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- F, B♭ and C. Example: Brad Paisley’s “All I Wanted Was a Car” - Key of F. This catchy riff is broken up into an arpeggiated pattern on one of Brad Paisley’s Telecasters, which sounds amazing.
- C♯m, E, B and A. Example: Hillsong’s “Lord of Lords” - Key of E. Hearing a C♯m in the key of E is a common occurrence in the world of contemporary worship music.
- F♯m, B and C♯ Example: Joe Satriani’s “House Full of Bullets” - Key of F♯ If you listen to “House Full of Bullets” (one of my favorites by Joe Satriani) you can hear that he’s uses a repetitive pattern made up of single notes played on the sixth and fifth strings that isn’t a chord progression as much as it is a 12-bar blues style riff that follows the three chords listed.
- E, A, and B. Example: Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” - Key of E. Speaking of the 12 bar blues, “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash is one of the more memorable uses of the E, A and B chord progression, though the likes of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters would probably take precedence.
- C – G – Am – F Progression I – V – vi – IV. Imagine this: A chord progression that lets you play thousands of the catchiest records in the history of music.
- G – C – D Progression I – IV – V. As a beginner, you might have already learned the conventional way to play the G major, C major, and D major chords separately.
- C – Am – F – G Progression I – vi – IV – V. This chord progression is also known as the ‘50s progression for being widely used in the 1950s and the early 1960s.
- Am – F – C – G Progression i – VI – III – VII. Am-F-C-G is another chord progression that’s a must-learn to build a good chord progression vocabulary.
Jul 31, 2023 · Table of Contents [show] Emotional Chord Progressions. I-vi-ii-V (1-6-2-5) A timeless progression often used to evoke deep, resonating emotions. The I-vi-ii-V chord progression provides a deeply emotional and poignant musical journey that resonates with listeners on a profound level.
Apr 9, 2024 · We call them "happy pop chord progressions" because they've been a foundation for countless feel-good hit songs, from Pharell Williams to Taylor Swift. We'll break down the chord formulas and music theory behind why these progressions are so effective at evoking joyful emotions.
- I-V-vi-IV
- I, IV and V
- Ii-V-I
- 12 Bar Blues
- I-vi-IV-V
- Canon
- I-Bvii-I
- Chord Chemistry
This progression is called “the most popular progression” for a reason. It’s been used in just about every genre imaginable, from post-punk to country. It sounds so satisfying because each new chord in the pattern feels like a fresh emotional statement. Once you know how this one works you’ll start to hear it everywhere in pop music.
I, IV and V are the basic building blocks for chord progressions in western music. You’ll find these chords playing an important role in every single style of popular music. The reason why has to do with functional harmony. I, IV and V are the simplest versions of the main chord categoriesin tonal music—tonic, pre-dominant and dominant. Moving from...
Some chord progressions are closely associated with specific genres. The ii-V-I progression is the backbone of almost all of the standard tunes in jazz. It’s so important that it appears in different forms in the best jazz chord progressions. Even if you’re not into jazz, these timeless harmonic patterns are important to know. Many modern genres ha...
Speaking of genre progressions, the 12 bar blues is another essential chord sequence that comes from a distinct style. It forms the basic sound of blues music but it appears in many different genres too. Depending on how you use it, the 12 bar blues can even sound more “happy” than bluesy. It’s a versatile progression that you need to add to your s...
This common chord progression is associated with the classic love songs and do-wop tunes of the 50s, but it shows up all over music history. It features smooth motion from the tonic to the sixth in the first half that provides a great blank canvas for vocal melodies. Each chord after that adds to the compelling arc this progression makes as it cycl...
This chord pattern comes from one of the most enduring progressions in classical music. The secret of this progression is how it visits so many different chords in the key before moving gracefully back to the tonic. It has a dignified yet affecting sound that’s popular for formal occasions like weddings and commencements. Think of Vitamin C’s emoti...
This is less of a chord progression and more of a harmonic technique that’s often found in rock and pop songs. Sometimes it doesn’t take much to create enough harmonic action to propel a song. One easy way to keep a song centered but still moving forward is to simplify the harmony, like in this “progression” that moves from the tonic to bVII and ba...
Chord progressions are one of the most important concepts to learn in music theory. Like anything skill you learn as you go, starting with the basics is the best way forward. Now that you know some of the most common chord progressions in music, get back to your DAW and keep crafting your songs. Hot tip: Looking for help generating interesting chor...
There are some chord progressions which are used in lots and lots of different songs/pieces – they have been tried and tested in many different styles and will “work”. Learn these and you will be able to play lots of different songs and easily use them in your composing.
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Oct 21, 2023 · The must-know chord progressions of modern music ; Significant chord progs from back in time; Why these progressions are so compelling and essential; Also, check out our post on all the different types of chords! Do you have loads of lyrical content but struggle to create the shell of a song?
