Chord Progressions that Inspire Catchy Melodies - #1 Toolkit

[@triggerhappydad65]

Yes please! 😁 Amateur song writer here, I need all the help I can get. I've written some fairly good songs on acoustic guitar. *at least that's what I'm told😉* But they're all usually somewhere within the same 6 or 8 chords (possibly more, but not by much). I have at least a half dozen songs that are over 10 years old, that I know for a fact, need a little something "extra", to be considered a finished work.

[@stiches4616]

Great info Thank You! ❤

[@UseYourEar]

Thank you!

[@alk9401]

amazing values in your video, and you explain that stuff so clearly , it is just beautiful. of course I would be more than happy to watch other videos talking specifically about rhythm and dynamics and also on theory about the added notes to chords...

[@UseYourEar]

Thank you a lot!

[@davidgr168]

Great video! I'd ve interested in an elaborated video as well.. thanks!

[@UseYourEar]

Thank you!

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Fender Jag in seafoam green. Chitarra molto carina. 🫡

[@UseYourEar]

Hi Mike, nice to see your comment here! I'm glad you like my Jag 😉

[@Heffalumpswoozles85]

While it’s obvious that you have an extensive knowledge of music theory, and overall I think you’ve accomplished the usually difficult task of explaining abstract musical concepts in concrete terms that people can understand (I especially love how you relate the different chords to emotions), I will say I disagree with you on one point: The idea that good chord progressions always need an element of surprise. I disagree with this for a couple reasons. First off, is any chord in a chord progression ever truly a “surprise”? Unless you just start stringing random chords together completely out context, or you want to write microtonal music, the fact is that every single chord progression in existence has already been written before. Over and over. There are only 7 chords in a scale, and so even if you think a certain chord sounds “unexpected”, chances are the same sequence has been used in countless other songs that you know and love. Which means that no chord progression could ever be truly “surprising”. But furthermore, insisting that every chord progression must have an element of surprise implies the assumption that everyone looks for the same things in a song when they listen to it. And that’s just not true. Perhaps there are a lot of people who like hearing chord progressions that take “unexpected” turns, but not all of us do. Many people out there, including myself, love familiarity in music. We love order and hearing chords that naturally fit together. You might think going from the V to the I chord is boring unless you add the IV chord, but not all of us out there do. A V-I chord progression sounds lovely and “natural” to me. You’re certainly not alone in this opinion; this is a common “rule” that all songwriting gurus preach, but I don’t think it’s something everyone feels the same way about.

[@UseYourEar]

Hi there, and thank you for sharing your thoughts! I appreciate your perspective on chord progressions and music theory. It seems we have a similar understanding but are expressing it in slightly different ways. You're absolutely right that the concept of 'surprise' in chord progressions doesn't necessarily mean using unconventional chords or creating something entirely new. The music world is indeed full of familiar sequences that resonate with listeners. When I refer to 'surprise,' I'm talking about a framework for understanding and appreciating why certain progressions appeal to us more than others and how slight modifications can enhance that appeal. My addition of the iii chord to a vi ii chord progression, describing the iii chord as adding tension and surprise (the 1st chord progression example included in the video) illustrates how even within familiar structures, there's room for subtle variation that can add a new dimension to the music, not to suggest that every progression must be novel or include fancy chords to be effective. I literally discourage people to use fancy chords at the beginning of the video. I completely agree with you that familiarity and order have their own beauty and that not all listeners seek the unexpected in music. It also depends of the role of the chord progression inside the song, we might want to prioritize a sense of tension for a pre-chorus chord progression, while generally speaking the chorus usually offers a sense of release. These are not strict rules, just frameworks and ideas that might be good starting points.

[@itsahsah]

@@UseYourEargreat response!