3 Ways To Fix Your Chord Progressions To Be More Interesting & Beautiful

Jazz Harmony is full of Amazing chord progressions, but how do they work and how do you make your own chord progressions better?
✅ How The Pros Think About Chord Progressions (and you probably don't)🧨
• How The Pros Think Abo...
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Content:
00:00 Intro
01:12 The Basic Chords
02:49 #1 Beautiful Borrowed Chords From Minor
04:51 Strong Chord Movement
06:07 #2 The Secret Subdominant
07:34 Suspensions
08:11 #3 Disguised Chords That Sound Amazing!
10:05 The Best Strategy for Creating Chord Progressions
10:21 Understanding Chords
10:26 Like the video? Check out my Patreon Page!
My name is Jens Larsen, Danish Jazz Guitarist, and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of it is how to play jazz guitar, but other videos are more on Music Theory like Jazz Chords or advice on how to practice and learn Jazz, on guitar or any other instrument.
The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, but also music theory, analysis of songs and videos on jazz guitars.
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[@anthonysilva5312]

You sir, have mastered the art of the 10 min interesting, humouress and informative video.🇨🇦

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Anthony! 😁

[@GigaBrowser]

This is the exact video my heart and subconscious have been dying for. I feel like julian lage playing stuff like this. Thank you so much

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@RC32Smiths01]

Jazz Chords are always an interesting way to play music, definitely a lot more articulate in their use and placement in a song!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Ron!

[@ae3898]

@4:21 The first time I think I heard that lovely progression in C major with the beautiful Abmaj7 was in Led Zeppelin’s “I’m Gonna Crawl” off of In Through the Out Door.

[@flatbaroque4049]

Your tone is amazing!!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you so much!!

[@vanoisme1082]

Thats im looking for......Thankyu Sir....Greeting from Indonesia....

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you found what you were looking for. Greetings from The Netherlands!

[@DanielFerreira-ep6dq]

Very good! So much information in a single video! Greetings from Brazil

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@feliperestrepo58]

Oh man, you don't stop giving us super powers!

[@ganazby]

Superb lesson. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Philip 🙂

[@williamhurrelbrink3324]

Sir this is GROUNDBREAKING for me. I kinda know some of these basics but, I guess I just didn’t put them together like this. This is so very good. Thank you, thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jamescopeland5358]

Great lesson Jens, thank you so much for sharing your skills

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@bassyey]

I feel like I requested this type of video a few uploads ago. You make it easy to understand. Probably the best 10min. video I've watched, and I learned from.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@kimbopslayer562]

Excellent ideas and clearly articulated.. Thanks so much.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome!

[@godislove8740]

so far this is the most helpful of yours thx

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@pauljacques2278]

Another brilliant lesson. I've been studying harmony recently and this is clearest explanation I've come across. Genius. Thanks Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Great to hear, Paul!

[@Lymanity]

This is a good video. I was watching Aimee Nolte yesterday and the video was about upper extensions. It was a great video as well, but I was wondering if there were tricks we can use as guitarists to quickly realize those types of chords while we're playing? I'm still stuck counting thirds if I don't recognize the chord right away

[@kevindonnelly761]

Thanks Jens, I look forward to reviewing this video as always. There's a lot of nice colours in the chords / progressions demonstrated. There are many Musos who live in my area who would benefit from using these concepts. Unfortunately, most of them already 'know everything' (so they think). I'm glad I don't know everything. 😬

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@arjenharsta1165]

Dankjewel Jens! This is a fantastisch full course in 10 minutes. I will je back in 6 Montag fit the next lessen! 😅

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it!

[@tomweiver2285]

thank you, can't imagine how much time you put into these videos

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them!

[@joec942]

Childhood flashbacks with Sponge Bob and the Muppet Babies 😆 You rock Jens 🤘🤘😆

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it goes deep 😁

[@raffaelemoretti2369]

Interessanti le molteplici soluzioni per venir fuori da progressione usate ed abusate Grazie per gli spunti di studio

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@notecrackervideos]

I’ll put this right up there with my understanding of advanced nano technology and space/time mathematics. But good job ! 😬✌🏽

[@StefanGBucher]

Great lesson! Thank you! One thing that always confuses me-and I suspect it's a software issue-are the way the chord diagrams are arranged. Look at 2:16 for example: The Am7 ad the G7 look almost identical until you realize that the Am7 is on the fifth fret, which is easy to miss, because the number on the diagram is a 3. I know it marks the third fret, but it's not intuitive. It shows me the chord shapes, but puts a big step between the shapes and understanding the motion of my fretting hand across the neck. I totally get that this video may be aimed at a higher level player than me, but (being a graphic designer by training) it keeps sticking out to me. Thank you again for all the great content, sir!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Stefan! That is indeed something I can't change in GuitarPro which is the program I use for this 🙂

[@lorenzomorgoni524]

esp #1 is a very useful advice ;)

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@emilianodesalonica5846]

Thank you Jens! If you find a minute: Where does the raised 4th subdominant come from? (The half and fully diminished ones) 🙏👋

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! They come from altering the IV chord. Keep in mind that chords come from voice-leading more than scales. The minor thing is just a way to explain a group.

[@emilianodesalonica5846]

@@JensLarsen Ok! Makes sense! Thank you again ✊

[@JensLarsen]

Want to understand chords and progressions better? Here is a great overview: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6TQlZWuqM-grKs

[@damonshanabarger2604]

2:26 I need these chords, but don't ignore the lesson that leads up to this. 2:49 A great old tried and true method, but what about using it in other parts of the key and even taking it a step further by adding augmented, diminished, or half diminished? Although I have to admit that gambling on chords is not always total bliss. It certainly does have its merits when composing new materials and finding new ways to break the rules, especially when it comes to changing time signatures and downbeats. The rock band Rush is a prime example of this. Although that is not Jazz, composing music even when factoring in Jazz is all about reinventing. 6:04 Although this starts with a half diminished chord which is minor, it does not lead to an Aeolian chord. What if it had some of the chords removed or part of another progression added onto it before resolving? What if it where transposed and there was a Major/minor parallel axis shift on the starter chord? Suspensions and inversions, in conclusion persistence. Jens, you focus on too many Major progressions or is it just a matter of shifting these rules down a flat sixth? I wish you would do more videos on minor key progressions.

[@damonshanabarger2604]

I'm finding many different ways to modulate back into a minor key from a Major key progression. Although they all sound spectacular, a lot of times they lead into a completely different unique progression. The Herby Hancock chord got me into a progression that is very unusual and I seriously doubt he ever used it in this manner. It sounds very interesting.

[@damonshanabarger2604]

You know, it just occurred to me that I should maybe try some rules, like saying that functional harmony could get me out of some awkward situations. Because getting lucky doesn't necessarily always work. Besides driving a person absolutely crazy, it can get to be very frustrating.

[@Camel-joe6000]

3:03 you look like the Jazz Version of Rufus from Bill and ted 😎

[@scruggi.e.3940]

thank yu bro

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@danielsheltraw8773]

Jens What is the definition of subdominant? You seem to be using a broader definition than I have found elsewhere. I hope you can clarify this. I admire your command of functional harmony!

[@JensLarsen]

What definition do you have now?

[@danielsheltraw8773]

@@JensLarsen My present working definition is that it is a chord that doesn’t give the feeling of repose (like the tonic) or the feeling of a pull to the tonic (like the dominant). I know it’s not a good definition (an exclusionary definition that is too broad) and have struggled to find a good definition in the past.

[@JensLarsen]

@@danielsheltraw8773 Well, IV I is still a resolution so does the IV chord not have a pull to resolve? I guess my definition is more along the lines of a chord that resolves to the tonic and is not a dominant

[@danielsheltraw8773]

@@JensLarsen Thanks for the clarification. This is a somewhat unrelated question but what function do you assign to the vi chord in a turn around?

[@JensLarsen]

@@danielsheltraw8773 in a turnaround a VI chord is tonic function, it is not a dominant and it does not resolve to the 1 chord

[@affif330]

2:09 isnt that a G9 if im not mistaken?

[@andreybazavov]

On 06:42 what means that Ebdim. I can not understand

[@JensLarsen]

Maybe check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZu9q32MnrechrM

[@bernhard8260]

just 10 minutes and so much in it (for me it's the jazzy equivalent to jamie olivers 15-minutes-meals-videos - unless he can't do it in 10' 😉 ) thanks ! Only one thing is puzzling me: what is it, that qualifies the minor fabulous four (D min7b5/ Fm7/ Abmaj7/Bb7) as Minor Subdominants. Tried to look it up and found only the old 1-4-5 or 5 above/5 below the tonic explanation of tonal harmony

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! It is the fact that they don't contain a B (so they are not dominant in C) and they contain and Ab (and in most cases also an F) does that help?

[@bernhard8260]

@@JensLarsen yes! - concerning the lacking of the B and (if) containing an F - not so much having the Ab. Now i vaguely remember one of your lessons including an explaination of exactly this or a very similar topic - will try to find it, which will be not be easy. You`re definitely working too much. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

@@bernhard8260 Haha! Thanks! It's probably this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHTWZqdrftmJjNk

[@bernhard8260]

@@JensLarsen exactly that one, thx

[@mynamesnotchom366]

I like my chord progressions thank you very much

[@jllewi]

@BenEller - looks like Jens is infringing on your trademark 😂😂😂

[@JensLarsen]

We all have idols! 🙂

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

🎶🎵🎼🎸✌️🍀👌

[@andreybazavov]

What is Gb/C in intro? I don't get it

[@JensLarsen]

What time in the video is that?

[@andreybazavov]

​@@JensLarsen 0:04

[@JensLarsen]

@@andreybazavov It is a Gb triad over a C bass note. It is a C7(b5b9) without a 3rd

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

Hello 🎵🎶🎼🎸✌️🍀👌

[@graemehortin3336]

Love the videos and instructions, but please lose the memes they are intrusive, sometimes irritating when they mock industry people (eg sound engineers,) and generally just annoy and tax ones focus. Also is it possible just to repeat technical passages at a reduced tempo so we can really focus on the chord, scale or melody. Otherwise I love these videos Jens, thank you so much for sharing your teaching.

[@JensLarsen]

Actually, the data (and the comments) say that people really like those. They also make it more fun to make the videos, so I am not planning to change that right away, sorry.

[@guitarmachine13]

Hey…I wrote “fake folk song” lol

[@Curse_of_the_moon]

I don’t think telling viewers they suck is a good way to get more viewers

[@JensLarsen]

I am not telling the viewers they suck (if you look a little closer), and actually that has often worked quite well for me.

[@Dang...]

Jens has a dry sense of humor. He's not actually telling anyone they suck. He's not a mean person, he's very generous with his expertise.

[@iamthemoneyj]

Yeah bro, unsubscribing due to the negative thumbnail :/

[@chrismowag6919]

Maybe not his smartest move to create more clicks but no need to escalate either 😊

[@iamthemoneyj]

@@chrismowag6919 hey I’m just removing myself from a negative situation, and hopefully letting the author know he is offending some people in the name of clicks

[@savagetofu1]

i dont understand. whats a negative thumbnail?

[@mr.nobody2244]

It's sarcasm, dude...lighten up...

[@evanduquette]

@@iamthemoneyj If that offends you, you should leave the internet entirely.