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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

1069.0. "What Are The Most Common Chord Progressions?" by ECADSR::SHERMAN (Correct as always, King Friday ...) Tue Dec 15 1987 20:04

    You know, I've often wondered what all the most common chord
    progressions and piece sequences were.  For example, the I-IV-V
    chord progression keeps coming up.  And A-B-A-B-C-A-B is kind of
    common, I guess.  Does anybody have any kind of comprehensive list
    of the most common progressions and sequences, assuming such a thing
    exists?  And, would anybody mind posting it, or at least taking
    a stab at a list?
    
    
    Steve (who?  moi?  ignorant?)
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1069.1like I haveANGORA::JANZENTom LMO2/O23 DTN296-5421Tue Dec 15 1987 20:255
    >Does anybody have any kind of comprehensive list of the most
    >common chord progressions...
    I posted a bibliography music theory here once.  Read all the books
    in it.
    Tom
1069.2ECADSR::SHERMANCorrect as always, King Friday ...Wed Dec 16 1987 01:353
    Books I got.  Thanks anyway.
    
    Steve
1069.3a small nutshellFROST::HARRIMANHow do I work this?Wed Dec 16 1987 11:2835
    
    But you should *read* the books.
    
    Do you know the circles for fifths and fourths? Are you familiar
    with the concept of whole step/half step in scale theory? 
    
    Two fundamentals in understanding chords, believe it or not.
    
    Progressions like the I-IV-V-I are common. So is II-V-I, I-VI-IV-V,
    and others of that ilk. That is only assuming one key (the tonic).
    
    Modulation (change of key) causes the "base" to shift, for instance,
    the II in II-V-I is actually a V of V. 
    
    Where the whole-step-half-step stuff comes in is in understanding
    where (some) forms of music progress. Consider a C7 chord. The B-flat
    in the C7 wants to resolve to the nearest half-step (why? you ask...)
    so it can move to either the G major (huh?) or the F major (ahhh).
    So it's either a V-I progression or it's a II-V (or V of V-I).
    
    The expressions A-B-A-B-etc refer to phrasing, not progression.
    When discussing forms of music, one may refer to sections of musical
    themes (as opposed to progressions). Since they may sound similar
    (for instance verse instead of chorus) one can express the form
    of the piece by abbreviating the themes to unique letters (for
    instance, A-B-A-B-C-A-B-A-B refers to the form of most any commercial
    rock tune with verse, chorus, and a bridge in the middle).
    
    I would suggest that you read any material on the subject - there's
    a lot more than I'd care (or have the time) to write and it's written
    better within the books anyway.
    
    Hope this helps a bit?
    
    /pjh
1069.4classicsINK::BUCKLEYStreet LethalWed Dec 16 1987 19:028
    
    What about I-VI-II-V?
    
    or the I-, I-#5, I-6, I-#5   
    
           I-, I-maj7, I-7, I-6  cliche's
    
    wjb
1069.5Theory for Some, Practice for OthersDRUMS::FEHSKENSWed Dec 16 1987 19:5611
    You can always count on Tom for helpful advice.
    
    Theory's nice if you have the time, but there are people out there
    who just want cookbooks.
    
    You can always count on Bill to be really helpful.
    
    More recipes, please.
    
    len.
    
1069.6ThanksECADSR::SHERMANCorrect as always, King Friday ...Thu Dec 17 1987 02:4513
    Thanks for the replies, so far guys.  Really!  I've been looking
    at a couple of theory books, but haven't seen any short listing of the
    most common sequences and phrasings.  So, I thought I would check
    it out with y'all.  It's not that I want to use them so much as
    it is that I want to *avoid* them.  There just seems to be some sort 
    of unwritten set of stuff that 'everybody' knows is common and
    over-used.
    
    
    Steve

    (BTW - I've looked at 'Music In Theory and Practice' vol. 1 & 2
     by Bruce Benward in particular and some others)
1069.7Every Chord Progression You Will Ever Need?AQUA::ROSTA circle's not invisibleThu Dec 17 1987 13:0125
    
    If you want some to avoid, how about:
    
    
    I - VI - IV - V     as in "The Last Kiss", "Stand by Me", etc.
    
    
    V - IV - I   as in "Sweet Home Alabama", "Turn the Page", etc.
    
    
    IIm - I - VII  as in "All Along the Watchtower", "Stairway to Heaven",
    etc.
    
    
    IIm - I - VII - VIm  as in "Hurricane", "Breakdown", etc.
    
    
    I - VI - II - V  as in "Alice's Restaurant", "Keep on Truckin'",
    etc.
                                          
    
    I        as in most John Lee Hooker tunes   8^)  8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    
    
1069.8SALSA::MOELLERgood credibility.. really !Thu Dec 17 1987 16:203
    don't forget to miss this if you can..
    
    IIm  V  I   (jazzer's 2/5/1 'pockets'- blecchh)
1069.9ECADSR::SHERMANCorrect as always, King Friday ...Thu Dec 17 1987 17:043
    Yeah!  Thanks!
    
    Steve
1069.10ANGORA::JANZENTom LMO2/O23 DTN296-5421Thu Dec 17 1987 18:353
    don't foroget the Petroushka chord, C major superimposed on F# major
    triads
    TOm
1069.11everything should be I-IV-V like Louie LouieSRFSUP::MORRISTo live and die and breathe smogFri Dec 18 1987 23:5322
    any chord can always go up 1 (I - II, viio - I.....
    
    I can go to II, IV, V, less preferably vi
    
    II (ii) can go to IV, vi, V, less preferably viio
    
    III can go to IV or VI
    
    IV can go to V, vi, I
    
    V can go any where, usually viio, I, II
    
    VI can go to IV, viio, I
    
    vii can go to I
    
    There, I think I remember my Piston Harmony rules.
    Of course, these rules are made to be broken, and when
    you're dealing with +7 and +9 and +11 and +13 and so on
    the rules change......
    
    Ashley (Aeolian minor over phyrigian Neapolitan Third) Morris