Common Chord Progressions

Chord progressions are just a way to get the harmony to support the melody. In any key, if your melody sticks to the key you are in then the one chord will harmonize three notes, the five chord will harmonize two additional notes and the four chord will harmonize the remaining two notes.

So the I IV V chords will harmonize every note in a given melody providing it stays in key. You can replace the two chord for the four chord, so now we get the 2 5 1...

You can expand the one chord, meaning if you are sitting on it for a while
you can play different bass notes under to help create motion. That is where we get the 1 3 6 2 5 1... the vi chord and the iii chord fill in for the 1 chord and the vii fills in for the V chord. The vi chord can also lead to the IV chord.


All this may seem confusing but it all starts with the I chord and the V chord and the IV. If you just use these three chords you can play with most songs. I wrote 3 Chords You Just Gotta know! You can check it out here:

http://zone.hearandplay.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=48

When you get more advanced you can use the 2 5 1 as a little intro to each new chord you will play.

So to introduce the I chord you play ii V and then I... When you want to go to the IV chord you introduce it by playing a ii V I in the key of the IV chord. So if you were in the key of C and you want to go to the F, you introduce the F by playing g min7 C7
Fmaj...2 5 1... Now you have it! 2 5 1 are derived from 4 5 1 and they have over time become embellishments as well static chords to rest on to support the melody.

Where to apply them:
2-5-1 is used most times at the end of a piece of music to resolve the progression back to 1. See both examples below.

No Weapon by Fred Hammond Example-Key of Ab

/Ab, Bb, C – There, is, No
8. Ab-Ab/EbGBbC, Bb, Ab – Weapon
7. G-G/DbFGBb(7), C/DbEGBb(3)- Formed (Circle of 4th – G, C, F or 7-3-6)
6. F-F/EbFAbC(6), Bb, Ab – Against Me
5. Eb-Eb/DbGbBb(5), Ab-Ab/CGbBb(1) – That Shall (Circle of 4th – Eb, Ab, Db or 5-1-4)
4. Db-Db/EbFAbC(4), Bb, Ab – Not Prosper

(Now look at the last five notes of the Ab ex. Above C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab – all using the circle of 4th 3-6-2-5-1)

3. C-C/BbEbAb(3), FCEb/BbCEbAb(6)– Use this chord instead of previous
2. Bb-Bb/CDbFAb(2) – It Won’t
Eb-Eb/DbFAbBb(5) - Work
1. Ab-Ab/EbGBbC(1), Bb, Ab – Weapon

Jesus is Love by Commodores-Key of Ab

8. Ab-Ab/EbGBbC – Father
7. G-G/DbFGBb(7), C/DbEGBb(3)- Help Your (Circle of 4th – G, C, F or 7-3-6)
6. F-F/CEbAb(6) – Children
5. Eb-Eb/DbGbBb(5), Ab-Ab/CGbBb(1) – And Don't let them (Circle of 4th – Eb, Ab, Db or 5-1-4)
4. Db-Db/AbCEbF(4) – Fall

(Now look at the last five notes of the Ab ex. Above C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab – all using the circle of 4th 3-6-2-5-1)

3. C-C/BbEbAb(3), FCEb/BbCEbAb(6)– by the side of the
2. Bb-Bb/CDbFAb(2) – road.
Eb-Eb/DbFAbBb(5)
1. Ab-Ab/EbGBbC(1) – Walk-on

2 5 1 (or ii V I in roman numerals as most theory books will use) is a basic cadential progression throughout music. In other words it leads to a "resting" point, temporary or permanent. The thing is you need to think beyond the ii V I of just the given key (such as in F -- G C F) because, although the song is in F, there may be ii V I patterns leading to other keys.

Take the beginning of "Amazing Grace"

C7 F Cm7 F7 Bb C7 F
A - Mazing Grace How Sweet the Sound

The Cm7 F7 Bb is ii V I in the key of Bb and we have temporarily rested in Bb
Note that IV and ii are almost functionally identical and often interchangeable. A Bb6 chord has the same notes as a Gm7. We could then add a Gm7 between the Bb and the C7 and get a II V I in F.

Am7 Dm7 Gm7 C7 F
Was blind but now I See

Again Gm7 C7 F is ii V I in the key of F.
Note that you could change the Gm7 to a G7

Often ii V I is taught the ii is minor and V is Dominant and I is either Tonic Major or Minor. But actually, they can be about any quality -- the II dominant 7 etc. Note that the Am7 Dm7 G(m)7 progression could be ii V I in G (though functionally here that is stretching things a little bit.

Learn to listen to the bass line for that pattern and note that it may not be in a temporary key of a song.



Another common chord progression is the I IV V IV I... You'll hear this chord progression in Rock, Gospel and Jazz.

Then there's the 12 Bar Progressions, those blues chord progressions.



A great source for these blues chord progressions can be found at the Classic Cat

http://www.classiccat.net/dictionary/chord_progressions.htm



C is the one chord- I Major
Dm is the two - ii minor
Em is the three - iii minor
F is the four - IV Major
G is the five - V Major
Am is the six - vi minor
B diminished is the seven - vii diminished

When you know every chord in the key of C, we can create a chord progression. Here are ten common progressions in the key of C:

I - V
C - G
I - vi - ii - V
C - Am - Dm - G
I - IV
C - F
I - vi - IV - V
C - Am - F - G
I - vi
C - Am
I - vi - ii - vii
C - Am - Dm - Bdim
I - IV - V
C - F - G
I - vi - IV - vii
C - Am - F - B dim
I - ii - V
C - Dm - G
I - vi - V
C - Am - G

Songs which use a simple chord progression (some are above):

1. (I - IV - V) 'La Bamba' - Richie Valens
2. (I - IV) 'You Can't Always Get' - Rolling Stones
3. (IV - V - I) 'Mr. Tambourine Man' - Bob Dylan

My friends over at HearandPlay have posted great information on their blog regarding common chord progressions:

http://www.hearandplay.com/main/learn-these-most-common-chord-progression-types-and-never-get-stuck-again

Stray411 has shared a great video for us on how to build chord progressions using minor chord progressions for an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs2Yb3whXDA




Then there are great ear training and fun, free games about learning chord progressions!

http://www.hry.in/Music_Flash_hry_games/20080418/3034.html

Plus, you can print out this great newsletter from Jermaine Griggs on Gospel Chord Progressions.

http://www.hearandplay.com/piano-chords-piano-chord-progressions/gospel-bass-runs.html

So, chord progressions are definitely related to the scale!

Piano Chord Dictionary

For my students, it's important to review the language of piano chords.
Major and Minor chords, that is, for beginner piano students. There are many valuable resources for sale from music dictionaries to theory music books. Understanding the name of chords and how to play them will open up a whole new world for you.

I found this awesome tutorial, online chord dictionary, from latinpianist.
View the clip, study it, repeat it and use it as a warm up. With practice, watch how you can quickly grab these basic chords... you're on your way!


Beginner's Chord Dictionary



This a beginner's video to all those people that need to know how to play all the basic chords on the piano.
Please visit: AnointedMusicians.org
Credits: VozUngida (Yeisha) (Video Editing and Video Recording)

* On The Go Music Resource
If you're interested learning the formation of chords while you're in your car, at the gym, jogging or at home, purchase Hear and Play's Chords Audio Course. I have the set and highly recommend it. It goes hand in hand with a chord dictionary, and it's on tape!
Click Here, Chords (Audio)

* Music Resources

Piano Chord Dictionary By Morton Manus. For Electronic Keyboard. Electronic Keyboard. Book. 48 pages. Published by Alfred Publishing. (285) See more info...

Now that you know your major scales, the next thing is to learn the formulas for your 4 basic types of chords. Once you learn the formulas, apply them to each key one at a time until you go through all 12 keys. Here is the order that you should learn and play them in:

Major = 1-3-5
Minor = 1-b3-5
Diminished = 1-b3-b5
*Fully diminished = 1-b3-b5-bb7 *just an extension of the regular diminished chord
Augmented = 1-3-#5

As you go through learning and practicing the chords in this order, you will find that the last note for the augmented chord is also the last note for the major chord in the very next key. The next thing you should learn are the chords that are built off each scale degree of the major scale for every key. Again, learn it one key at a time until you go through all 12 keys:

1st - major
2nd - minor
3rd - minor
4th - major
5th - major
6th - minor
7th - diminished

Then move on to learning progressions. Play progressions like the 1-4-5, 2-5-1, 7-3-6, etc.

For more music resources visit

http://ladydpiano.com

Diana Krall- Fly Me To The Moon

Who wrote Fly Me To The Moon?

"Mr. Howard's best-known song was "Fly Me to the Moon," introduced in 1954 under the title "In Other Words."

"One publisher wanted me to change the lyric to 'take me to the moon,' " Mr. Howard told the New York Times in 1988. "Had I done that, I don't know where I'd be today."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/28
Who sang Fly Me To The Moon?

From Frank Sinatra to Nat King Cole to so many others...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Me_to_the_Moon
Lyrics to Fly Me To The Moon
Fly Me To The Moon Lyrics
Diana Krall - Fly me to the moon (live with john clayton) posted by emruk

Free Piano Chords to Fly Me To The Moon
Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars,
F7 Bm7/b5 E7/b9 Am7
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and mars,
A7/b9 Dm7 G9 G7/b9 Cm9 Am7
In other words, hold my hand!
Am9 Dm7 G7 Fdim7 Cmaj7 Bm7 E7
In other words, darling kiss me!
Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7
Fill my heart with song, and let me sing forever more
F7 Bm7/b5 E7/b9 Am7
you are all I long for all I worship & adore
A7/b9 Dm7 G9 G7 Em7/b5
In other words, please be true!
A7/b9 Dm7 Dm7/C G7/b9 C6 Bm7 E7
In other words I love you
A7/b9 Dm7 G7 G7/b9 C6 Bb6 B6 C6/9
In other words I love You!
View chord structures

http://www.e-chords.com/guitartab/idmusica/4000/keyb/true/aba/2.htm
I do love Diana Krall's style of playing and singing. I have read many of her reviews.
Here's a bit of her background to share.

“Music was not something I wanted to do. It was something I had to do,” said Krall in a telephone interview from Singapore.

“I grew up in a family where both my parents were jazz pianists and music is like a culture in my house.
“I don’t remember not playing the piano or having music around. My mother sang in the church choir, my father plays piano and my grandmother sang. My mother used to hold me in her arms and sing when I was a baby.”

Although this songstress has been recognized as the world’s best-selling female jazz artiste, she says she is still learning.

“I don’t feel like I’ve mastered my craft. I feel like I’m on a constant journey. There’s always room for creativity in this ever-growing industry.”

Krall started her career as a pianist. It took some years before she decided to sing.

“I didn’t think I was good enough initially to sing,” she says. “When you’re listening to Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald, it’s pretty evident there’s a difference between them and me.

“It was only in 1996 that I felt comfortable with singing, so yeah, it was a long process.”

She draws inspiration from Nat King Cole and from piano-playing singers, particularly Carmen McRae.

Krall, 43, began studying piano at the age of four, and subsequently played in her high school’s jazz band. At 15, she began playing regularly in restaurants and bars around her hometown.
The New Straits Times


http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Features/20080928151736/Article/indexF_html

At 17, she won a scholarship from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Krall’s playing attracted the admiration of legendary bassist Ray Brown, who suggested that she move to Los Angeles to study with seminal pianist Jimmy Rowles. It was during this period that Krall began singing as well as playing.

In 1990, after a three-year stint in Los Angeles, she relocated to New York, where she began performing. Krall achieved both a musical breakthrough and a commercial watershed with her 1999 release When I Look in Your Eyes.

They had an expanded instrumental ensemble as well as orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel.

When I Look in Your Eyes became an international sensation, going platinum in the United States and spending an entire year in the No. 1 position in the Billboard Jazz Chart.

In addition to winning Krall a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, it also became the first jazz album in a quarter of a century to receive a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.

Krall’s crossover success was further reflected in her participation in the historic Lilith Fair tour in 2000, and the prominent presence of her songs on the soundtracks of TV’s Sex in the City and such films as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.


I also enjoy hearing Fly Me To The Moon Bossa Nova-
sinvalfonseca
The musician and composer Joe Harnell won a Grammy for the classic ' Fly me to the Moon', done in bossa nova rhythm. He reached fame as musical producer when working with the jazz singer Peggy Lee and with Frank Sinatra.
It died in the last July 15, 2005 to the 80 anose in Los Angeles,após to suffer a fall and to enter in coma.
My na me is Sinval Fonseca I am plastic artist and amateur musician, that it likes the good music. I make a simple presentation here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSYyw1F5FgA
More bossa nova sounds

http://ladydpiano.com

Leadsheets- Top 10 Basic Chords

I've been giving private piano lessons to all ages for quite sometime now. I have to agree with Keith Fletch, "The reality of life is that students and teachers only have so much time to devote to scales and chords studies."

Keith's book, Chord/Scale Mastery, is a textbook used by jazz educators internationally. He has performed all over the world for Yamaha Music Education. He can be visited at
http://www.KeithFelch.com


* TOP 10 CHORD APPROACH used in jazz, presented in the Key of C

1. Major7 Chord: C E G B
Play the Major Triad, Then the 7th Chord

Major7 Scale Options
I-Major, Ionian Mode: C D E F G A B C
IV-Major, Lydian Mode (#4) C D E F# G A B C
VI-Harmonic Minor (#2, #4) C D# E F# G A B C

2. Dominant7 Chord: C E G Bb
Play The 7th Chord

Dominant 7 Scale Options
V-Major, Mixolydian Mode(b7) C D E F G A Bb C
IV-Melodic Minor(#4,b7)(Lydian Dominant Scale) C D E F# G A Bb C
V-Melodic Minor(b6,b7) ("Hindu" Scale) C D E F G Ab Bb C

3. C7(b9): C E G Bb Db
Play The 9th Chord

Inverted Diminished (H,W,H,W,H,W,H,W)
Extensions: b9, #9, #11, 13
C Db D# E F# G A Bb C

4. C Minor7: C Eb G Bb
Play The Minor Triad, Then The 7th Chord

II-Major, Dorian Mode(b3, b7) C D Eb F G A Bb C

5. C Minor7: C Eb G B
Play The 7th Chord

I- Melodic Minor (b3) C D Eb F G A B C

6. C Diminshed7: C Eb Gb Bbb
Play The Augmented Triad, Then Play The 7th Chord

7. C Diminshed: C Eb Gb Bb

8. C7 Augmented(#5): C E G# Bb

Whole Tone (W,W,W,W,W,W)
C D E F# G# A# C

9. C7(#5,#9): C E G# Bb D#
Play The 9th Chord

VII-Melodic Minor (b2,b3,b4,b5,b6,b7)
("Altered", "Diminished Whole Tone", or "Super Locrian" Scale)
(H,W,H,W,W,W,W) Extensions:b9,#9,#11,b13

10. C7(#5): C E G# B
Play The 7th Chord


III-Melodic Minor (#4,#5)
(W,W,W,W,H,W,H)
(Inverted Altered or Lydian Augmented Scale)

Keith's Basic Training Method:

"After the player finishes practicing the four triads matched with the 10 chords with a chosen scale for each, a leadsheet is presented with the chords in the same order, four bars for each chord."

Testing students' knowledge by having them only look at the chord change, play the chord to the 7th/9th, and then play the scale in one octave is good practice. Try soloing using chord tones and then successfully playing the whole scale. Add an improv track and play along, too.

I hope you enjoy using this method with your students as I have.

Articles on Scales, Chords and Modes
http://ladydpiano.com