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Old 01-18-2021, 10:41 PM
Cecil6243 Cecil6243 is offline
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Default Chord progression nomenclature?

So a chord progression is where the chords fall in the note sequence of a scale for the particular key, i.e. in the key of C if the chords in a song are C, F, and G it'a a I IV V right?

But what if let's say the chords in a song are EM C D and G in that order in the key of G what is it? Is it a I, IV, V, vi even though the chord progress is not in that order? I assume you start out with the chord that corresponds with the key which in this case would be a G?

Anybody have a iink that explains this well?

Last edited by Cecil6243; 01-18-2021 at 11:31 PM.
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Old 01-18-2021, 10:56 PM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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The progression is the series of chord that occur in the music.
So for Em-C-D-G in the key of G you will have vi-IV-V-I.
Of course this is probably in the key of Em and not G.
In that case you have i-VI-VII-III.
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Old 01-18-2021, 11:36 PM
Cecil6243 Cecil6243 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
The progression is the series of chord that occur in the music.
So for Em-C-D-G in the key of G you will have vi-IV-V-I.
Of course this is probably in the key of Em and not G.
In that case you have I-VI-VII-III.
Thanks Rick. I think you're right it probably is in the key of Em.

Wouldn't the Em be a lower case i though?
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Old 01-19-2021, 12:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Cecil6243 View Post
Thanks Rick. I think you're right it probably is in the key of Em.

Wouldn't the Em be a lower case i though?
yes, i not I. Updated my prior post.
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Old 01-19-2021, 02:17 AM
Andyrondack Andyrondack is offline
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No that chord progression resolves to G, it's in the key of G. Theres no rule that states a chord progression has to begin on the tonic chord, try playing Mr Tambourine man.
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Old 01-19-2021, 08:04 AM
Fatfinger McGee Fatfinger McGee is offline
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Here's a link that explains chord progressions in detail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_progression

For a practical guide to music theory, I recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Musical-Princ.../dp/0966502906
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Old 01-20-2021, 06:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Andyrondack View Post
No that chord progression resolves to G, it's in the key of G. Theres no rule that states a chord progression has to begin on the tonic chord, try playing Mr Tambourine man.
Absolutely.

But I wouldn't be quite as dogmatic as that. It's possible Em-C-D-G is in the key of E minor. It's just a lot more likely that G will sound like the key chord, which (as you say) means it IS the key chord.

But if the sequence continued as Em-C-D-G-Am-B7-Em, then we'd say the whole thing was in the key of E minor, because that's where it ends up; despite the brief IV-V-I to G in the middle.
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Old 01-20-2021, 06:16 AM
Andyrondack Andyrondack is offline
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Yes, I just assumed that G was the last chorď in the piece.
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Old 01-20-2021, 06:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cecil6243 View Post
So a chord progression is where the chords fall in the note sequence of a scale for the particular key
No. Sometimes people describe a harmonized scale as a chord "progression". E.g., the key of G would be G Am Bm C D Em F#dim, which is just the scale harmonized into ascending triads.

In fact, the term "chord progression" properly refers to the sequence of chords in a piece of music.

Naturally we can also use "chord sequence" to mean the same thing, and sometimes "progression" is used to make a distinction between a chord sequence in any random order, and a sequence which sounds like it "progresses" towards the tonic, with a kind of forward momentum.

E.g., Em-C-G-Bm-D-Am is a chord "sequence" (no clear movement forward), while Bm7-Em7-Am7-D7-G has a strong sense of forward motion that we might call a "progression", resolving to G in a "perfect cadence".

Still, this is not a terminological rule! "Progression" and "sequence" are used pretty much interchangeably; and you could make an argument that "sequence" also implies forward motion! (In fact, in classical theory, "sequence" has a specific meaning to do with repetition of a melodic phrase; nothing to do with chords at all.)
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Old 01-20-2021, 11:18 AM
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I’ve never heard the term “chord sequence” used before, only “sequence” in the classical sense.

In all the uses I’ve ever encountered, a “chord progression” simply means a series of chords found in a piece of music. Whether the progression has a strong sense of movement toward a harmonic goal depends on the musical style and the skill of the composer.
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Old 01-20-2021, 11:23 AM
merlin666 merlin666 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andyrondack View Post
No that chord progression resolves to G, it's in the key of G. Theres no rule that states a chord progression has to begin on the tonic chord, try playing Mr Tambourine man.
I agree with this. Also if it was em then I would also expect at least some am and/or bm in there.
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Old 01-20-2021, 12:19 PM
Cecil6243 Cecil6243 is offline
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Thank you for the responses! I can always count on informed and lively debate with great information here!
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