Minor chord progressions are the sequence of chords commonly heard in songs written in minor keys, typically featuring the classic I-VI progression found in ballads and jazz music.
Minor key chords are represented using Roman numerals corresponding to scale degrees, where larger roman numerals indicate major chords and smaller ones indicate minor ones.
Inversions
Utilizing inversions of chords to alter their sound and produce different emotional qualities in music is a skill all musicians should possess. While it may seem like minor adjustments, even just shifting around notes within a chord progression can drastically change its tonality and add variety to its composition.
As can be seen from the chart, in an ii-V-i progression, the second inversion of a triad is formed by moving root and third up an octave (and shifting bass note to G). While this may sound less “resolved”, its key difference lies in being more emotionally expressive.
The i-iv-v chord progression can be found across a range of genres. Its emotionally engaging structure can create tension or introspection depending on its placement within songs; you could even try borrowing chords from parallel major keys for added harmonic twists!
Chord Borrowing
Chord borrowing involves borrowing chords from an adjacent major key into your minor chord progression to add harmonic tension and create more complex sounds. For instance, if your song is in C minor key, borrowing chords from C major could add harmonic tension by sharing its tonic root.
Gnarls Barkley’s song, “Crazy”, for instance, opens with an relative major III chord of C major (B), before moving down into borrowed V7/VI chords which help create tension before returning back to minor tonic chords.
This technique can create an unexpected musical twist, often used in sad songs. Roman numeral analysis also can be an excellent way to improve chord relationships in any key, leading to more complex chord progressions that will blow away audiences.
Major Iv Chord
Chord progressions are series of chords played in a particular order to produce various musical styles, and possessing an understanding of them can help create more impactful beats.
At Hooktheory, we’ve witnessed many of our users taking advantage of minor chord progressions to create memorable melodies that resonate with listeners. One such progression is the iv-i-V progression which can create a soulful sound across different genres and musical genres.
Lorde’s hit song “Royals” features an iv-i-V progression in D minor that adds drama and hypnotic tension. You can hear this same progression in Phish’s Waste track as well as Oasis’ classic Don’t Look Back In Anger pre-chorus. Minor iv chord progressions move smoothly from fourth chord (Fmajor) to fifth chord (Fminor), creating tension through chord tones connected through their transitions. This creates an appealing tension while adding tension and movement throughout each progression.
Music Theory
Understanding music theory is crucial when creating chord progressions, including knowing how to form minor triads – the basic form of chords which consists of root, minor third and perfect fifth intervals – including three scale steps down from the root (minor third) and seven up (perfect fifth).
Minor progressions come in all sorts of varieties; one of the most widely-used variations involves chord variations between IV and V chords, often used in blues and rock songs; for instance, Gnarls Barkley’s hit track, Crazy”, features this progression as one example of its use.
Other popular minor progressions are the i-v-ii-v and a descending fourths movement (VI-III-IV), both featured prominently in Lorde’s breakout hit “Royals.” Lorde uses these chords to create a moody ambience and highlight her lyrics about materialism and wealth. Your chord progressions can have an enormous effect on how listeners react to your music – use minor chords for dramatic or melancholic effects, or experiment with different types of progressions to find sounds that engage listeners’ ears!