For example, in the key of C major:
\n
\n…we can progress from the G major chord:
\n
\n…to the C major chord:
\n
\n…and that would be a 5-1 chord progression.<\/p>\n
“Now, Why Is It Called The 5-1 Chord Progression?”<\/em><\/p>\n Well, that’s because we’re progressing from the 5-chord in the key (which is the G major chord) to the 1-chord in the key. So, based on the numbers associated with the chords, the chord progression is described as the 5-1 chord progression.<\/p>\n Now that we’ve refreshed our minds on chord progressions, let’s discuss briefly on something about chord progressions that people rarely talk about.<\/p>\n Although the progression from one chord to another creates a chord progression, one thing you must also realize is that chord progressions are NOT random.<\/p>\n You can’t just take two or three chords that are not related or play them in such a way that it doesn’t sound meaningful. Every chord progression must have a goal and must be meaningful; even if the chords are gotten from outside the key.<\/p>\n If you take these three chords:<\/p>\n A augmented chord: …and play them one after the other, although you are progressing from one chord to another, that would be a chord succession (a succession of chords) and not a chord progression.<\/p>\n Attention:<\/strong> We’ll talk about chord successions in a subsequent lesson.<\/p>\n Submission:<\/strong> I know the chord succession I played can be used to reharmonize a melody. However, that’s going to be in the hands of an advanced player; who is able to play them meaningfully and not in the hands of a beginner who is playing them randomly.<\/p>\n So, every chord progression must be a meaningful movement of chords and must have a goal and that’s why any two or three random chords cannot make a chord progression.<\/p>\n In a chord progression, let’s say the 6-2-5-1 chord progression in the key of C major: …and these things matter a lot to the chord progression you’re playing.<\/p>\n I need to tell you at this point that most of the top players you admire in the industry put these two things into consideration.<\/p>\n They don’t just play chords — they think about the chords they’re playing and try to determine what should be played before any given chord and what should come afterwards.<\/p>\n Let’s talk about these two things and their impact in our chord progression.<\/p>\n In a chord progression progressing from the 6-chord to a 2 chord:<\/p>\n 6-chord: …which consists of the first two chords in the 6-2-5-1 chord progression, we have the 6-chord as the first chord in the progression and that’s where a lot of people are most likely to start the chord progression from.<\/p>\n But for those who know better and I’m talking about those who are thinking, “what should precede (or come before) the chord I’m playing?”<\/em>, they are already wondering what they should play before the 6-chord: E altered chord: …or any other passing chord you know and it would take you to the 6-chord: E altered chord: …and with that, you can energize the flow from a boring 6-2 chord progression:<\/p>\n 6-chord: …to a spicier 6-2 chord progression with a passing chord from the 3:<\/p>\n 3-chord: …and that’s a 3-6-2 chord progression.<\/p>\n So, the moment I’m thinking about what precedes the chord I’m playing or about to play, I’ll be able to play a chord (passing chord) to get there.<\/p>\n Heck, I can even back up twice by asking myself what takes me to the 3-chord and that’s the 7-chord:<\/p>\n B half-diminished seventh chord: …and I can play it before the 3-chord to produce a 7-3-6-2 chord progression:<\/p>\n 7-chord: …and while others are starting from the 6-chord, you’ll have to other options to precede the 6-chord.<\/p>\n So, forget about where you are in a particular chord progression and start thinking about what comes before the chord you’re paying and what comes after the chord you’re playing.<\/p>\n Those are the two things that matter.<\/p>\n I want to sign off today by appreciating my mentor and role-model, Jermaine Griggs, for the opportunity to share this with you and if you have any question or suggestion, please free free to post them in the comment section.<\/p>\n All the best and see you in the next lesson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover the two most important things that matter to your chord progression: what precedes and what succeeds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":21968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-piano","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\nChord Progressions Are NOT Random<\/h3>\n
\n
\nF# diminished chord:
\n
\nC minor seventh:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
These Two Things Matter The Most To Your Chord Progression<\/h2>\n
\n
\n…you have the 6-chord:
\n
\n…going to the 2-chord:
\n
\n…going to the 5-chord:
\n
\n…going to the 1-chord:
\n
\nWhile going through these chords in a progression, there are two things that you should be concerned with and they are:<\/p>\n\n
\n
What Precedes The Chord You’re Playing<\/h3>\n
\n
\n2-chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
\nNow, instead of starting from the 6-chord and going to the 2-chord, we can play a chord that can lead us to the 6-chord and although there are a variety of options, you can use these:<\/p>\n
\n
\nE maj\/G#:
\n
\nBb dom13add9 chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
\nSo you have:<\/p>\n
\n
\nA minor seventh chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
\n2-chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
\n6-chord:
\n
\n2-chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n
\n3-chord:
\n
\n6-chord:
\n
\n2-chord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Final Words<\/h2>\n