5 Out-of-the-Ordinary Chord Progressions for Songwriters (easy to hard)

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In this video, I show you 5 captivating, out-of-the-box chord progressions, each using different chords outside their key, that any songwriter can use immediately to make your chord progressions more interesting, sophisticated, and creative.
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[@johnmalcolm9980]

If your writing sounds like you are in a rut, you might have a hit!

[@sirfultonbishop]

🤣👍

[@oscarallen8484]

you’re not wrong but it’s risky business - helps to explain why so many people go rapidly downhill after success

[@cactusjohn9145]

😂 anybody serious has to be snotted

[@Yahoomediaclub]

One very talented young lady sharing these. ❤ Thanks 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@marcsullivan7987]

The second progression IS in key: It’s D Mixolydian. All the chords are from the “parent key” of G major.

[@realrael3550]

smartass

[@marcsullivan7987]

@@airborn1015 all I was clarifying was all the chords are diatonic (because the video implied that the chords weren’t all in a key signature), all share the notes of “G major”, which are the same notes as D mixo I know that Amy knows this, but I commented bc I thought it could possibly confuse some viewers

[@marcsullivan7987]

@@airborn1015 our “disagreement” may be ultimately semantics/terminology, but I’m definitely not incorrect. I’ll clarify again. The three chords, D, Am7, G are not “in the key of D major” they all ARE in the key of G major. The Key Signature that would be written on sheet music for this would be G major (one sharp, f#), not the key of D major (two sharps, f#, c#) So, the parent key/key signature is G major. But if the tonic/1 chord is then D (which is the V of G) then it’s the fifth mode of G major, the mixolydian mode, D Mixolydian. Not “D major”, (bc D major has a C#, and the Am7 chord has a C natural). In the mixolydian mode, the V chord is minor. If one were to solo over that progression, one would use D mixolydian (enharmonically identical to G major). If one used “D major” it would really wrong on the Am7, because you would be playing the major third of the chord instead of the minor third that the chord has) A correct understanding of music theory IS useful, but not always necessary.

[@marcsullivan7987]

@@airborn1015 that progression is on D mixolydian. There was never an A major chord. The PARENT key is G major. The tonic is D. The progression is “In D” but it’s not “D major”. A “borrowed” chord comes from outside a diatonic key center, all three chords are IN the diatonic key center of D mixo/(G major). I’m not gonna explain it any more. I’m pretty knowledgeable about this shit. I studied it as a teenager in the 1980s, further studied in college, and taught guitar privately for 7 years (before becoming and English teacher). I’ve been a performing musician on the side for 35 years. I politely tried to clarify something (for general readers of the comments), but you persist in “correcting” me. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m done responding. You win. Have a nice day.

[@johanjotun1647]

The Modal Monster bares its toothy grin

[@peterthart531]

That half diminished shape is a keeper-use it all the time. It's really great arpeggiated in a blues or jazz run.

[@camf8372]

YES! Or as a passing through chord, for example in just a two chord progression. When I play the classic song Horse with No Name, I usually slide in a B half dim between E minor and D/F#, sounds fucking rad by the way

[@garymulter1571]

This is a fabulous demonstration and lesson. I hope you do more like this.

[@suefauziyah]

This is my new favorite channel. I've been watching a bunch of your videos on lyric-writing and I'm learning so much. This video (the first I'm watching that's not about lyrics) is just as interesting and helpful as the others. I don't play guitar, but it's very clear how to transfer the chords to piano. Thank you for all this great content!

[@elizabeth23623]

Thank you so much for your content! It’s wonderful and it inspires me to have curiosity when making my own songs. Thank you!! ❤

[@colindeer9657]

Your are so inspiring, very natural and relatable. Great teaching technique. Love it. Many thanks . Very helpful. Cheers Colin

[@alicejohnmusic]

loving the latest videos of you guys, super useful. amazing channel 🙏

[@joebarker5719]

Exceptional! Your video got my 6-string sounding completely fresh and new! So easy to process and follow - you have a real gift for teaching. Thank you, Keppie!

[@koho]

Just discovered this channel. Great information, tremendously well presented. Love it, and subbed!

[@Photography-Niseko]

Love your lessons - so inspirational! Thanks so much ; )

[@RKK108]

Amazing hints! Many thanks!

[@simonpratley3301]

Thanks Keppie, I love how you exlained this. I love your guitar playing too. So glad I found your channel!

[@PreferComposingtoDecomposing]

Thank you for your inspiring content. As a composition exercise, I tried writing a piece ("Less Travel'd") that incorporates all five of these exotic chord progressions. Quite an ethereal result!

[@shannonjones3714]

Awesome video! Great rut buster! Thank you for sharing this with us!

[@blockacademymusic7062]

Awesome Keppie! Its good to see you out here!

[@miketayse]

Always nice to try new chord progressions, thanks! I'm going to go try them tonight.

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

Very useful lesson. Thanks. I love to run across ideas (progressions, in this case) that I hadn't used or thought of and seeing if I can turn them into songs (or parts of songs). I like your open, generous spirit. Just subscribed to your Patreon page.

[@nicoCdandelion]

Just... Thank you! I happened across your video early this AM, and my guitar decided to write some music. Of late, it had gotten bored with me, and our time together had become routine. You brought sparks back to our relationship. Thank you!!

[@lisaquam5537]

I love this video! Thank you for taking the time to make it!!!

[@youarenotaghost2589]

What a stupendous presentation! I was just thinking about putting together a progression that doesn't include the tonic, and here it is. I'm excited to explore the rest of your channel. Thank you!

[@myversionofstuff]

very cool .thanks love your style!

[@DrGray-qh6ow]

Always a pleasure learning from you! Thank you

[@Murdo2112]

So glad to have stumbled across your channel. I'm definitely going to be trying some of these out. Really useful progressions, beautiful too, not to mention really nicely explained.

[@mcmc5335]

Keppie, you are an excellent teacher and these are great chord progressions. I'll be re-watching, pausing and adding these to my chord vocabulary. Thank you!

[@scottstevens5481]

This is so brilliant!! Getting Diatonic theory under my belt was life changing for me… Your approach is perfect for opening new ways of thinking and “hearing” new song ideas! ❤️❤️❤️ Love this!!! Thank you 🙏🏻!!!

[@terilamarco515]

Great! Would love to see more interesting progressions!

[@miguelcesaroliveira3448]

Great progressions for looping away calling melodies out of thin air, thanks!

[@dieseldes1301]

This is blummin amazing !love it and subbed .I get the feeling I’m on another guitar learning curve .thanks keppie 🙏

[@stonemedicine]

Loved this lesson. Thank you!

[@devensevils]

Very cool! Thanks!

[@pmicygie]

simply awesome :) many thanx, LOVE 2U

[@chupacabra3331]

Great video! There’s always that rut where you know the basics of painting within the lines but don’t yet realize that there are no lines. It’s about what sounds right for the mood, melody or the words you are singing. I do believe Elliott Smith used something like this to great success with his chord progressions. It’s unclear whether he knew what he was doing or just used his ear but he mixed things up really well.

[@robertwynkoop7112]

I am really enjoying your channel, such wonderful progressions! I will be recommending your stuff to our local songwriter group. I am sure it will be well received! Thank you, what you do matters.

[@anikaparismusic]

brilliant love this!

[@derbjornmachtdiemusik23]

What an awesome video. Thank you!

[@robhamilton5057]

just found your channel, I've been playing a long time but feel stagnant, there are some lovely chord progressions here, i feel inspired

[@jixal]

That was great, really presented, thanks!!

[@michaelchandler2674]

Really good video! Super helpful for doing exactly what you've laid out--getting out of a rut.

[@dougstewart6581]

this is great! i was looking for inspiration and here it was! that 2nd mixolydian one sparked something and a song is on its way! thank you!!!

[@wakinginfinity]

Exaclty what I needed, thanks!

[@MrAngeloDy]

Love your style and your videos!

[@oldmanzen6682]

This was fantastic. I’m not a songwriter, but I’m always looking for interesting chord progressions for loops. Subbed and will be digging through your back catalogue of videos now. Thanks!

[@johnnyblue1101]

Solid gold theory You GO girl!

[@landrafter]

savage stuff. youre amazing! Thanks.

[@mahoney43211]

really appreciate this. Having a ball with these progressions.

[@paulpsathas9152]

great lesson .... cool stuff

[@jrod8332]

Excellent tutorial, thank you very much!

[@curtisanderson7246]

I love this channel. Thank you ❤

[@fiachoconnor]

Excellent video. Great work

[@Jay-H8ALL]

Some awesome chord shapes here. Thanks.

[@wisnomjr]

Great lesson. Thank you 😊

[@johnmccarthy5245]

Very very cool. Informative. Fresh. Different. Thank you so much!!!

[@stevesobot5372]

loved the third one :) Thank you.

[@sgrimm7346]

Good stuff...life long learner here, and there's always something to learn. Thank you.

[@SillyMoustache]

Thank you Keppie, you are an inspiration!

[@Murdo2112]

One of my favourite out-of-the-ordinary chords is in Nick Drake's "Saturday Sun". It goes down a fairly straightforward, but very pleasant progression, with a nice descending bass, through C, G/B, Am, C/G and then throws in a gorgeous F#dim7 that never fails to make me go "oof!" He slips it in beautifully again later, in what I suppose you could call the chorus, going from F to F#dim7, which really piles on the tension, before easing into a lovely conclusion with C, A, Dm7, G, C. It's so good!

[@htws]

I'll check it out!

[@barrya.6212]

@@htws Your husband's a lucky guy...you have it all, just wanted to pass on.Also, thanks for sharing that Fm6 chord, wasn't even aware of that, just worked it into very melodic melody with Travis picking.

[@mendiapodaca]

Yeah. That's a great song, indeed. I know what you mean with THAT chord.

[@camf8372]

Oh man Nick Drake is/was AMAZING. Didn't he tune his guitar to like Csus?

[@bearcountrypublishing5303]

F# and C are tritones to one another.

[@scenesfromamemory118]

Beautiful vídeo. Thanks

[@pferrer90]

Excellent video, thanks so much for sharing the knowledge... I am still learning after many years of playing. Many blessings to you

[@barryjmccormack]

love your videos and way of teaching. Its really great :0)

[@QBRX]

Super nice, love it. Thanks, I'm just looking for cool progressions to make songs sound different and I love borrowed chords!

[@robwebb9413]

I am so grateful for the content and genuinely helpful videos you produce. You do a great job of packing in a lot of information in your videos without it feeling overwhelming. Most of all, they are always practical. And for that, there will be a piece of you in a LOT of people's music. BAM 💥❤

[@ProgRockDan1]

Thank you I sometimes switch keys for the chorus but I have rarely gone outside the key within a verse. These are so helpful

[@lov3alongmusic]

Great progression selection as well as teaching

[@eearts]

That was awesome 😎

[@HarshFrequencies]

Just found your channel. The first chord progression was something I discovered a few years back, but the rest a new to me. Subbed.

[@bmurray4882]

Great lesson, thank you

[@WEdHarris]

What a wonderful lesson! Thanks so much for this! Liked and Subbed!

[@el0blaino]

Lovely!

[@JeffMacArthur]

Nice changes! I think your 4th example is not likely to be analyzed by many people as starting on the vi-minor, though - you've got a V7-i movement from the last chord to the first, so C#m7 is really the i chord (especially given how common - by including the chord before it - a bVImaj7 V7 i progression is). Not as clear, but I'd also agree with another commenter that the 2nd progression is probably best looked at as V - ii7 - I - I. It could also be useful to describe why these changes work - for example, the 1st example is really all about the following note movement C -> D7 (keeps c in chord and moves the 5th of C - g - down to the 3rd of D7 - f#) then D7 -> F (keeps c in chord, keeps a in chord, and moves the 3rd of the D7 - f# - down to the root of F - f) then F -> Fm6 (keeps c in chord, keeps f in chord, moves 3rd of F - a - down to 3rd of Fm6 - ab) and then back around Fm6 -> C (keeps c in chord, moves 3rd of Fm6 - ab - down to 5th of C - g - AND moves root of Fm6 - f - down to 3rd of C - e). Very strong voice movement of g->f#->f->(->f)->e and, starting on D7, a->(->a)->ab->g (and then back down the g->f#->f->e). Anyway, thanks very much!

[@mannygotdahits6534]

awesome awesome awesome video!

[@stevyreno7913]

Best songwriting video ever!!!

[@gage816]

Really like that transition from the diminished chord to the fourth major 7chord on that last progression.

[@stuntdouble777]

This is great ❤

[@stevehalper510]

First time seeing one of her videos. Well presented and good personality!

[@darrenlee-ross4432]

Hi Keppie, this is a fantastic video. I bought both of your and your colleague's courses and they were THE BEST. Very inspirational. Thank you :)

[@jamesmowenby]

I love these videos.

[@AfiScruggsplaysbass]

❤❤ I am so glad I found yr channel.

[@RichieDadams]

Great! Cheers 👍🏻

[@owonobrandon8747]

i love this channel !

[@Acousticeg]

I just stumbled onto your channel...Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[@TimmyRiordan]

Like that visual making the ii V smaller in relation to the rest of the progression to show it's outside the key. Very intuitive for me.

[@chrismaghintay]

This is right at the level of theory I currently understand. So helpful!

[@jarrodmurphy6037]

these are all going to become new songs of mine!!!! :) thankyou

[@michaelpimenteljr3530]

I am so happy I found this channel. so amazing! That 251 turn around tho!

[@BorealBlue]

Your ability to teach is exceptional. Thank you.

[@johnnycola3094]

i love to learn new things from you ❤

[@Zsigmund]

Wow, i just found your channel, you are so talented. thanks for the great lesson!

[@gakind]

your videos are awesome. Even if I haven't used any of these progressions yet the video triggered some thoughts and I discovered a new progression that I just used on an old unfinished song,

[@paulafranceschi]

Well done.

[@tay590]

Awesome video! A really nice little modification/add-on for number 4 is to sub a C#maj7 in for the C#m7 every so often! Delightful little modal surprise.

[@andrewalvarez1480]

im so happy i found this channel

[@Birkguitars]

Here are a couple of out of sequence changes that I like. Quite a few Eagles songs step from a major chord straight to the corresponding minor triad eg Desperado where there is a step from C major to C minor. Technically it might be a modulation but it sounds good. Another change I like is in When You're Gone. Most of it cycles around Dm F C and G but an occasional Bb appears almost as a turnaround.

[@StratsRUs]

This channel deserves to go BIGGER than the huge ones !

[@douglaschristine8387]

Hey, how you doing? I haven't seen you since your video on writing a song and its good to see you back. Your videos spark my interest. Thanks.

[@onlysons]

Nice presentation.

[@ronaldpapa8182]

Enjoyed this tutorial

[@childatheartmusic7089]

Thank you ❤

[@carminecupani2315]

You are excellent.

[@felipelotas5609]

First of all, let me tell you something...I LOVE YOU. This lesson is PURE GOLD. Those progressions are almost as neautiful as ypur smile..

[@Snarkapotamus]

I've used #5 a few times...sounds really cool on a piano!