From classical music theory to pop/edm

[Romaky]

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Hi!

I have a classical music background and now i'm trying to learn to make edm/pop music. Basically i'm used to chords progression that looks like that (sometimes with some secondary dominant or augmented sixth chords): C (I) - G (V) - C (I) - F (IV) - C (I) - G (V) - C (I)

The structure is usually pretty simple and the chord progression is about the tonic most of the time.

This morning I tried to analysed some songs to check their chords progression. While most of the songs with vocals were pretty straight forwards, some instrumental ones were weird.

• - Get Lucky by Daft Punk
  https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/vi ... /get-lucky (https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/daft-punk/get-lucky)
  i7 - III - v7 - IV
  It is a bit weird from a classical stand point but I see were it's coming from.
• - Ghosts N Stuff by Deadmau5
  https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/vi ... ts-n-stuff (https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/deadmau5/ghosts-n-stuff)
  i - VII (add9) - VI - IV
  Here the VII (add9) is pretty alien to me. I could understand if you go i - Vii (add9) - i but from i - VII - VI not really.
• - Shelter by Porter Robinson and Madeon
  https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/vi ... on/shelter (https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/porter-robinson-and-madeon/shelter)
  IV9 - iii7 - V - iii - vi7 - ii7 - i6
  That's were i'm completely lost. The melody make sense but the chords behind not that much.

[MadBrain]

[*]- Ghosts N Stuff by Deadmau5
https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/vi ... ts-n-stuff
i - VII (add9) - VI - IV
Here the VII (add9) is pretty alien to me. I could understand if you go i - Vii (add9) - i but from i - VII - VI not really.

(note: I'm going to use the "jazz version" of roman numerals with full chord quality specified - i min instead of just i, VImaj7 instead of VI7, i min/iii instead of ib etc)

What do you mean by "Vii"? Anyhow, Pop music tends to walk up and down the i min, VII, VI, V7 chords, which gives progressions like this:
i min, VII, VI, V7
i min, VII, VI, v min (natural minor)
i min 7, VII, VImaj7, v min7 (with 7ths)
v min, VI, VII, i min (going up)
v min 7, VI, VII, i min 7 (going up + 7ths)

This version averts the expected V after the VI by going down to IV instead.

[*]- Shelter by Porter Robinson and Madeon
https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/vi ... on/shelter
IV9 - iii7 - V - iii - vi7 - ii7 - i6
That's were i'm completely lost. The melody make sense but the chords behind not that much.[/list]

I think you're analyzing on the relative major. On the relative minor, it makes more sense I think:
VImaj9 - v min7 - VII - v min - i min7 - iv min 7 - III/V

I think it's avoiding emphasizing the root chord and resolutions towards the root chord on purpose to keep the listener on the edge.

[Romaky]

What do you mean by "Vii"? Anyhow, Pop music tends to walk up and down the i min, VII, VI, V7 chords, which gives progressions like this:
i min, VII, VI, V7
i min, VII, VI, v min (natural minor)
i min 7, VII, VImaj7, v min7 (with 7ths)
v min, VI, VII, i min (going up)
v min 7, VI, VII, i min 7 (going up + 7ths)

This version averts the expected V after the VI by going down to IV instead.

Oh ok I didn't know that! I guess I - ii - iii must be use a lot then.

I think you're analyzing on the relative major. On the relative minor, it makes more sense I think:
VImaj9 - v min7 - VII - v min - i min7 - iv min 7 - III/V

I think it's avoiding emphasizing the root chord and resolutions towards the root chord on purpose to keep the listener on the edge.

Hmmm indeed it makes a bit more sense. I think it will make more sense after I learn some more jazz/pop musical theory.

Anyway, thanks for your answer. It is appreciated!