascending pentatonic scale. Typical of the type is the sequence i–III–IV (or iv)–VI.

According to Tom Sutcliffe:[17]

 ... during 1960s some pop groups started to experiment with modal chord progressions as an alternative way of
harmonizing blues melodies... This created a new system of harmony that has influenced subsequent popular
music.

This came about partly from the similarity of the blues scale to modal scales and partly from the characteristics of the guitar and
the use of parallel major chords on the pentatonic minor scale. With barre chords on guitar, the same chord shape can be moved
up and down the neck without changing the fingering. This phenomenon is also linked to the rise in the use of power chords in
heavy metal music.

See also
Chromatic mediant
Diatonic function
Ear training
List of chord progressions
List of songs containing the 50s progression
List of songs containing the I–V–vi–IV progression
Montgomery-Ward bridge
Passamezzo moderno
Passing chord
Root progressions
Sequence (music)
Twelve-bar blues
Traditional sub-Saharan African harmony

Sources
1. George Whitefield Chadwick, Harmony: A Course of Study, 72nd Ed. B.F.Wood Music Co., 1922, Introduction p.
xv
2. Schoenberg, Arnold. Structural Functions of Harmony, Norton & Co, 1954, p. 1.
3. Chadwick, 1922, p.1
4. C.H. Kitson, Elementary Harmony, Part One, O.U.P., 1920, Chapters 3-4.
5. "Most Easy Chord Progression To Learn On Guitar" (https://www.guitaa.com/blog/index.php/2019/01/08/most-ea
sy-chord-progression-to-learn-on-guitar/). www.guitaa.com. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
6. Jeff Pressing (2002). "Black Atlantic Rhythm: Its Computational and Transcultural Foundations". Music
Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal. University of California Press. 19: 285–310.
doi:10.1525/mp.2002.19.3.285 (https://doi.org/10.1525%2Fmp.2002.19.3.285).
JSTOR 10.1525/mp.2002.19.3.285 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/mp.2002.19.3.285).
7. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110719204120/http://www.yosemiteuhsd.com/finearts/rock/15_fu
nk_disco.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://www.yosemiteuhsd.com/finearts/rock/15_funk_disco.pdf)
(PDF) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
8. Von, Tress, Don; Ray, Cyrus, Billy (2002-08-26). "Achy Breaky Heart" (https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/
mtd.asp?ppn=MN0042636). Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
9. "The Isley Brothers "Shout" Sheet Music in F Major (transposable) - Download & Print - SKU: MN0063604" (htt
p://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?ppn=MN0063604). Musicnotes.com. 2010-08-23. Retrieved
2016-07-17.
10. "Chord Progressions - Guitar Alliance" (https://guitaralliance.com/2013/01/chord-progressions/).
guitaralliance.com. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
11. Steedman M.J., "A Generative Grammar for Jazz Chord Sequences", Music Perception 2 (1) (1984) 52-77.
12. "Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (Blue Moon)" (http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/bluemoo
n.MusicandLyricsAnalysis.htm). www.jazzstandards.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
13. "Heart and Soul (1938) (https://archive.is/20130111064707/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.as
p?ppn=MN0096746&) ", MusicNotes.com. Chords marked. (subscription required)
14. "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" (http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/happiness-is-a-warm-gun/). The Beatles Bible.
Retrieved 2016-07-17.
15. Boyd, Bill (1997). Jazz Chord Progressions, p.56. ISBN 0-7935-7038-7.
16. Benward & Saker (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I, p.178. Seventh Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-
0.
17. Sutcliffe, Tom. "Appendix A (Pt. 4): Pop and Rock Music Modal Blues Progressions" (http://www.harmony.org.uk/
book/pop_and_rock_music_blues_modal_progressions.htm). Syntactic Structures in Music. Retrieved
2008-07-22.

Further reading
Lloyd, Peter (2014). The Secret Life of Chords: A guide to chord progressions and composition. Australian eBook
Publisher. ISBN 9781925029765.
Middleton, Richard (1990/2002). "Studying Popular Music". Philadelphia: Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-
15275-9.
Nettles, Barrie & Graf, Richard (1997). The Chord Scale Theory and Jazz Harmony. Advance Music, ISBN 3-
89221-056-X.
R., Ken (2012). DOG EAR Tritone Substitution for Jazz Guitar, Amazon Digital Services, Inc., ASIN:
B008FRWNIW

External links
Online Chord Progressions Creator (http://www.fachords.com/jam-tracks-tool/)
Examples of Gospel Music Chord Progressions (https://sublimelody.com/gospel-chord-progression/)
[1] (http://avancandonamusica.com.br/como-formar-acordes-para-teclado) How to form musical chords and
progressions
Chord Progressions in Jazz (https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/jazz-chord-progressions/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chord_progression&oldid=915961988"

This page was last edited on 16 September 2019, at 06:39 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using
this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.