You’ll find out what colorful chord progressions are, in this lesson, and also learn step-by-step, how chord progressions are transformed from boring to exciting.<\/p>\n
Let’s discuss the term chromatic <\/em>before we go any further.<\/p>\n Musical ideas can be classified into two:<\/p>\n Before we talk about chromatic ideas, let’s take a look at diatonic ideas.<\/p>\n Any musical idea (be it a note, scale, interval, chord, or chord progression), that is a product of a prevalent key is said to be diatonic.<\/p>\n In the key of C major: …are diatonic because they are related to the prevalent key.<\/p>\n In the key of C major, the C natural major scale: Now that we’ve established diatonic ideas, let’s get on with chromatic ideas.<\/p>\n Musical ideas that are foreign <\/em>to a\u00a0 prevalent key are said to be chromatic. For example, in the key of C major: …are chromatic.<\/p>\n The A major sixth chord: …that are foreign to the key of C major: When a musical idea is related to any other key other than the prevalent key, such an idea is considered to be chromatic.<\/p>\n The term chromatic<\/em> literally means colorful<\/strong>. Now the question here is:<\/p>\n Why are musical ideas that are foreign to the prevalent key considered to be colorful?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Believe it or not, music is to the ears; what colors are to the eyes. <\/em>It’s possible for music to be perceived as colors. Heck, there’s a medical condition where patients perceive tones as colors, known as chromesthesia or sound to color synesthesia.<\/p>\n Musicians of the 19th century were able to make visual impressions<\/strong> in the mind of listeners using tones.<\/p>\n “So, Back To Our Discourse…”<\/em><\/p>\n Musical ideas that are foreign to a prevalent key are said to be chromatic (aka – “colorful”) because they don’t resonate with the prevalent key.<\/p>\n Diatonic ideas only resonate within the prevalent key. So, when chromatic musical ideas (that are foreign to the prevalent key) are introduced in a given key, they sound colorful because the ideas do not resonate with the prevalent key.<\/p>\n “Check This Out…”<\/em><\/p>\n Imagine walking into a white conference room where everyone is dressed in white, with white desks and seats, and you’re dressed in an orange t-shirt and green pants.<\/p>\n You’ll look colorful right?<\/p>\n At that point, you’re chromatic because everyone else is dressed in same color with the conference hall.<\/p>\n That’s exactly what happens when a musical idea that is foreign to a prevalent key is introduced.<\/p>\n In the 2-5-1 chord progression, which is basically a progression from the D minor seventh chord: The introduction of chromatic chords to the given chord progression makes it more colorful and I’ll be showing you three examples in this light.<\/p>\n Raising the third tone of the D minor seventh chord: Chord 2: Lowering the fifth tone of the D minor seventh chord: Chord 2: Altering the G dominant seventh chord: Chord 2: Getting to this point lets me know you’re serious about learning how to play colorful chord progressions. I’m doubly sure that you’ve figured out the difference between diatonic and chromatic ideas and how the latter can be used to spice up the former.<\/p>\n We’re just getting started on this. In a subsequent lesson, we’ll go deeper into the chromatic waters.<\/p>\n See you then!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learn step-by-step, how to play colorful chord progressions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,25,416,9],"tags":[17,238,2221,2507],"class_list":["post-16628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginners","category-chords-progressions","category-experienced-players","category-piano","tag-basic-songs","tag-chord-progression","tag-chromatic","tag-colorful","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\nQuick Insights On The Term Chromatic<\/em><\/h2>\n
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“What Are Diatonic Ideas?”<\/em><\/h3>\n
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\n…the following notes:<\/p>\n\n
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\n…is said to be a diatonic scale because it is a product of all the tones in the key of C major.<\/p>\nChromatic Ideas –\u00a0Explained<\/em>
\n<\/em><\/h3>\n
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\n…the following notes:<\/p>\n\n
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\n…is considered as a chromatic chord in the key of C major because it consists of notes like:<\/p>\n\n
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\n“In A Nutshell…”<\/em><\/p>\n“Why Are Chromatic Ideas Said To Be Colorful?”<\/em><\/h3>\n
How To Play Colorful Chord Progressions<\/h2>\n
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\n…to the G dominant seventh chord:
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\n…then to the C major seventh chord:<\/p>\nExample #1<\/h3>\n
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\n…which is F:
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\n…by a half step (to F#):
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\n…produces the D dominant seventh chord:
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\nCheck out the colorful 2-5-1 chord progression using the dominant seventh chord:<\/p>\n
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\nChord 5:
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\nChord 1:
\n<\/p>\n
Example #2<\/h3>\n
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\n…which is A:
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\n…by a half step (to Ab):
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\n…produces the D half-diminished seventh chord:
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\nCheck out the colorful 2-5-1 chord progression using the half-diminished seventh chord:<\/p>\n
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\nChord 5:
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\nChord 1:
\n<\/p>\n
Example #3<\/h3>\n
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\n…produces the G dominant seventh [sharp ninth, sharp fifth] chord:
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\nCheck out the colorful 2-5-1 chord progression using the\u00a0G dominant seventh [sharp ninth, sharp fifth] chord:<\/p>\n
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\nChord 5:
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\nChord 1:
\n<\/p>\n
Final Words<\/h2>\n