Originally Posted by: FlyingJbirdOkay, so it looks like the main thing that I'm not quite understanding right now is the harmonic function of the chord progressions. Can you explain that a bit more? I'm kind of lost by what the term means and how it is applied.

There are two basic ways that chords can be categorized: functional or ornamental.

The function of any given chord in a series of chords is based on how the voice leading plays out from chord to chord. This means, how the individual notes of the chord "move" or "lead to" one another throughout the series of chords. The voices move in a way that is either:

1. Functional, which means they contain a goal directed motion that contains or implies tonal resolution (a clear V-I or V-i resolution) & chords that can clearly be labelled as such (tonic, dominant, sub-dominant, intermediant).

Or:

2. Ornamental, which means they do not contain a tonal resolution, they are merely placed together based on the effect they create.

This tutorial on music theory explains Functional Harmony:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorials.php?input=495

Examples! Here is a series of chords:

A min - B min - C min - D min

These chords do not have any functional motion. There is no tonal resolution (in the the form of a V-i, tonic to dominant motion).

A min - D min - G7 - C maj

These chords have functional motion. There is a tonal resolution (in the form of a V-I, tonic to dominant motion (as well as other chords that function toward that goal).

Check out the music theory tutorial, it explains the terms!