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<cite id=Ottman>Ottman, R. W. ''Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice''. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0137755035</cite>
<cite id=Ottman>Ottman, R. W. ''Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice''. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0137755035</cite>
===Common progressions used in contemporary popular music[[#Ottman|Ottman]]===
===Common progressions used in contemporary popular music===
{{citequote|Ottman's ''Elementary Harmony''}}
<cite id=Ottman>Ottman, R. W. (1997) ''Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice''. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0137755035.</cite>
* [[Twelve-bar blues]]
* [[Twelve-bar blues]].
* '''I''' - '''vi ''' - '''IV''' - '''V''' : the [[50s progression]]. Modern examples include "I Will Always Love You" ([[Dolly Parton]]), "Jesus of Suburbia" ([[Green Day]]), "Welcome to my Life", [[Simple Plan]], (also '''I''' - '''vi''' - '''ii''' - '''V''').
* '''I''' - '''vi ''' - '''IV''' - '''V''' (also '''I''' - '''vi''' - '''ii''' - '''V''').
* '''I''' - '''V''' - '''vi''' - '''IV''' : for example 'What's My Age Again' ([[Blink-182]]), 'When I Come Around' ([[Green Day]]), '[[No Woman, No Cry]]' ([[Bob Marley]]), 'Farmhouse' ([[Phish]]), 'Glycerine' ([[Bush (band)|Bush]]),'[[Bold as Love]]' ([[Jimi Hendrix]]), 'With or Without You' ([[U2]]), '[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]' ([[The Beatles]]), '[[Don't Stop Believin']]' ([[Journey]]),'On Fire' ([[Switchfoot]]), 'Hide and Seek' ([[Imogen Heap]]), "Dammit"([[Blink-182]]). This progression uses the same chords as the 50s progression, in a different order.
* '''I''' - '''V''' - '''vi''' - '''IV'''. This progression uses the same chords as the 50s progression, in a different order.
* '''I''' - '''I''' - '''IV''' - '''V''' : for example the verse of 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' by [[Green Day]] and the verse of Blitzkrieg Bop by [[The Ramones]].
* '''I''' - '''I''' - '''IV''' - '''V'''.
* '''i''' - '''♭VI''' - '''♭III''' - '''♭VII''': a progression in minor.
* '''i''' - '''♭VI''' - '''♭III''' - '''♭VII''' : a progression in minor. One of the more common progressions nowadays. Used in many genres, including pop, rock, techno, punk, metal and many others. For example, 'The Kids Aren't Alright' ([[The Offspring]]), 'Dammit I Changed Again' ([[The Offspring]]), 'Self Esteem' ([[The Offspring]]), 'Gotta Get Away' ([[The Offspring]]), 'Crawling' ([[Linkin Park]]), 'Numb' ([[Linkin Park]]), '[[L'Histoire d'une fée, c'est...]]' ([[Mylene Farmer]]), 'Wheel of Fortune' ([[Hans Zimmer]] from [[Pirates of the Carribbean]] Soundtrack) 'Hands Held High' ([[Linkin Park]]), 'Don't Drag Me Down' ([[Social Distortion]]), 'Let U Go' ([[ATB]]), 'Believe' ([[Yellowcard]]), 'Listen to Your Heart', ([[Roxette]]), 'Holiday' ([[Green Day]]), 'The Scientist' ([[Coldplay]]), 'White Shadows' ([[Coldplay]]), 'Complicated' and 'My Happy Ending' ([[Avril Lavigne]]), 'Animal I Have Become' ([[Three Days Grace]]), 'Behind These Hazel Eyes' ([[Kelly Clarkson]]), 'Pieces' ([[Sum 41]]), 'Still Waiting' ([[Sum 41]]), 'Zombie' ([[The Cranberries]]), 'Save Tonight' ([[Eagle-Eye Cherry]]), '(*Fin)' ([[Anberlin]]), 'Disarm' ([[Smashing Pumpkins]]), 'Try' ([[Nelly Furtado]]), 'All You Wanted' ([[Michelle Branch]]), '9 Crimes' ([[Damien Rice]]), 'You're Not Alone' ([[Saosin]]), 'Apologize' ([[OneRepublic]]), 'The Passenger' ([[Iggy Pop]]), 'Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry' ([[Ace of Base]]), 'Help Me Dr. Dick' ([[E-Rotic]]), 'Everyday' ([[Carly Comando]]), '[[Run Away (Real McCoy song)|Run Away]]', ([[Real McCoy (band)|Real McCoy]]), 'Fall for You' ([[Secondhand Serenade]]).
* Any combination of the chords '''I''' , '''IV''' and '''V'''.
* Any combination of the chords '''I''' , '''IV''' and '''V'''.{{clarifyme|date=July 2008|is "any combination" a progression?}}
*'''I''' - '''II''' - '''IV''': e.g., Stay With Me ([[The Faces]]), Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts club Band ([[The Beatles]]), Shake it ([[Metro Station]])
*'''I''' - '''II''' - '''IV'''.
*'''I''' - '''♭VII'''-'''IV'''.
*'''I''' - '''♭VII'''-'''IV''' : came into prominence from the late 60's onward with gospel/country/blues influenced rock. e.g 'Sweet Home Alabama' ([[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]), 'Gloria' ([[Van Morrison]]), 'With A Little Help From My Friends' ([[Beatles]]), 'Sympathy for the Devil' ([[The Rolling Stones]]), 'Takin' Care Of Business' ([[Bachman-Turner Overdrive]]), 'Pink Houses' ([[John Cougar Mellencamp]]), 'Can't You See' ([[Marshall Tucker Band]]), 'I Can See Clearly Now' (REF) ([[Johnny Nash]]), 'The End' (w/ '♭II') ([[The Doors]]), 'More Than A Feeling' (intro & vs) ([[Boston (band)]]), 'Paradise City' ([[Guns N' Roses]]), 'R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.' ([[John Cougar Mellencamp]]), 'Beautiful Girls' ([[Van Halen]]), 'I Can't Explain' ([[The Who]]), 'Tízezer lépés' ([[Omega (band)]])
*'''i''' - '''♭VI''' - '''IV''' : e.g.,'Heart Shaped Box' ([[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]) (first chord can be major).
*'''i''' - '''♭VI''' - '''IV'''.
*'''i''' - '''♭III''' - '''♭VII''' - '''IV''' : 'Mad World' ([[Tears for Fears]]), 'Wonderwall' ([[Oasis (band)|Oasis]]), 'Fly Away' ([[Lenny Kravitz]]) and 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' ([[Green Day]]) (First chord can be major (I-♭III-♭VII- IV): e.g., 'Bohemian Like You' ([[The Dandy Warhols]]) (first chord can be major).
*'''i''' - '''♭III''' - '''♭VII''' - '''IV''' (First chord can be major (I-♭III-♭VII- IV).
*'''I''' - '''♭III''' - '''IV''' : e.g., the guitar solo from 'Free Bird' ([[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]).
*'''I''' - '''♭III''' - '''IV'''.
*'''I''' - '''♭VI'''-'''♭VII''' : e.g., 'All I Wanna Do' ([[Sheryl Crow]]).
*'''I''' - '''♭VI'''-'''♭VII'''.
*'''i ''' - '''♭III'''-'''IV'''-'''♭VI''' : 'House of the Rising Sun' ([[The Animals]]), 'Bring Me To Life' ([[Evanescence]]) (First chord can be major).
*'''i ''' - '''♭III'''-'''IV'''-'''♭VI'''.
*'''I ''' - '''♭III'''-'''♭VII'''-'''♭VI''' : 'Polly' ([[Nirvana]])
*'''I ''' - '''♭III'''-'''♭VII'''-'''♭VI'''.
*'''i ''' - '''♭VII''' - '''♭VI''' - '''♭VII''' : e.g '[[(Don't Fear) The Reaper|Don't Fear the Reaper]]' ([[Blue Öyster Cult]]) (first chord can be major).
*'''i ''' - '''♭VII''' - '''♭VI''' - '''♭VII'''.
*'''I'''-'''VI'''-'''VII''' : e.g "Down" ([[Blink-182]])
*'''I'''-'''VI'''-'''VII'''.
*'''I'''-'''♭VII'''-'''♭VI'''-'''V''' : e.g "Situations" ([[Escape the Fate]]) Mostly used by Post-Hardcore bands
*'''I'''-'''♭VII'''-'''♭VI'''-'''V'''.
<!-- Source for whole section Ottman () -->


==Rewrite rules==
==Rewrite rules==

Revision as of 00:13, 7 July 2008

A chord progression (also chord sequence and harmonic progression or sequence), as its name implies, is a series of chords played in order. Chord progressions are central to most modern European-influenced music and the principal study of harmony. Compare to a simultaneity succession. A chord change is a movement from one chord to another and may be thought of as either the most basic chord progression or as a portion of longer chord progressions which involve more than two chords (see shift of level).

Generally, successive chords in a chord progression share some notes, which provides harmonic and linear (voice leading) continuity to a passage. In the common-practice period, chord progressions are usually associated with a scale and the notes of each chord are usually taken from that scale (or its modally-mixed universe).

Common progressions

The circle progression, named for the circle of fifths, is "undoubtedly the most common and the strongest of all harmonic progressions" and consists of "adjacent roots in ascending fourth or descending fifth relationship," with movement by ascending fourth being equivalent to movement by descending fifth due to inversion[1]

Shorter common progressions may be derived from selecting certain specific chords from the series completing a circle from the tonic through all seven diatonic chords[1]: 

I-IV-viio-iii-vi-ii-V-I (in major)

such as 

I-                  V-I = I-V-I
I-IV-               V-I = I-IV-V-I

The most common chord progressions, in the common practice period and in popular music, are based on the first, fourth, and fifth scale degrees (tonic, subdominant and dominant); see three chord song, eight bar blues, and twelve bar blues. The chord based on the second scale degree is used in the most common chord progression in Jazz, II-V-I.

As stated by Tom Sutcliffe on harmony.org.uk:

… during the 1960's some pop groups started to experiment with modal chord progressions as an alternative way of harmonising blues melodies. . . . This created a new system of harmony that has influenced subsequent popular music. The use of modal harmonies to harmonise the blues came about because of the similarity of the blues scale to modal scales . . . by experimentation with the possible uses of major chords on the guitar. This phenomenon thus probably derives from the characteristics of the guitar and the way it is used in popular music. This is also linked to the rise in the use of power chords.

Sutcliffe’s thesis is that major chord combinations such as: I , bIII , IV, V and bVII cannot be explained in pure modal terms as, in this combination, these don’t exist in the usual modes. They have to be explained as a new harmonic system combining elements from the blues and elements from modality.

Ottman, R. W. Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0137755035

Ottman, R. W. (1997) Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0137755035.

  • Twelve-bar blues.
  • I - vi - IV - V (also I - vi - ii - V).
  • I - V - vi - IV. This progression uses the same chords as the 50s progression, in a different order.
  • I - I - IV - V.
  • i - ♭VI - ♭III - ♭VII: a progression in minor.
  • Any combination of the chords I , IV and V.[clarification needed]
  • I - II - IV.
  • I - ♭VII-IV.
  • i - ♭VI - IV.
  • i - ♭III - ♭VII - IV (First chord can be major (I-♭III-♭VII- IV).
  • I - ♭III - IV.
  • I - ♭VI-♭VII.
  • i - ♭III-IV-♭VI.
  • I - ♭III-♭VII-♭VI.
  • i - ♭VII - ♭VI - ♭VII.
  • I-VI-VII.
  • I-♭VII-♭VI-V.

Rewrite rules

Steedman (1984) has proposed a set of recursive "rewrite rules" which generate all well-formed transformations of jazz, basic I-IV-I-V-I twelve bar blues chord sequences, and, slightly modified, non-twelve-bar blues I-IV-V sequences ("rhythm changes").

The original progression may be notated as follows (typical 12-bar blues): 

1  2  3  4   5   6  7  8   9  10 11 12
 I/ I/ I/ I// IV/IV/ I/ I// V/ IV/ I/ I

Where the numbers on the top line indicate each bar, one slash indicating a bar line and two indicating a phrase marking, and the Roman numerals indicating the chord function. Important transformations include

  • replacement or substitution of a chord by its dominant or subdominant:
1 2  3 4   5  6   7    8    9  10 11 12
I/IV/I/I7//IV/VII7/III7/VI7//II7/V7/I/I//

...7    8    9...
...III7/bIII7/II7...
  • and chord alterations such as minor chords, diminished sevenths, etc.

Sequences by fourth, rather than fifth, include Jimi Hendrix's version of "Hey Joe" and Deep Purple's "Hush": 

1        2        3 4  5          6       7 8   9         10      11 12
♭VI, ♭III/♭VII, IV/I/I//♭VI, ♭III/♭VII, IV/I/I//♭VI, ♭III/♭VII, IV/I/I//

These often result in Aeolian harmony and lack perfect cadences (V-I). Middleton (1990, p.198) suggests that both modal and fourth-oriented structures, rather than being "distortions or surface transformations of Schenker's favoured V-I kernel, are more likely branches of a deeper principle, that of tonic/not-tonic differentiation."

For the ♭ notation, see Borrowed chord.

Sources

  • Middleton, Richard (1990/2002). "Studying Popular Music". Philadelphia: Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-15275-9.
  • Steedman M.J., "A Generative Grammar for Jazz Chord Sequences", Music Perception 2 (1) (1984) 52-77.
  • Sutcliffe, Tom. Harmony.org.uk/Syntactic Structures in Music Appendix A Part 4: HARMONY IN 20TH CENTURY POPULAR MUSIC, Modal and 'Blues-modal' Harmony

Further reading

  • Nettles, Barrie & Graf, Richard (1997). The Chord Scale Theory and Jazz Harmony. Advance Music, ISBN 389221056X.

See also

  1. ^ a b Benward & Saker (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I, p.178. Seventh Edition. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
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