Recognizing Chord Progressions in Music

Recognizing Common Chord Progressions

• Chord progressions are essential in music, providing structure, tension, and release, and are a fundamental skill for musicians and composers.
• Diatonic chord progressions are built using the seven chords that naturally occur within a key.
• Common diatonic progressions include:
  • I - IV - V (e.g., C - F - G in the key of C major)
  • ii - V - I (e.g., Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 in the key of C major)
  • vi - IV - I - V (e.g., Am - F - C - G in the key of C major)

Secondary Dominant Chord Progressions

• Secondary dominant chord progressions add extra color and tension to a diatonic progression by introducing chords that do not naturally occur within the key.
• Common secondary dominant progressions include:
  • V/V - V - I (e.g., D7 - G7 - C in the key of C major)
  • vii°/V - V - I (e.g., Bdim7 - G7 - C in the key of C major)

Blues Chord Progressions

• Blues music is characterized by a specific chord progression known as the 12-bar blues.
• The 12-bar blues progression consists of three chords played in a specific order, usually in a 4/4 time signature.
• The most common progression is:
  • I - I - I - I
  • IV - IV - I - I
  • V - IV - I - V

Modal Chord Progressions

• Modal chord progressions are commonly found in music that follows a modal scale, such as Dorian, Phrygian, or Mixolydian modes.
• Common modal progressions include:
  • i - IV (e.g., Dm - G in the key of D Dorian)
  • iii - VI (e.g., G - C in the key of E Phrygian)

Chromatic Chord Progressions

• Chromatic progressions use chords that do not have a diatonic relationship within a given key.
• Common chromatic progressions include:
  • I - bVII - IV - bVI (e.g., E - D - A - C in the key of E)
  • iiø7 - V7 - Imaj7 (e.g., Dm7b5 - G7 - Cmaj7 in the key of C)

Analyzing Cadences

• Cadences are a sequence of chords that signal the end of a musical phrase or section.
• Cadences provide a sense of resolution or finality to the listener.
• Common types of cadences include:
  • Authentic cadences (V - I)
  • Plagal cadences (IV - I)
  • Half cadences (V - x or IV - x)
  • Deceptive cadences (V - x or V/vi-vi)

Ear Training Exercises for Chord Progressions

• Ear training exercises can help musicians recognize and identify chord progressions by ear.
• Exercises include:
  • Basic triad recognition (major, minor, diminished, and augmented)
  • Chord voicings (root position, first inversion, and second inversion)
  • Common chord progressions (I-IV-V, ii-V-I)
  • Modal chord progressions (ii-V-I in Dorian mode, IV-V-I in Mixolydian mode)
  • Extended chord progressions (7th, 9th, or 11th chords)
  • Altered chord progressions (chromatic alterations to diatonic chords)
  • Transcription exercises (transcribing chords from recorded music)