In this lesson, we’ll be covering the introductory part of the turnaround progression.
It’s important for any serious musician to learn the turnaround progression because it has its common place in a variety of popular music styles ranging from R & B, to Jazz, to Gospel, Rock, and so on.
A vast majority of songs either have a turnaround progression in-between the verse and chorus, or end with it, while other songs like I Got Rhythm (a Jazz standard) consist of chord progressions that are similar to the turnaround progression.
The Turnaround Progression — Defined
The turnaround progression is basically a chord progression. Consequently, we’ll be starting this lesson by refreshing our minds on the concept of chord progressions.
A Short Note On Chord Progressions
There are eight scale tones in every key — whether major or minor. In the key of C major:
C is the first tone
D is the second tone
E is the third tone
F is the fourth tone
G is the fifth tone
A is the sixth tone
B is the seventh tone
C is the eighth tone
The movement of chords from one tone of the scale to another creates chord progressions. The movement from the chord of the first tone (the C major seventh chord):
…to the chord of the sixth tone (the A minor seventh chord):
…produces a chord progression.
“What Is A Turnaround Progression?”
At the end of the verse or chorus of a song, there’s usually the need to fill it in with a progression, especially if it leads to the repetition of the verse or chorus or the entire song.
For example, when the song Thank You Lord ends with the line:
I just want to thank you Lord
There are basically four beats/counts that occur before the song goes back again to the line at the beginning that says:
Thank you, Lord
Here’s what it literally looks like:
I just want to thank you (Lord/1, 2, 3, 4) Thank you, Lord
The turnaround progression basically takes you back to Thank you, Lord after four beats/counts.
“Check It Out…”
I:
…just:
…want:
…to:
…thank:
…you:
…Lord (1st beat/count):
(2nd beat/count):
(3rd beat/count):
(4th beat/count):
Thank:
…you:
…Lord:
Did you see how the turnaround progression connected the ending part to the beginning part of the song?
Lord (1st beat/count):
(2nd beat/count):
(3rd beat/count):
(4th beat/count):
Thank:
That’s exactly the idea — connecting sections of a song.
“Here Are The Four Chords Used In The Turnaround…”
(1st beat/count):
(2nd beat/count):
(3rd beat/count):
(4th beat/count):
Let’s go ahead and break down the turnaround progression.
A Breakdown Of The Turnaround Progression
The turnaround progression consists of 4 chords played in 4 counts.
The first chord in the turnaround progression is chord 1, followed by chord 6, then chord 2, and chord 5.
“Why Is It 1-6-2-5?”
Apart from the first two chords which are chord 1 and chord 6, other successive chords in the turnaround progression are a perfect fourth apart from each other. For example:
- From chord 6 to chord 2 (which is from A to D) is a perfect fourth interval.
- From chord 2 to chord 5 (which is from D to G) is a perfect fourth interval.
- From chord 5 back to chord 1 (which is from G to C) is a perfect fourth interval.
A root progression from the sixth (which is A):
…to the second (which is D):
…is a fourth interval.
A root progression from the second (which is D):
…to the fifth (which is G):
…is a fourth interval.
A root progression from the fifth (which is G):
…to the first (which is C):
…is a fourth interval.
So, the turnaround progression is based on fourth intervals between successive chords starting from chord 1, then going back to chord 1 through chord 6:
Starting from chord 1
Ending on chord 1
Through chord 6
So, in any key, chord 1 is the starting point of the turnaround, followed by chord 6, and a movement in fourths until turnaround ends in chord 1:
In the key of Ab major:
We’ll start the turnaround progression with chord 1 (the Ab major ninth chord):
…followed by chord 6 (the F minor ninth chord):
…and then we ascend in fourth intervals to chord 2 (the Bb minor ninth chord):
…chord 5 (the Eb dominant thirteenth [add ninth] chord):
…and end with chord 1 (the Ab major ninth chord):
Final Words
Due to the fact that the concept of the turnaround progression is inexhaustible even in a 7-post series, we’ll stop here for today having covered the basics. We’ll further our discussion in subsequent posts.
See you in the next lesson!
