Major chord progressions should resolve, or find their tonal center, as quickly as possible. Failure to do so may sound discordant or disconcerting.
To understand this phenomenon, we need to examine the chords of a major key, or the notes which make up its major scale, which are known as scale degrees and when combined together form diatonic chords.
1. The Root Chord
Building chords comes down to following one common formula. Intervals of one third stacked one upon the other form the basis for creating chords; the lowest note in this stack, called the root note, is often called G – Bb – D (or F, in terms of scale degrees).
Root Position – most major chords are played using root position, where C serves as the bass tone while other factors such as major third and perfect fifth are added on top.
This progression can be heard throughout pop songs from Journey to Ed Sheeran. It adds tension before dissipating into more hopeful, upbeat moments.
2. The Tonic Chord
The tonic chord of any key is known as its home base or center of gravity – it’s what everything revolves around!
Knowing how this chord functions is crucial because it gives a clue as to how the rest of the progression will sound, even if played in another key. Chord progressions typically follow an orderly series of progressions from stable Tonic Family chords through more unstable Sub-dominant and Dominant Family chords before returning back to Tonic Family chords again.
Harriet Waylett’s “Erin, Loved Erin,” mm 1-4 is an example of this kind of motion in music: Here the tonic chord is extended with additional v7 chords to produce an extended I-V-IV cycle.
3. The Fifth Chord
This progression employs the same chord shapes found in a power chord but in major key. Additionally, this progression provides a great example of using pivot chords – chords which differ in shape but share the same root note (for instance G chord is different than C chord but both share C as their root note! This type of chord is known as a pivot chord).
Borrowing chords from other keys – known as modal interchange – is another great way to give your progression a fresh sound. The Beatles often used this technique in their songs, and film scoring often uses this tactic for dramatic effect.
Practice these progressions by identifying each chord by its number and then shifting their patterns across your fretboard in different keys. Doing this will enable you to instantly identify chords by their numbers.
4. The Minor Chord
Minor chords are an integral component of any chord progression. Their moody sound creates an environment ideal for reflection and introspection.
Key to creating a minor chord is lowering the third note by one semitone – this will yield a C minor chord.
One of the most frequently heard minor chord progressions is i-v-ii-V, as seen in songs such as Lorde’s “Royals.” This provides an emotional tone that juxtaposes with its lyrics.
Another way of creating a minor chord is by building a triad on each degree of the minor scale, for instance on A minor’s first degree you would create a C minor triad and on A minor’s sixth degree an F# diminished triad.
5. The Major Chord
Major chord progressions consist of three components, typically including a root note, major third (4 half steps), and perfect fifth (7 semitones). This sequence is known as a triad and it can be played in any key.
Utilizing these basic chord progressions, musicians can craft songs that elicit all kinds of emotions – essential if they wish to distinguish their music from others in its genre.
You’ve likely come across this progression before in many popular songs, like Suzanne Vega’s hit “Luka.” Additionally, Daft Punk used this progression beautifully in their track “Digital Love.” Indeed, this chord progression is one of the most widely used chord sequences. Give it a try today and add it into your own music!