A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a specific order, providing the harmonic backbone of a song. Progressions create musical movement, evoke emotions, and establish the style and mood of a piece. Understanding common progressions, diatonic chords, and cadences is essential for composing, improvising, and analyzing music.
- Link: Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys
- Link: Common Progressions (I-IV-V, ii-V-I, etc.)
- Link: Cadences
A chord progression is a series of chords played in order, creating harmony and structure in music.
Chord progressions are usually noted with Roman numerals that correspond to chords within a key.
Chord progressions create movement, define style, and set the mood of music.
The I-IV-V progression is one of the most common in Western music.
Studying progressions reveals how songs are built and how chords relate, but does not cover melody or all ornamentation.
Cadences are progressions that create a sense of resolution or pause.
Authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive are standard cadences.
Cadences give listeners a feeling of ending or anticipation.
Diatonic chords come from the scale and underpin key-based progressions.
Chord qualities shift to reflect either the major or minor scale.
I-IV-V, ii-V-I, and vi-IV-I-V are widely used progressions.
ii-V-I is a staple progression in jazz.
Knowing progressions helps in writing, playing, and understanding music but does not replace basic skills like ear training.
V to vi is a classic deceptive cadence, surprising the listener.
Progressions shape emotional and structural perception.
Conclusion
Chord progressions are the core of musical harmony, shaping how songs move and feel. From diatonic chords to cadences and iconic sequences like I-IV-V, understanding progressions is key for any musician.
- They provide structure, mood, and direction to music.
- Common progressions appear in nearly all genres.
- Learning chord progressions opens doors to composition, performance, and analysis.