Improvising over your chord progressions

[@Journey-of-1000-Miles]

I am a totally blind person, and I am a guitar player. I enjoy listening to your videos, and visualizing the fretboard to play along in my imagination, while you explain the theory behind what you are doing on the keyboard. It is a great exercise to HONE my creative and improvisational skills! Thanks!

[@sasamsa3165]

if you somehow read this how do you navigate youtube

[@Journey-of-1000-Miles]

@@sasamsa3165 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qau6qaWil6mspK8 this is not my video, however, perhaps it can explain.

[@bowenmeyer9221]

@@sasamsa3165 there are screen readers out there for blind people!

[@ldgaming4213]

@@sasamsa3165 there are devices.

[@seppi4033]

I find it hard to imagine how "visualizing the fretboard" works when you are blind. Especially for people who have never been able to see. Unfortunately we can't take a look in each others minds, and explaining the concept of a thought or a visualization is quite hard to achieve. As a person who is fortunate enough to have eyesight I can only speak for myself. When visualizing something I create a virtual picture of the object in my head. A huge proportion of my thoughts and memories are mental images. When you are missing that sense, are your mental images build out of sounds, smells and feelings instead? I am very curious about that. This is something I never really considered before!

[@Mezilesialan]

Thank you David , and the musicians who contributed chord progressions. Pure enjoyment for us all. Alan

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks Alan 😀

[@landondavismusic]

Indeed!!

[@PewciSlayer]

That second chord progression was used in Dream Theater’s “Ministry Of Lost Souls.” It’s such an awesome twist to the 4-chord.

[@keebs458]

I recognised it from that immeditely, such an amazing progression

[@SomethingUnprofessional69]

It doesn't get enough love.

[@OutOfPlace0]

Literally the first thing that came to mind

[@jeromesnail]

I was going to say the same thing. Am | Fm | C | Em Am | F | C | G | G+

[@gi5897]

I want to see this again in the future :D

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks! Be sure to check out the other episode on my 2nd channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2XYp4uoaqZ-jKM 😊

[@champ10ns08]

I concur

[@mustuploadtoo7543]

@@champ10ns08 i wet myself but i dont tell everyone

[@robster7316]

Learnings aside, it was a pleasure to simply listen to you improvise over these progressions. Clever how you found a way to keep the constant C "progression" interesting. Well done!

[@modernmusicofthedarkages296]

No way you used my chord progression as the first one! Thanks so much for improvising over that and giving your opinion! Amazing video and much love from the Dark Ages :)

[@toe8946]

That one was my favourite! Very nice

[@coloaten6682]

I'm totally gonna improvise over that progression :) (Not as well as David, obvs)

[@radima263]

It kinda sounds japanese

[@LiamMonticelli]

I have to say, I heard that progression and my first thought was FUNK. I was hearing brass and a Rhodes piano in my head.

[@tobitt8157]

The last one is perfect for key change practice! gives you room to rethink stuff in the first 4 bars and challenges you in the last 4 bars great video David!

[@alex_montoya]

As someone who is starting to learn, that was pretty eye opening, with the longer chord progressions leading more to a melody and the one chord giving more freedom...

[@internetuser8922]

That last one was really cool. I was surprised the half step modulation didn't sound jarring at all.

[@divinasi0n]

I suppose its all thanks to that preceding dominant chord a tritone away that sounds like it shares 2/4 of the same notes as the previous one that's doing the heavy lifting.

[@krcprc]

Because it's basically a tritone substitution. Your brain is tricked because what makes the seventh chord so tense is that tritone and that tritone stays the same after changing that root note.

[@gabrielmahutasoit8953]

I wonder if we can play only the 7th bar's dominant chord to modulate a halfstep away due to the same tritone between those 2 dominant chords (tritone substitution)

[@siu_uis]

the 8th chord resolves to the modulated chord in the next bar, i think that is why

[@camthecamposer5912]

I thought I'd offer my own chord progression. I mainly use it as a modulation to the IV, but there's a nice way to turn it back around to the I C | E7 | Am | Gm7 C7 | F | E7 | Am | Fm

[@GizzyDillespee]

The last progression is like getting lost in the airport, and then when you finally DO find your way out, you realize that, once again, you must've left your luggage behind somewhere along the way, and you're now certain you'll get lost again while searching for it once again, but at least there's some comfort in the newfound familiarity of your fate. This is meant as a compliment.

[@DesertRat332]

The Beatles (John Lennon?) wrote "Tomorrow Never Knows" off of the Revolver album just using the C chord. 🙂 Very nice playing. I like chord progressions that could be played in a cocktail lounge accompanied by simple melodic melodies.

[@josecanelon1036]

Loved to see my chord progression appearing and listening to your awesome improvisation! Hope I can release the song that features it soon. Adored the video and keep up the great work!

[@nandinichaudhuri6722]

When David said that little 'nice' at the end, I felt it 🎶❤

[@Catsnnovels]

I have truly learned so much through watching your videos more and more over the past year, and your piano playing is mesmerizing and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!!

[@jowanmankel]

The 4th progression is "The Bygone Days" from Porco Rosso, bearing in mind that the Eb7 chord is a passing chord in the original piece.

[@tommydean5112]

It did sound quite like Hisaishi

[@maxblatter]

The "constant C" reminded me of the time when, as an engineer, I used to do measurements in small power stations where just one machine was running at a constant speed, thus providing a constant "musical note". Very much like the drone of a bagpipe or a hurdy-gurdy! I couldn't help starting to sing some improvised melody over this drone note. Very often, however, I fell back to a melody of some well-known song. - Meanwhile, I am much better in staying with my own improvisation and not being pulled into a known melody!

[@rileycantskate]

im glad im not the only person to do this! I used to find intervals with the air compressors at work.

[@canonwright8397]

That was fun, and I enjoyed reading the comments as well. It must be nice to have such a well-informed and appreciative audience.

[@johnchastain7890]

Amazing improv! ...and some of those progressions are so hypnotic, it's hard to stop.

[@Gramilla250500]

Amazingly beautiful!! My ear loves that spooky minor sound!

[@herickalves7093]

3:44 the Still D.R.E lick always pursue me

[@TsunefumiTakahashi]

Your videos help me learn from the basics of music to beyond the far more advanced level. I've spent a very productive moment after breakfast. Thank you!

[@haroldleou785]

The first chord progression is used by a japanese band betcover!! in their song 回転・天使

[@1oolabob]

I think it's great that you notice the "spooky" feel of the 2nd chord progression you use here, and then you find the sweetness in it.

[@teacherofteachers1239]

My introduction to jazz improvising on guitar came l late in life when I was doing scales and the teacher started playing just a C chord and said, "Okay now make some decisions, drop some notes, just play." For me it was a great easy start. Better late than never. For what it's worth the most famous one-chord song I know is Smokestack Lightning.

[@Professional_Amateurs]

I used this chord progression attempting to harmonize a melody my brother created on saxophone. | Cm7/Ab, Cm7/F | (repeat once) | Bb | Cm | F/C, Csus4 |

[@C4rps]

I love this series! I'd find it interesting if you explained what key each progression was in & how to quickly find it (in cases where they dont start on the root).

[@ZuronVanSurus]

I didnt even watch the video yet, but I´m super hyped. I loved your first video, watched it countless times and learned so much by your playing! You are such a delight!

[@galvanizer6688]

i’ve never heard any real musician play this chord progression, and i love it so much Em7 - C#m7 b5 - Dadd9 - c note and then B

[@nicolascomesse7432]

The 4th progression (at least the first three chords) is almost exactly the progression of Keep the door open by Andersson.Paak, even in the same tonality if I'm not mistaken.

[@clipsmasterproductions7479]

Awesome video! That last chord progression was especially beautiful to me. Loved you’re improvisations.

[@residual]

that last chord progression is so cool

[@jakeupsmith2217]

how you explane things is so easy to understand thank u

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Cheers!

[@peterlombard2292]

David, I'd like to make a polite request and ask, if it possible, for you to throw up a quick 5 sec shot of the hand position when discussing chords eg Bbmaj7. For those of us who are new to p[iano and still very much at the learning stage, we have to go away and find what that is even if we have a good idea. If you were to do this we could pause the vid', practice and then return with a better understanding,. Thanks. Keep up the great work!

[@themachinespiritisclaire]

What I immediately noticed about the last chord progression is that when it modulates, it always goes down a fifth instead of a minor sixth had it not modulated. Very nice.

[@weepingscorpion8739]

9:26 My take is that this chord progression is in F major (although I see your C major too). The Eb7 chord would then word as a tritone substituted dominant chord to the following Dm7 chord. Actually the Ebmaj7 would work too, I suppose. Stretching it a bit I would interpret the G7/F as an F13 chord which is a tritone substituted dominant chord to the Em7 chord. This way this chord progression is a beautiful example of functional harmony. The second-to-last chord progression is very similar and nicely goes through the circle of fifths. Great video as always. Maybe I missed something as while I do play the organ (mainly hymns and the occasional præ- and postlude) I don't work with music on a daily basis but I have a bit of interest in music theory.

[@bilingualkaraoke8665]

Yes, if Karl Marx's progression is in F instead of C, you also wouldn't have to end it on the second to last chord (Cmaj7), because the last chord C7 would completely make sense as the dominant chord.

[@thenamelessdragonfish]

@@bilingualkaraoke8665 Karl Marx mentioned that it was in c major

[@tuffe6588]

I made a piece that uses this chord progression: Fmaj7 | F#ø7 | G13 | C6 I really love this one.

[@SquahBrackah_M_SquahBrackah]

Could you tell me what "ø" means?

[@tuffe6588]

@@SquahBrackah_M_SquahBrackah It's a half diminished chord. You can also spell it as a F#m with a flat 5. Or Am / F#.

[@SquahBrackah_M_SquahBrackah]

@@tuffe6588 Oh alright I get it, thank you. I appreciate it really 🙆 Btw I also really like your chord progression :)

[@tuffe6588]

@@SquahBrackah_M_SquahBrackah 😁

[@newmancl0]

Most relaxing thing i've heard all day. This was gorgeous.

[@peterkelley6344]

A very interesting exercise for both the viewer and for David. It looked like David was interested in the resulting suggestions.

[@lim7lim]

The last one makes me think of something Billy Joel would do. Great video. Thank you David and all the contributors.

[@DanGibsonGuitar]

The second progression would make a great Bond theme!

[@judemartinez7437]

Thank you for another great video. I just want you to know how grateful I am for all of your effort. I have watched many videos over the last year as I try to learn more about music, yours are absolutely the best.

[@Shandajalaa]

Thank you for sharing all of this! I'm gonna steal all these sweet chord progressions!! :D

[@TheStickCollector]

Yes Will you do this again?

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Quite possibly! If you’ve not seen it check out the other episode I did: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2XYp4uoaqZ-jKM 😊

[@thenamelessdragonfish]

Nice. I like an 8 chord progression: I, IV, V, VII, II, bVII, V, I. Just one requirement, you gotta do it once, and only once. Another one: i, bIII, iv, bVII. It’s my spooky go-to. And you can loop this one around. Final one: |I| |vii| |bv VI| |V| Also, in the fourth progression, I think the D flat in Eb7 is important because it acts as a leading tone to D in Dm7. It also pulls down to C, which in itself is the 7 in Dm7, which explains why Dm7 is the following chord.

[@taru4635]

That 4th progression happens to be almost exactly the same as one of my favourite progression to jam with! Though I am used to the Eb7 sound here with the dominant 7, it being the tritone sub of Am in this case. #11 fits into it really well too, as often is the case with tritone subs :)

[@composer7325]

Excellent, thank you ,David.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks Peter!

[@JamieAndersonMusic]

Beautiful and inspirational. I'm a songwriter and this has opened me up to new possibilities.

[@nbnewman]

With regard to the fourth progression (that begins with FMaj7 and ends with C7) - the more natural chord between the Em7 and Dm7 would be A7: this is a ii V i turnaround. But the progression is more sophisticated: Eb7 is the tritone substitution for A7, both chords having the tritone C# (Db) - G. Also there is the descending line from E to Eb to D.

[@9dwd]

awesome vidéo David thanks so much you're so valuable you can't imagine!

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

The 8th one sounds a bit like something that could be played in some jazz bar. People talking, playing cards enjoying whiskey and cigars and the piano man is just vibing along. Not something that goes home on any chord, but it doesn't has to, it's a great low-key ambience.

[@paulsto6516]

I could listen to you play all day long.

[@maggie6861]

this is so helpful to me, thank you so much!

[@kaireehall6826]

that last chord progression and improv literally put me into such a relaxed peaceful place i fell asleep! Beautiful!! I would ❤️ to have sheet music if the last magic you created to be able to recreate at home! loved!!🎹🎼🥰

[@126fever]

the 6th progression reminds me the Alan parsons project song " if i could change your mind " , great song

[@fettycheese2498]

The Only C progression was super interesting (and nice sounding) to me. Great work David!

[@Semor-bn1lh]

The 4th chord progression really reminds me of Mario galaxy music. I think this one is my favorite in the video so far. Feels very Japanese in a way. Edit: I just found out it is from studio ghiblis Porco Rosso, which makes so much sense now. It completely has that studio ghibli feel..

[@smithjohn383]

"Nice." Indeed and not only the last one, but the whole video. As usually.

[@doinky4345]

amazing improv! instantly liked and subbed :)

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks!!

[@phatato]

The second one that you called spooky reminds me a little bit of impressionist composers from France in the late 1800s

[@patna118]

please do more of these

[@joshlyanneubu924]

This guy is on another level

[@petermusic1478]

3:44 about to go into Still D.R.E lol

[@castrucciocastracani0]

This is a fantastic format David! My chord progression would be: Em Em7 // G Gsus9 // C Cmaj7 // D Dsus4 (inspired by Neil Young) or maybe: Am // F // D7 // F // G (inspired by Elliott Smith)

[@frankzelazko]

Cheers David! looks like I'm gonna use one of them in my band's songs

[@ayaelmasbahi3244]

my fav chord progression is very simple but i love it so much… cadd9, fadd9, d7, dm7, c

[@fernandolaserra514]

Love this serie!

[@undertaker3388]

I came up with something similar to the fourth chord progression on my own before! Give it a go, David. It's free to use. Fmaj7 - Fdim7 - Emin7 - Edim7 - Dmin7 - Ddim7 - Cmaj7 - C7

[@phil-o-phobic8608]

That 4th progression is Stevie Wonder's "Saturn" nearly verbatim, just change the Eb7 to Amin. Awesome vid!

[@Geotubest]

Another fantastic video. Great content.

[@awhaleandadeer8785]

4:05 Interesting! it's like a little bit of post Rock, Math Rock or movie soundtrack right there.

[@metadoran]

Halloween pop song sounds cool

[@willprince643]

Awesome video, I can think of few interesting progressions, one would be am - am - dm - em, I came up with this after watching video about why there is not many songs with just minor chords, I'm suprised this progression isn't more common, because it sounds great, similar one would be am - dm - G - em, I actually know one song with that progression, but I accidentaly came up with it by myself too, when doing something with previous progression. Also they both use all diatonic minor chords from normal major scale. Other interesting progression would be D sus 2 - Fmaj7 - A sus 2, I like to play it on the guitar as arpegio, D sus 2 six times, Fmaj7 four times and A sus 2 two times. I try to make not so common progressions with not so complicated chords and I often discover progressions like this. I this way I also discover these progressions: Cadd9 - am - em7 - D sus 2 and Cadd9 - D sus 2 - em7 - A (or A sus 2).

[@gretchentruscott4274]

this 1st one is really awesome; and actually i've been recently toying with the iv vi I V, too :) however, in my take it's Am7, Fmaj7, C , G+ (Gmaj7 > G+ to make use of the d, f#, g, d, d# line leading to e in Am7)

[@WhiteSpatula]

KT Tunstall has a song called ‘If Only’ where, in the closing phrases, she invokes a chord progression that positively gives me goosebumps. It’s clear that she could choose a simpler progression and the song would still be quite lovely, but she “takes the scenic route” as I like to say, and it makes such an exquisitely beautiful difference, in my opinion. I’d love to hear your take on it, my friend, and perhaps on other numbers you know of where the artists could have taken the well paved path but instead chose to take us all on a much more satisfying, yearning, maybe even dangerous, but all the more goosebumpily beautiful scenic route. Cheers! -Phill, Las Vegas

[@norakat]

What would be great is if you can also give your thoughts on what key and scale the song is in and which chords are substitutions or modulations/changes. I think this is great idea and would gladly watch any episodes where you do the same thing.

[@earlyowlYT]

i can’t make this up. the chord progression at 6:53 made me scream for 5 minutes over how cool it is. literally scream. gutturally. the things music can do man, haha.

[@jowanmankel]

If you like it the progression is from "The Bygone Days" from Porco Rosso, bearing in mind that the Eb7 chord is a passing chord in the original piece.

[@Snavels]

16:08 I think it's supposed to be 7 measures and the 7th measure is |F7 B7| since the original comment phrased it |F7-B7|

[@josecanelon1036]

It was. Don't care tho I appeared in his video and the progression still sounded good haha

[@blb5008]

I’ve got one I really like: C | C7/Bb | F | Fm Dm7b5 |

[@grahamkay1517]

What’s it like to be a flaming genius Dave 🤩🤩😇😍

[@tatjbere]

This was wonderful 😍

[@knarf_]

Dear David, Thanks for this gentle sharing of your song analysis. Very interesting and wonderfully played. I hope you will do this again and chose mine. Therefore, here is my chord progression: E6 | Adim7 | B7 | Emaj7 |Bm7 | E7 |Amaj7 |Dmaj7 |E6 |E | Asus2 |A (or Asus4 and then A) and then loop at E6 I like the way to go from B7 to Bm7 via Emaj7... 😊 I am longing for your advice! And I never heard this chord progression in a song (except in the middle of my own composition that can be heard when clicking on my name 😉). All the best knarf from France 🎸 🇨🇵

[@spxyx]

You'd make a great piano bar impresario! Great job David!

[@alfiemckeough3762]

Some really cool progressions here, I liked just about all of them, but the 5th and 7th ones were my favourite. There's just something about I - vi and a vi - IV shifts that really gets to me. Here's a suggestion that I used in one of my own songs if you do this kind of thing again: | Bm9 | Gmaj#11 | Emaj#11 | Bmaj7 | G#sus2 | Let me know what you think.

[@davidtarbill147]

On the 4th progression, apparently David Bowie also has "risen from the grave" (RIP), as this is very similar to the end progression of "Changes"!

[@DemanaJaire]

This is so lovely.

[@omersetty5155]

Check this out, I found it by accident when I begun to play the guitar: Bmaj7 | C#maj7 C#7maj7sus2 | Bmaj7 | D Bm I play it around 60 bpm for each bar, but feel free of course to change it. And to be clear (because I don't sure about the naming): the C#7maj7sus2 is C# with both the dominant 7th and major 7th at the same time. With the guitar I play a regular maj7 chord when the bass is the 5th string, just removing the pinky from the second string to the 7th fret of the first string (B note) instead. sounded nice to me 😅

[@atmanvisual190]

Beautiful playing :)

[@champ10ns08]

12:00 sounds like "I'll make it alone.. " - One Day I'll Fly Away by Randy Crawford. Another top drawer video, David 👌

[@antonijustiskus1280]

Damn, you are an amazing musician. This is awesome.

[@zzzaphod8507]

Enjoyable to hear you improvise! Perhaps next time you could try to create something fresh out of one of the canonical progressions like D A Bm F#m G D G A (repeat)? Last chord could be A or A7.

[@damaskboi]

that sounds amazing

[@josteklee4799]

Wow this was beautiful!

[@billzade8158]

I wish I saw this in time, I would love to hear what you'd do with something I'm currently using

[@JohnnyReading]

That first progression reminds me of Saint Ettienne.

[@YeshuaGod22]

Descending parallel 9ths on a whole tone scale Esus2 Em7 Cadd9 C7 A#7 G#m7 B7sus4 E-E7

[@goobertsnoobert9015]

To me the second last progression actually sounds really lovely up until the Cm7, I’d tweak it to be: | Dm7 | G/B | CMaj7 | Cm7 F7 |

[@DeKevers]

You make any topic interesting.

[@gwalla]

I've got a 16 bar progression I really like: C | C+ | C6 | C7 F | Fm | Csus4 | C7 F7 | F#°7 | C | Am Am♭5 G G+ | F7 Fm△7 Fsus2 | Csus4 C | Dm G7 The three chords in the 14th bar are played with a tresillo rhythm