Chord Progressions

[Bluegrasslimey]

Ok we all know he basic three chord progression.

IE, 1,3,5

I also use 1,3,4,5 occasionally using a 7th on chrds 4 and 5.
Sometimes i play 7ths on all three chords in a standard three chord progression including major 7ths in this progression

I think of these as my Blues and Jazz progressions, Depends on my mood when i play.

Does anyone play any different progressions or play the same ones in a different order, EG 3,1,5, or 3,7th 1maj7th 5 etc. Notice the 5th is the last chord in the progression the dominat chord. Does any one ommit this chord and use only a sub dominat instead?

I would really like to know how you all construct your progressions to see if there are any progressions i haven't thought of or are these all there are.

[Bluegrasslimey]

Ok we all know he basic three chord progression.

IE, 1,3,5

I also use 1,3,4,5 occasionally using a 7th on chrds 4 and 5.
Sometimes i play 7ths on all three chords in a standard three chord progression including major 7ths in this progression

I think of these as my Blues and Jazz progressions, Depends on my mood when i play.

Does anyone play any different progressions or play the same ones in a different order, EG 3,1,5, or 3,7th 1maj7th 5 etc. Notice the 5th is the last chord in the progression the dominat chord. Does any one ommit this chord and use only a sub dominat instead?

I would really like to know how you all construct your progressions to see if there are any progressions i haven't thought of or are these all there are.

Sheesh am i dumb. the first line should read 145 not 135. Bottom of the class for me huh?

[strat-man]

Well i've only just started learning theory so i'm not qualified to instruct you but at the moment i just mess around with chords till i find a progression that sounds good, i dont worry about what key it is in (at least not untill i gotta find the relevant scales so solo over them!) or whether they're dominant, sub dominant or tonic chords, i just let my ear be the guide, bit slap happy i know!, but till i learn more theory i just experiment :o

[CSchlegel]

I would really like to know how you all construct your progressions to see if there are any progressions i haven't thought of or are these all there are.
A good place to start is to ask WHY do we use these three chords - I, IV, V - as the "standard" chord progression. Once you understand the answer to that it can help a great deal in making different chord progressions.

Why do we bother to change chords at all in a song? Why not simply use one chord all the way through? It's possible to do, after all - and some songs even actually do this. The main reason to change chords and use more than one in a song is to provide variety and thereby make the music sounds as if it going somewhere - hopeful somewhere purposeful.

In order to understand how changing chords can suggest motion in music we need an overview of Functional Harmony.

Building a chord on each note of the major scale results in the standard series of major and minor chords that are identified by Roman numerals:

I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii dim - I

Each of these chords has a specific function as follows:

Tonic - I
Intermediate - iii, VI (can also serve as substitute for I in deceptive cadence)
Sub-dominant - ii, IV
Dominant - V, vii diminished

Baroque, Classical, Romantic & Modern music - all follow this basic outline of Functional Harmony regarding chord progressions:

Tonic, then Intermediate, then Sub-dominant, then Dominant, return to Tonic.

This can be reduced to:
Tonic, Dominant, Tonic
Dominant, Tonic
Tonic, Intermediate, Dominant, Tonic
Tonic, Sub-dominant, Dominant, Tonic

Notice the primary goal is always the proper cadence: Dominant, Tonic

It is also possible to prolong the progression, for example:

Tonic, Intermediate, Tonic, Sub-dominant, Intermediate, Dominant, Tonic.

Notice the goal remains the same. It is of course possible to not use the Dominant - Tonic resolution in a song (or part of a song). This is a useful effect in it's own right. It can make the music sound more open-ended, or ongoing. Or even restless or wandering, due to not having a proper resolution as a "resting point" or end goal.

From there you need to understand the concept of applied dominant. If you are in C major, you can construct a chord progression such as:

I, iii, ii, V, I
(being: C maj, E min, D min, G7, C maj)

In order to "fill out" the piece, make it more beautiful, richly complex & "prepare for the arrival" of the E min from the C maj you can do this:

I, ii of iii, V of iii, iii...& so forth
(being: C maj, F# min, B7, E min...)

So you have deviated from pure C major, and are temporarily in the key of E minor but only long enough to prepare for its arrival, then you return to key of C major.

Notice the concept remains the same, though. The reason we use different chords is to provide variety & interest. And the reason we play certain chords in certain orders is to provide (or avoid) a sense of goal directed motion in the music.