My Favorite Chord Progression

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There's lots of great chord progressions out there, and as a music theorist I've come to appreciate a lot of their subtle nuances, but as a music *listener*? My heart belongs to one progression only. The Andalusian Cadence is a beautifully simple, powerful, and compelling musical device, and I have personally written far too many songs with it, so I figured since I have a platform I might as well use it to preach the gospel of the Andalusian Cadence.
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Also, thanks to Jareth Arnold and Jade Tan-Holmes for proofreading the script to make sure this all makes sense hopefully!

[@minewarz]

Hit the road, Jack.

[@minewarz]

Also Seven Nation Army (and Sweet Dreams).

[@crisdekker8223]

Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXiul6SJf8eYd8k

[@SirFranex]

And don't you come back

[@Bacopa68]

I don't bother chasin' mice around, I slink through the alley....

[@CanisLupusSteparium]

@@SirFranex No more, no more, no more

[@CarlosGonzalez-mp9re]

Your favourite cadence is Andalusian cadence, and one of your favourite scales is the Phrygian scale. Let me guess.... You like flamenco xD

[@meadish]

I hope this isn't the start of a flame nco war.

[@InvalidOS]

Mea Dish why

[@QuikVidGuy]

oh my god flamenco metal would fucking rock

[@b_markovic]

What really irks me in all of these "western CPP educated" analysis of Andalusian cadence is missing the obvious -- that it's just IV-III-bII-im on the Phrygian scale.

[@Warp_Head]

@@QuikVidGuy Rodrigo y Gabriela ...

[@TenThumbsProductions]

Hit the road jack, and don't you come back no more no more no more no more, hit the road jack, and don't ya come back no more.

[@ipudisciple]

Feelin good

[@jackspurlock9201]

Yeah, this has always been my favorite after playing a piano piece with it. I also love it in a blues context when you nail that blue note on the flat VI chord so you turn it into a dominant chord and have that minatory half step tritone descent

[@NolanTheOtherOnly]

hit the road Jack

[@QuikVidGuy]

Minato...

[@zenvassilis]

I would like to mention that in Flamenco music, the music of Andalucia, A major (from your example) would be the tonic, therefore the progression would not revert to Dm but resolve in Amaj. The scale would be the flamenco scale,a modified Phrygian major (or dominant, if you like) with varying 3rd and 7th degrees. In other musical styles it is true it resolves back to the minor (here Dmin as the tonic) but that very fact then makes it less Andalucian! Many thanks for all the wonderful videos!!

[@legoharry100]

I’m gonna write a doom metal song using the Andalusian Cadence now.

[@franlovelsimic8421]

Please do and post it somewhere so we can hear it because it sounds like a neat idea!

[@ilokikoval]

@@franlovelsimic8421 Also an overused one, but still neat, haha.

[@Carewolf]

Make it a doom metal tango.

[@ilokikoval]

@@Carewolf Doom metal polka. XD

[@thefareplayer2254]

N.I.B.?

[@tymime]

Other great examples are Del Shannon's "Runaway", The Stray Cats' "Stray Cat Strut", The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations", The Turtles' "Happy Together", and The Ventures' "Walk Don't Run". One of my favorites is the doo-wop chord progression.

[@tymime]

How about this?: Dm C Bb Eb7 Dm

Beware my Love

[@ВадимБаев-с9в]

@@tymime seems like the dominant was replaced by a Neapolitan chord. I think it's usually used as a subdominant chord though, it nicely sets up the V7. On the other hand, it can be used as a tritone substitution to V7, so there's that.

[@heathkish6901]

Jeezus, I love doo-wop more than any person should legally be able to. Haha

[@ryanmoran8787]

Fun fact; I Will Survive takes an Andalusian Cadence and throws an extra chord between each one. Am Dm G CM7 FM7 Bm7b5 Esus E7

[@Latinobull33]

ryan moran wouldn’t that be the circle of Fifths... just with an extra Esus chord?

[@EmanuelFrias]

@@Latinobull33 Yeah, seems like it.

[@imranino]

That's indeed a cycle of 5ths, same as "you never give me your money" by the Beatles, "autumn leaves" to name just 2 :)

[@AlexWhiteLanda]

That just sounds like 'Autumn Leaves' with extra steps

[@warningchimes24]

If you change the Fm7 and to F#m7b5, remove the Esus, change Bm7b5 to B7 and turn E7 into Em7 then you get the autumn leaves progression

[@Nomen_Latinum]

Awesome! I learned to play the classical guitar via flamenco music, so the Andalusian cadence holds a special place in my heart. Speaking of the Andalusian cadence and the Phrygian mode (6:00), I've actually always thought of the basic cadence as a mix between iv, III, II, I progression in Phrygian as well as the i, VII, VI, V in minor you describe. That last major chord actually makes the cadence work really well with a harmonic minor scale as well-which actually feels more like a Phrygian dominant scale to me, rooted in that last major chord. Edit: I'd actually like to add another variation of this progression that I love, and it's the Andalusian cadence with the two middle chords switched, so i, VI, VII, V or Dm, B♭, C, A in this case. That one actually feels more like it's harmonic minor rather than Phrygian, because I feel like it doesn't resolve so strongly to the last major chord. A good example of this one is Gerudo Valley from Ocarina of Time.

[@MattySagz]

My mind cant comprehend you being left handed, but draws the intro logo using right hand

[@Xenro66]

Honestly, I've been stuck in a composing block for a few weeks now, and hopefully this gives me the extra inspiration I need to get some ideas made. Thank you, 12Tone!

[@durianhead]

i called this the rasputin progression for years without knowing that it had a name, nice to see it does and that it's so theoretically / musically rich

[@jessehammer123]

New drinking game: take a shot every time they describe the definition of functional harmony or the nature of the overtones of a note.

[@edslushie570]

I agree it’s kind of funny how often he says that definition verbatim, but it’s really only once per video

[@arnauloayza]

Got drunk a lot quicker than I expected

[@sotis1756]

He* lol

[@jessehammer123]

@@sotis1756 Read Cory’s Twitter bio. Their pronouns are they/them. Not he/him.

[@sotis1756]

@@jessehammer123 Aight, but if They* have a male voice I’m gonna assume it’s a Dude, no offense just keeping it simple. We are living in confusing times.

[@naveeeeed]

How am I finding this video just now? Ive been a lifelong fan of Spanish and flamenco music and got into learning music theory specifically to understand it better. Recognizing the Andalusian cadence is so much fun because it is present literally everywhere. Thank you for this video!

[@Julioc96]

It's one of my favorite chord progressions and didn't know it had a name. Thank you!

[@nthSonata]

The Andalusian cadence has always been one of my favorite chord progressions ever since hearing it in swing music

[@elitemation]

found it thru hit the road jack and is you is or is you aint my baby

[@00sey35]

thank you for this great video! this one has been my favourite for years and when listening closely, you can hear it EVERYWHERE - be it as little accents (sometimes only bass or melody movements) or as a main theme of whole songs (hit the road jack).

[@GlaceonStudios]

BECAUSE I AM UN *_C H I E N_* ANDALUSIA...n cadence

[@elxicoplayboi5517]

Pixies reference

[@beatrix-persephone]

Glaceon Studios r/ihavereddit

[@GlaceonStudios]

@@beatrix-persephone r/imbannedfromreddit r/sad

[@mojacarflamenco6314]

From a flamenco perspective, this is an oddly backwards analysis. The tonal center is A and the functional harmony is the Flat II (Bb) to A Phrygian cadence. The D minor is a common substitution for Bb and the C is often played as a C9 - treated as, a B flat with a C in the bass. The melody one would create over this cadence would center on the Bb harmony until it resolves to the A. It's also common to have passing secondary dominants (e.g. - Dm - G7 - C9 - F7 - Bb - A) which is recognizable as a pretty common chain of II-VI-I's.

[@a52productions]

I always hear the old Blind Man spiritual whenever I hear this cadence, and I'm surprised I've never seen it brought up before. Also, glad you brought up minor iv at the end there with the anti-andalusian cadence. Minor iv to I is one of my own favorite chord progressions, and it always reminds me of Thomas Tallis's third mode psalm, the one used in RVW's famous Fantasia. (I think that goes like I iv I V) IV iv I is incredibly good as well, so soothing.

[@Aurora-oe2qp]

Hey, cool pfp ;)

[@moai834]

ii-V-I *_J A Z Z_*

[@EchoHeo]

BMaj7-D7-GMaj7-B♭7-E♭Maj7-Am7-D7 GMaj7-B♭7-E♭Maj7-F♯7-BMaj7-Fm7-B♭7 E♭Maj7-Am7-D7-GMaj7-C♯m7-F♯7 BMaj7-Fm7-B♭7-E♭Maj7-C♯m7-F♯7 *_J A Z Z_*

[@luigibeatrice7857]

Bluemon Stepping up the game there. Giant cadence boy. Keep it running like a train buddy.

[@FrantzesElzaurdia]

@@EchoHeo Let's keep the lyrics flowing: Giant Steps is fast

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

*broke* ii-V-I *woke* II-v6-Ib6

[@TiagoLageira]

*the lick*

[@Frst2nxt]

as per the comment around 4:45 , it's that series of three ascending majors a whole apart in strawberry fields that gives it part of it's most exceptional moment.

[@sagandalya108]

The andalucian cadence can be compared to the ancient greek tetrachord, the most common of which has the same interval structure (E D C B). Further comparisons: in turkish pop they would use the andalucian cadence but with a minor chord in the end (Am G F Em) and often with an added b9 on Em.

[@eyvindjr]

I think the key to why looping this works so well is that it floats so seamlessly between the Phrygian (with the occational major 3rd) and Aeolian. A lot of Spanish music, (which is heavily influenced by Arab music) lets you interpret the V as the root if you want. The cadence is the perfect bridge between Arab scales and western functional harmony!

[@snacksaregreat]

Pink Floyd's Us and Them uses in a really nice way something similar to what you described as the minor plagal cadence. The song uses the same kind of progression but with suspended chords wich makes the mode really ambiguous and mysterious. This video was really enlightening in term of functional harmony, thanks a lot for producing this kind of quality content !

[@eglathren]

Am I the only one who finds these videos not only instructive, clarifying and amazing, but also adorable and sweet? Srsly, 12tone has one of the nicest sounding narrating voices out there, so fresh and welcoming, and uses such relatable imagery (like when he says it's "unsettling, like the brightness of the major triads is lying to me somehow" - that was sooo well expressed ❤️)! The little elephants and nerdy aesthetic in general is so freakin cute ✨ the whole video production of this channel is so satisfying.

[@sandersonstunes]

Pops up in Big band, swing, electro swing, its even in fairly odd parents theme song.

[@ozzie_goat]

I never noticed it in the Fairly OddParents theme until now.

[@theundefinedgamer1574]

Ozzie Castava I know, right?

[@safwannizam2932]

When? The part where Timmy turns Vicky into a bunch of different things?

[@jolkert_]

Yeah I was thinking electro swing for like the whole video

[@elitemation]

@@safwannizam2932 no in the chorus “odd parents, fairly odd parents! Wands and wings floating crowny things”

[@actualizedanimal]

My favorite chord progression isn't actually a whole chord progression, but rather two chords which tend to work well in a number of chord progressions: V-ii. I think the reason why it sounds so cool to me is you are both moving from a dominant chord to a subdominant chord and moving from a major chord to a minor chord. It's a fakeout that moves the song in a darker, moodier direction while still holding onto a lot of tension, and I just absolutely love the way it sounds. For a great example of this in action, check out "With Any Sort of Certainty" by Streetlight Manifesto. The second part of the chorus ends on G and the third part begins on Dm. (It's actually a bVII-iv in that song since it's in A minor, but it's the same principle.)

[@valarinan7723]

How is it the same principle when harmonic functions are different?

[@actualizedanimal]

​@@valarinan7723 Well, it sounds the same, and it's really that specific sound that I like about it.

[@yuvalne]

An Andalusian cadence without 7b is also the chord progression of "Sweet Dreams", "Seven Nation Army" and tons of other pop songs

[@roeesi-personal]

Thank you very much! This progression popped in my head some moths ago in arpeggios (g-e♭-c-g-e♭-c-f-d-b♭-f-d-b♭ etc.) and I tried to look for it on the internet and didn't find a lot, and then you posted this video and it was just great! Also, in the idea of an "anti-Andalusian cadence" you actually hit a very strong duality between the major and minor scale - if you reflect one scale so that the first note becomes the fifth and the fifth becomes the first note but all the intervals stay the same you get the other, the tonic chord stays tonic but flips its quality and all the other chords' places get reflected with the tonic as a pivot and flip quality as well. Also, the idea of lowering the 6th (or the 3rd of the 4 chord) is essentially dual to the idea of raising the 7th (or the 3rd of the 5 chord) to make a leading tone, and makes a dual leading tone which is the flat 6th. You can also see this way that the harmonic major scale is dual to the harmonic minor scale and that if you add a flat 6th (or the second step of the scale) to the 4 chord you get a dual dominant 7th (which is of course a 6th chord).

[@fayeburning.108]

I think part of the andalusian cadence's darkness, even when put into major, is that it's almost pulling a lament bass in the root notes. It's not exactly a lament bass but I think the same qualities get across.

[@simmyt10]

12 tone videos *uses manuscript paper* : : * draws pictures on manuscript paper*

[@Narudan14]

Man, you deserve a lot of respect for that amazing and free content, that really helps a lot in knowledge

[@zachary4670]

Talking Heads' wonderful song "Stay Up Late" uses the all-major version of the cadence. It's really staccato and dramatic and it works really well

[@jayfuror3892]

Whaaaaaaaaat. I've been playing the Andalusian cadence for years, whenever I'm jamming on the piano with vocalist friends freestyling in the background. And never realized there was a name for it. That's cool.

[@johnfoster7762]

This is one of my favorites too, up there with Im-bVII-IV-Im. I like replacing the bVI with its relative minor IVm sometimes. Or just sticking a bVI-V into the middle of anything ever because this progression is awesome.

[@diment0857]

An awesome flamenco cadence that has seen extended use in modern music and deservedly so, other notable examples are Sultans Of Swing, 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood and countless others

[@CroioVolador]

For me, the tonic of this cadence is what you call the fifth. I think that's because andalusian music usually uses the frigian scale, not minor, so the A major chord in this case sounds more resting to me. I may be crazy, but I'm from Spain so my point of view shouldn't be totally wrong (or maybe I'm crazy and this is all a simulation).

[@MisaelSuaveTeamAccount]

I’ve heard music that use this exact same scale where sometimes the major chord is the tonic and where the 1 minor is the tonic. Both sound good I think it just depends on stuff like the player and complimenting melodies. I personally prefer when the major feels home

[@maxraz-liebman512]

Yeah it's called the Phrygian dominant mode which is the fifth mode of harmonic minor

[@CarlosGonzalez-mp9re]

When I first was studying chords and stuff, this cadence always felt like it needed to resolve the the minor tonic, but when I studied modal music (and lots of Phrygian-ish metal riffs), the same cadence, played the exact same way, felt resolved in the fifth degree. I think expectations is part of what makes it work, it's confusing, but you can even "change mentally" the tonic, and perceive the same cadence with different tonic in a short time.

[@mltprs]

In this exmaple, the a maj chord you are refering to is more of a dominant chord and the fact you are from Spain doesn't emphasize your argument. To my mind, even by not borrowing the V chord (the A maj chord) from the harmonic minor scale in the key of D, the dominant-tonic relationship stays intact, though less forceful. On a side note, the phrygian mode is a minor scale, so there is no c# making the v chord a maj/dominant chord. Another commenter points out that the phrygian dominant mode derived from d harmonic minor is rather used, which seems more likely. Still i don't think it developed that way (people thinking of scales/modes and then create some sound). However, it's perfectly fine you feel the way you feel, since it's music, right? But your arguments are kind of a stretch.

[@ploffintagpro1410]

Malte Pries They are not a stretch. In flamenco, this V chord is not a V chord, it is I. It’s called the flamenco mode, which to sum up is phrygian with varying third (and seventh) scale degree. This is a worldwide recognized theory. An Andalusian cadence (which IMO is not really what this video describes but let’s use it for this discussion) can exist in a piece that is in a minor key, in which case the V interpretation is correct. It could also perfectly well be in a piece in flamenco mode, which makes it the I. Being Spanish, the second interpretation came to mind first for them.

[@thebobthebobanite6287]

Also my favorite. Godly. All progressions based off of this are godly as well. Classic 1mi, 7M, 6M, 7M (All among the watchtower, stairway to heaven) is perfect as well. The 1mi to 5M is just too classic. So many great unbeatable progressions coming from this. Personally, I don’t think it gets any better. Such a distinct, strong, and multidimensional cadence.

[@rohiogerv22]

In regards to an anti-Andalusian, the Elliott Smith song Coast to Coast does a lot of alternating between I and bVI, before moving into I, II, III, IV (all major and unflattened) for the chorus, and then resolving that back to the start using bVI, bVII, I. By making all of the cadential movement clearly based in the parallel minor (bVI to I as a sort of pseudo-plagal, and bVI-bVII-I for big cadences), the straight ascent of major scale major chords doesn’t “feel” like you’re just rising through the major scale. It feels like you’re trying to push through to the bVI. So it’s an example of using all major to push up into a minor sound.

[@MartijnHover]

A variation I often play is, in Am: Am-Am/G-FM7(which is like Am/F)-E(7)

[@toshirobozdogan2207]

*We’re the Sultans of Swing*

[@immergrun1851]

The Sacred Swing Sultanate

[@borinightmare]

The Andalusian cadence is like snowboarding down the hill on a snowy afternoon in the mountains. One song that uses the scale is the unrelased track Hard Times by the Jetzons. The song recorded in 1982 and it was released in the late 2000s. Brad Buxer did direct the music and composed for the Sonic 3 game with Michael Jackson who is his musical director and keyboardist for the Dangerous Tour. If you played Sonic 3's Ice Cap Zone you can listen to the difference.

[@unclesteffy]

Being a guitar player I love the simple Em - D/F# - G with the ascending bassline. Chord progressions that ascends are usually my favorites.

[@pablobustamante8458]

Sunny afternoon by the kinks is my favourite use of this

[@GUIM1797]

I did not expect this progression to be your favorite. Interesting. I usually think of the "Andalusian Cadence" as just a particular lament bass progression since it's almost always used as a repeating figure when people mention it rather than being a proper cadence. I wish we would just refer to it as an Andalusian progression. The term "cadence" is getting really stretched these days. Anyways, I find the interpretation of the Andalusian progression as being iv-bIII-bII-I to be really interesting.

[@jaivarsa]

In flamenco it is indeed used a lot as a cadence but especially because flamenco guitarists in a lot of styles tend to think of, say, E as the tonal center rather than Am, which is why the Phrygian scale sounds flamenco-ish. Also, flamenco players tend to use open strings to give the chords an extended quality

[@javieralfonsomartin]

The Spanish flamenco has a special magic that you never can find anywhere else.

[@Mexxx65]

..hit the road Jack

[@BionicHorseBeats]

IV, IVm, I

[@MisterAppleEsq]

Hell yeah, I love minor plagal cadences.

[@MarsWien]

Radiohead - Creep

[@sanjuniperofc]

*IVmaj9add6, IVm6, Imaj9add6 for extra sauce

[@ACMusicTheory]

NOOOOWWWWW MY BABYS DANCIN' But she's dancin with another man :'(

[@iamiupa]

@@MarsWien Hell yeah

[@SkeerdAint]

I found this progression by accident. I am surprised that you didn't analyze from melodic minor perspective, because that's how I found it, the minor descending but ends with raised bVII.. But hey, we're the same as it's also my favorite progression of all time. It's so versatile, I can use it on anything melodic!

[@StringedMasterpiece]

The way I was taught this in my tonal harmony class (fairly recently, actually) is the the bVII and bVI are borrowed from the minor scale, keeping their functionality. So, for example, Dmin C Bb A7 Dmin would still be T D T D T, holding its syntax. Beethoven and Mozart would often do this, replacing ii and IV with iiø7 and iv to add harmonic flavour.

[@pnwsnewton]

I love the duck/rabbit for "kind of getting both sounds"

[@maximus5060]

I wrote a riff over Andalusian cadence four days ago and you've made a video today

[@MaggaraMarine]

Another variation that would be worth mentioning is the "classical version" of this progression: i v6 iv6 V. In A minor: Am Em/G Dm/F E. The Dm/F can also be Fmaj7 or you can use Fmaj7, then Dm/F (the Fmaj7 would actually function as a suspension). You could also replace the Dm/F with augmented 6th. Seth Monahan made an interesting video about the "lament bass" that is basically the same as the Andalusian cadence - it also includes some interesting chromatic variations of the progression. Definitely worth checking out.

[@RandomDays906]

My all time favorite chord progression is a circle of fifths/fourths progression. Take the 2nd half of the organ solo from Burn by Deep Purple for example. It sounds very baroque-y and I absolutely love it.

[@c.j.skamarakas4965]

Great progression, and versatile. Change all four chords to major (D C Bb A) and you get Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Roll on Down the Highway." Then alternate the major chords with sus4, and you get The Who's "Pinball Wizard."

[@aporcelaingirl]

I always tend to make the last chord minor, and sometimes just do the chord names as a bass riff while vamping on top of it. I learnt this from my mum a while ago and we would both improvise on the same piano as I was growing up. I love this cadence too!

[@smkh2890]

At 2:52 the full first page before he turns over. a pause here might be nice. At 5:00 is the second full page up to the Mario Cadence At 6:56 page three At 8:08 Inverted Andalusian cadence

[@scottmckenna9164]

I am star struck by your clarity of expression as usual. Other commenters not so much.

[@DizzyKrissi]

Sultans of Swing

[@fafase]

If only one, then this one.

[@meadish]

I just got a shiver in the dark.

[@sammyhind3151]

Mea Dish it’s a-raining in the park

[@matiaspereyra9375]

But meantime

[@GaryCainMusic]

this is my favourite cadence - now let me block it with my hand constantly while doing pointless doodles.

[@scajesback]

This cadence is part of all my life, I'm andaluz and this progression is just impossible to forget ever......

[@jrpipik]

The thing that makes a chord minor is the minor third relationship between first and third, in this case D and F. The VI chord includes the same relationship between its third and fifth, the same notes. In minor scales the VII chord can have dominant function (because of the leading tone from the third of each, here E to F). So from a certain perspective the Andalusian Progression is simply Tonic-Dominant-Tonic-Dominant with a walk down the scale in the bass (minor line cliche).

[@DiThi]

7:00 That new "opposite of Andalusian progression" sounds to me like one of the songs of the videogame Rayman (1995). Song name is "Harmony" but it also sounds in "The Band Awakens" which for some versions of the game both are in the same track (the latter after the former).

[@Seafroggys]

Holy shit, that's my favorite progression. As soon as you first played it I laughed so hard. Can't believe we share the same favorite!

[@mox.kartal]

You get a shiver in the dark, It's raining in the park, but meantime..

[@pringelsthegamefreak]

It's basically: "iv bIII bII I" which is a minor 4th, flat 3rd, flat 2nd, major root. So in the key of C, it'd be: Fm-Eb-Db-C. In the key of D, it'd be: Gm F Eb D. Etc.

[@gillianomotoso328]

I always find the v7 darker and the V7 in minor sadder. A minor dominant chord has a modal, pensive feel, whereas a major dominant chord resolving to minor makes the pull to minor so strong that it seems resolutely despondent.

[@carlito6038]

What is a minor dominant chord

[@gillianomotoso328]

@@carlito6038 v (Gm in C major, Em in A minor)

[@MrDuncanBelfast]

I want more episodes like this, where you start with a thesis, then bring everything back to the thesis at the end.

[@jonassholmberg8071]

Speaking of parallel major chords: Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Roll on down the highway: D-C-Bb-A7sus4-A7 repeat.

[@eosborne6495]

There one other use of the Andalusian cadence you missed! And that’s the drop the i chord entirely and treat the V as the tonic. You hear it that way in a lot of Spanish and Balkan folk music. This reframes the progression as iv-bIII-bII-I, which you can think of as a Phrygian progression with a Picardy third. And you can also derive my favorite scale from it this way, the Phrygian Dominant mode!

[@BaluLeBear]

Your videos are amazing!

[@mrgreendot4784]

You mentioned the Phrygian scale, which is awesome because Phrygian scales (and Spanish Phrygian in particular) are my favorite

[@PamelaContiGlass]

Thank you for covering this progression. Maybe because I studied a little bit of flamenco, I find myself falling into this progression often when composing (especially on guitar, but piano also) the problem is that once I do, I find it very hard to break out of it to a different of complementary progression (for a chorus or. B section) and when I improvise on it, I always sound like I am playing flamenco, which is fine if you want to play flamenco, but not so much if you want to do something different. Maybe one day you could address how to incorporate the progression in a larger work, not just with substitutions, but with transitions.

[@atimholt]

I don’t know all the proper terms, but it feels like there’s a semi-implied rise in parallel to the progression: If the roots of the falling tones are D↓C↓B♭↓A↑D, the tops of the chords have/feel like they need A↑B♭↑C𝄳(quarter-tone flat)↑D♭↑D.

[@c0mput3r80y]

My favorite chord progression is probably i-VII-IV-iv. I like the duality of power and sadness that the progression has along with the descending sound if you put the IV and iv chords in 1st inversion.

[@fungi331]

man I love your videos. you explain music so well and concisely with the doodles, its like magic. i dont know how you do it, but its fantastic, and ive seen nothing like it before. i have a suggestion, i know youve already done one video on soundgarden once but if you could do an analysis on the song 4th of july by them (i love the sludge in that song) it would be awesome (and it would give the wonderful song some much needed exposure).

[@NWRefund]

I would love to see a video on some of the most difficult to play pieces of music on different instruments.

[@danielgarzaromusic]

Love the way you explain music!

[@moksha2372]

Best progression ever! Another nice variant is the i - bVII - bVI - I (like in Van McCoy's African Symphony).

[@thesamarawaters]

My favourite version of the Anti-lusian cadence is [I bII bIII iv], or more specifically [I7add4 bII bIII iv bIIM7]. I just love the bII in a major key. It sounds so mysterious and works well to guide both away from and back to the tonic. Also, the bIII in major is strange but cool.

[@jasonfieler]

4:13 sorry but isn't tritone substitution when you substitute a chord in a progression for it's tritone? It would have made sense if that was originally an E7 because you had put a Bb7 resolving it down a half step but at least in jazz, we just say 7th chords and if we substitute it for it's tritone that's when we use the term.

[@12tone]

"Tritone substitution" in this case is shorthand for "tritone substitution on the secondary dominant". In this context, the Bb7 is behaving as a substitution for E7 in that it's resolving in the same way E7 would.

[@jasonfieler]

@@12tone ah I see. Thanks!

[@L1N3R1D3R]

At 3:01 I would probably assign subdominant function to the VI chord, since it sounds kinda like iv6/5 going to V in a Phrygian half cadence. In fact, many songs with this structure have the fifth of the VI chord pass by the subdominant before going to the dominant (or staying on the subdominant as the 7th of the dominant chord), further emphasizing this.

[@colinedmunds2238]

Aka “walk don’t run” Anti-Lydian cadence is almost “Spanish Bombs” by the Clash

[@CounterBison]

Anti lydia?

[@walken199]

Im so pleased I found your channel, really great work!

[@Anjiruu]

For me, the Andalusian cadence is to the Aeolian scale, what the 1-b7-4-5 cadence is to the Ionian scale. Playing both of these cadences almost exclusively in my Hispanic church, almost ever Coro or Hymn follows these chords. One major difference however is that for the Ionian scale, when you START a chorus you lead with a subtonic into 4-5 and then cycle up the 4ths thru a 3-6-2-5 then you get back to the 1. With the Aeolian scale however, you lead with modulating the 6m into 6M for greater directiveness and then cycle DOWN the 5ths with 2-5-1-4 and then you CLOSE the chorus with the model's respective 4-5, which is the 2-3-6 but to enhance the resolution we modulate the 3m into 3M to strengthen the resolution. Not sure what my point but it's certainly an observation lol

[@Stephenguitar93]

I'm checking this out because this is one of my favorite chord progressions, it's the basically the entire outro of my bands album where we threw guitar solos all over it XD I'd like to hear ya break it down so maybe I can learn something new and it won't feel so stale anymore :)

[@underground_man]

Rock guitarist here! A few things: 1. The first song that comes to mind with the Andalusian cadence is “Sultans of Swing” 2. The Andalusian cadence with tritone sub gives it a jazzy swing feel to me 3. I would call the anti-Andalusian cadence The Radiohead cadence

[@1oolabob]

Realizing that a bunch of my favorite songs all use this cadence in slightly different ways that make each song sound completely different.

[@AriOrSomething]

I while back, I could recognize the Andalusian Cadence, but I didn't know the name for it yet, so I nicknamed it the "Cabaret Progression," because I'd hear it most in Cabaret and Jazz Club influenced songs

[@SuperGroat]

thank you for all the alternative ideas i'm gonna go have fun with them !!

[@Brandon55638]

My favorite chord progressions are: D-E-C (IV-V-bIII in A major, which is kind of a weird modal interchange) D-E-F-G-A (the IV and V chords followed by the "Mario" cadence in A major) B-A-G-F (four major chords descending by M2) I-IVm6-I-IVm6 (in any key) G#m9-G with added 9 and #11 and Fm11-Emaj7#11 and its variant (Cm7b13-Emaj7#11).

[@stephenweigel]

Weird that you uploaded this today, because I was just talking about this progression with my co-workers! And I like all of the different versions you tried out. Don't think the Dorian version is very common. Generally, I think of any subset of i - bVII - bVI - V as 'counting' as part of the Andalusian cadence. The most common variations of it use a major i chord (I) or minor V (v). And I often go so far as to say that bVII - i (using the b7 to cadence) evokes it, because it's so opposed to Western common practice tactics. The usage of parallel fifths is also defining for the progression (I think you touched on it enough, I just wanted to emphasize it)! Yet another reason why it doesn't fit into Western common-practice period theory. I would even argue that it's just as prevalent in modern popular music as chord progressions from Western common practice.

[@classicalessentials9644]

[Megalovania intensifies]

[@YourAverageLink]

I thought that was I bVII IV bVI bVII

[@alt9819]

Classical Essentials Eridens theme

[@nanamacapagal8342]

Close but not quite That's D C G/B Bb C i bVII IV bVI bVII There's a ton of other songs that are based off of the variants he discussed EXO - Tempo uses i bvii bVI V I Will Survive uses i bVI bVII bIII bVI ii°7 V V7 Alapaap uses I ii iii IV We Are Number One uses i bVI V Etc.

[@LagAttacktoSlay]

XD but no.

[@2li678]

To echo others, I think analyzing it as iv-III-II-I is more accurate for Flamenco. Flamenco tends to use phrygian AND phrygian dominant in parallel, so the tonic chord is major (phrygian dominant). The music tends to resolve on that chord, too, and does not bounce back to the iv.

[@vidiac2012]

Ok but what about favorite chord change? Mine is I maj to III minor, it's just so sad and cool

[@jesusm7728]

If you ever leave me babyyyy 🎶 Leave some morphine at my door 🎶

[@cmarley314]

Mine is vi-IV-I-V. Or Am, F, C, G in note terms.

[@GelidGanef]

I really like moving between major chords a whole tone apart. Kind of non-functional, but similar enough to a few normal subdominant moves that it doesn't sound unnatural. Really shines if you just move back and forth a few times. That non-functionality gives the move a kind of introverted quality that makes it a comfortable place to linger, but it also steals your sense of which chord is supposed to be the home key. And since you don't know which is home, you don't even know which mode you're in. The lower chord makes the higher chord sound like the maj II in a Lydian scale, the brightest and most overextended chord in the scale. Meanwhile the higher chord makes the lower chord sound like it's the maj bVII to its mixolydian scale. Which, to me at least, is about the mournfulest a straight major chord is capable of sounding. "Anyone who knows what love is," opens with that see-sawing chord change, evoking both the ecstasy of being in love and the corresponding vulnerability to being hurt by the one you love.

[@carlosperezdelema]

I like ii to vi to iii, all minor.

[@carlosperezdelema]

Well i guess if it's all minor I should think in the minor scale so iv to i to v

[@Torthrodhel]

My favourite cadence, I don't know the names of cadences but it's a fairly common one, is the one that uses phrygian and goes 1 minor (or sometimes major) / 2 (flat) major / 3 major. Very simple and very effective. If you take a fourth "ghost" chord of the 4 minor as implied, in a way it could be seen as a reverse of the andalusian cadence going up it rather than down it (just whilst omitting the key chord). Indeed, some songs that make strong use of it play it that exact way - I've recently been getting into Alice in Chains and they use it a lot, with particularly their song Sludge Factory milking it in the verses and resolving to the implied other-key in the chorus. In my own work, I have constructed an album of songs around playing with it, and each one uses it in some kind of way key to how the song feels. I really love it, there's so much you can do with it.

[@Snommelp]

I just had an epiphany this morning and I'm kicking myself for not noticing sooner. This is the same chord progression used in 16 Tons. I think the reason I didn't notice before is because 16 Tons sounds so American to me that I couldn't wrap my head around it using a chord progression that usually sounds incredibly Spanish. I guess it's all in how you use it.

[@Snommelp]

Or I guess more accurately, it's used (twice) in the A section of the full 16-bar progression. I'm not positive what the B section is, but it's not the Andalusian Cadence.

[@elitemation]

same

[@TypingHazard]

There was a video game called Zoop that used this cadence but it had a unique variation where every other measure it would play a C major in place of the F major, and this video reminded me of that. Not sure whether to thank you or curse you for reminding me of Zoop, but whatever :]

[@Shawnwtf]

I can't get over how this chord progression was used in the music of blasphemous. Great job Carlos Viola

[@knup127]

For an opposite, how about Phish's "Tweezer Reprise"? That strikes me as a very cool, ascending variant of the the Andalusian cadence. It has one borrowed chord (a bIII, C major, if you were to analyze the progression as A mixolydian), and kinda of plays tricks with the ear by setting up satisfying resolutions without a sense of finality. Also, it lends itself to voice-leading that nearly constantly ascends, whilst resolving. The most beautiful quality is that as it resolves it propels the music forward, adding energy with every repetition. Fun stuff.