Hi folks,
I grew tired of hearing these 2 very familiar chord progressions everywhere and not concretely knowing what they are, so today, once and for all, I sat down and tried to analyze them:
I IIIm VIm IV
Im III VI IVm (which is the same thing, but in minor key)
and
Im VI III VII
They sound so familiar, and they're everywhere.
Why is this progression so powerful?
Does this progression have a name in musical jargon?
Do you have anything interesting to say about this progression?
Any comment appreciated.
More about this banal progression
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- KVRist
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
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- KVRian
- 576 posts since 15 Apr, 2004 from Sweden
The third one can be found in so many italo disco tracks (probably in euro trance too but I don't listen to that). To me it signals love, significance, seriosity and such. It's very nice. Gonna play around with the first ones too.
The first two ones aren't as immediately recognizable, though I can see their potential in ballads of various kinds.
The first two ones aren't as immediately recognizable, though I can see their potential in ballads of various kinds.
bleh
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- KVRist
- 211 posts since 28 Apr, 2009 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The first progression reminds me of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry." I would say the power in these progressions comes from their "cycling" clockwise around the circle of fifths.
For example, in your first progression, there is a cycle between the IIIm and the IVm. Second progression, same thing, same place. Third progression is almost all cycle, from VI to III to VII.
I think if you start analyzing a lot of charts, you will see this cycling movement everywhere. It's very common and sounds good, so you should be able to recognize and play these kind of chord changes without having to think about it.
When you are improvising or composing, you can always hop on the circle of fifths. Try experimenting with this technique. You will find if you cycle more than 3 times, you'll go out of the key. Try cycling 5 times in a row. Sound familiar? ("Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix).
Try cycling with 4 note chords. This is done all the time in jazz standards. I almost always look for and highlight these cycle changes, along with ii-V changes, when looking over a chord chart for the first time, along with repeats, rhythms, etc. Makes playing the music much easier.
For example, in your first progression, there is a cycle between the IIIm and the IVm. Second progression, same thing, same place. Third progression is almost all cycle, from VI to III to VII.
I think if you start analyzing a lot of charts, you will see this cycling movement everywhere. It's very common and sounds good, so you should be able to recognize and play these kind of chord changes without having to think about it.
When you are improvising or composing, you can always hop on the circle of fifths. Try experimenting with this technique. You will find if you cycle more than 3 times, you'll go out of the key. Try cycling 5 times in a row. Sound familiar? ("Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix).
Try cycling with 4 note chords. This is done all the time in jazz standards. I almost always look for and highlight these cycle changes, along with ii-V changes, when looking over a chord chart for the first time, along with repeats, rhythms, etc. Makes playing the music much easier.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
Thanks for your replies. You've been very helpful.
Just one thing:
Just one thing:
Um.. do you mean between III and VI? Also, can we say the same thing for between IV and I? Thanks for your help.psenior wrote: For example, in your first progression, there is a cycle between the IIIm and the IVm.
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- KVRist
- 211 posts since 28 Apr, 2009 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Yes, you are correct. That was a typo on my part. And yes, if you are going from IV to I, that also cycles clockwise around the circle of fifths.halfstep wrote:Um.. do you mean between III and VI? Also, can we say the same thing for between IV and I? Thanks for your help.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
Thanks.psenior wrote:Yes, you are correct. That was a typo on my part. And yes, if you are going from IV to I, that also cycles clockwise around the circle of fifths.halfstep wrote:Um.. do you mean between III and VI? Also, can we say the same thing for between IV and I? Thanks for your help.
(what happens when we go counter-clockwise? It is less powerful?)
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- KVRist
- 211 posts since 28 Apr, 2009 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Going counter-clockwise is called "back-cycling." Still sounds good in certain situations, but not nearly as common as cycling. Wish I could think of some tunes with back-cycling in them for you to check out, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
I IIIm VIm IVpsenior wrote:Going counter-clockwise is called "back-cycling." Still sounds good in certain situations, but not nearly as common as cycling. Wish I could think of some tunes with back-cycling in them for you to check out, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
I think "III -> VI" can be called back-cycling.
Anyways, thanks for your posts, psenior!
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- KVRAF
- 26033 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
your three to six, your three to seven, etc are 'strong' root movement, which is to say (perfect) fourth or fifth movement by the root of the chord. Secondal and tertial movement are traditionally called 'weak' movement in harmonic progression. A mixture of strong and weak root movement can be said to be desirable in progressions.
You can get progressions which in certain history has been called plagal, see IV-I, and double plagal which is bVII-IV-I (used in gospel thru rock for instance) which is falling fourths, and a different quality move than rising fourth movement such as V-I...
III to VI is a falling fourth and/or a rising fifth. I don't get backpedaling as a concept. I've never heard of it in any study of harmony tbh.
You can get progressions which in certain history has been called plagal, see IV-I, and double plagal which is bVII-IV-I (used in gospel thru rock for instance) which is falling fourths, and a different quality move than rising fourth movement such as V-I...
III to VI is a falling fourth and/or a rising fifth. I don't get backpedaling as a concept. I've never heard of it in any study of harmony tbh.
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- KVRist
- 455 posts since 23 Oct, 2009
These progressions are good because chords moves out of tonic (I) very gradually.
"III" and "VI" have two common tones with "I" so they are very much related with "I". And through these "III" or "VI" you move to chord which is much less related with tonic - IV or VII (it can be dominant V here too). That way listener hears that music is not bumping around the chords, but smoothly moves into one direction.
"III" and "VI" have two common tones with "I" so they are very much related with "I". And through these "III" or "VI" you move to chord which is much less related with tonic - IV or VII (it can be dominant V here too). That way listener hears that music is not bumping around the chords, but smoothly moves into one direction.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_ ... rogression Interesting link. (I thought it was one of the progressions that I cited, but I got excited for nothing. lol)