THAT chord progression and the only FOUR alternatives that really work

'How To Write Music' takes you through the whole process from inspiration to final piece. Award-winning composer Guy Michelmore outlines a systematic, straight forward approach to writing music. It gives you a structure and a workflow. So if you are struggling with how to write better tunes, or how to write a chord progression, how to finish a tune, any of these really common problems for anyone writing music, this guide will get you started.
Getting Started With Music Theory: Free course!
A brand new mini-series, teaching you the basics of music theory.
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[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Getting Started With Music Theory: Free course! A brand new mini-series, teaching you the basics of music theory. Sign up here: thinkspaceeducation.com/signup/getting-started-with-music-theory/

[@NullCreativityMusic]

The music teacher that we wanted in high school but didn't get!

[@sereanaduwai8313]

Absolutely.

[@iliatilev]

We didn't have music in my high school.. 😢

[@pinkponyofprey1965]

Oh, man, the memories of music in school just hurts! :(

[@PB72UK]

Both my main schools .. had music teachers that sucked ass.. (hope they are reading this) which is a shame because I'd have loved to learn music back then... But it's never too late!!

Most high-school music teachers took the only job they were possibly qualified to do. Those qualifications did not include personality, enthusiasm or the ability to motivate.

[@samlee2562]

the progressions that don't end on a 4 or 5 chord tend to sound unresolved and are therefore potentially useful for a pre-chorus or bridge or a song that's supposed to sound unresolved 😉

[@tristanbach4421]

I was thinking the exact same thing. And 6, 5, 4, 1 sounds like the end of a song.

[@TheWorld_2099]

Sam Lee - that’s exactly right..! After three patterns of four, you switch it up and go to the minor, and that’s a great transition to a different section.

[@jamg6311]

Good point!

[@davidpetersonharvey]

@@tristanbach4421 right, the plagal cadence is totally acceptable, even though the perfect authentic cadence gives a stronger sense of resolution and finality. Wouldn't music be boring if we always did things the same way?

[@megapolice1280]

On 4 or 5 only in functional harmony. In modal , "cadances" placed not only at 4th or 5th step

[@tfmarketing12]

Parents, if at all possible, give your children the gift of music. Your kids might find music lessons boring and tiresome at times, but they'll appreciate it when they get older. I wish I had learned this stuff when I was a child. And Mr. Michelmore, thank you for sharing your gift and your knowledge with us. 🙏

[@whoisandrewblack5679]

Checked out when he thought 6154 didn’t quite work. Off the top of my head “Hello”-Adele. Lot of personal interpretation here.

[@Deodouranth]

I think I can make a one-chord song work with Adele though...

[@jadeone]

Thomas Avasol yeah i’m not an adele fan really but she could sing on anything and it would be a lmao

[@danzirvine]

@SunTai its also the chord progression of taio cruz's song dynamite.

[@ChrisDN]

Yea, they all work. I really dislike the phrase, "not viable". It's all about context and how you use them. I often worry that some people--particularly beginners--will take these kinds of video as fact.

[@gepvpr]

but it is fact, at the same time it isnt

[@TheWorld_2099]

Chris Norris - agreed, absolutely. Guidance is good, dogma isn’t. I am not implying that the composer in the video is being dogmatic, I’m speaking generally.

[@jamg6311]

Agreed and what happens when you pair it with another combination but resolve it before you get back to the start.

[@timeWaster76]

This kind of analysis is stifling

[@davidpetersonharvey]

Right, because he's auditioning them in root position only and you get a different flavor using inversions to keep your cord times closer together. I imagine many of the others would be very useful if we didn't have the parallel fifth movement dragging them down.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

- LEARN MUSIC THEORY - Hi everyone - just want to let you know about our course, Learn Music Theory. Quick, practical and fun, it takes you from square one through to more advanced topics like modes and chromatic harmony. 9 hours of video, quizzes, course text and much more. Check it out here: thinkspaceeducation.com/courses/lmt/

[@LEAVEtheLIGHTon]

Enjoying the course alot ,fell off the cliff when I got to Chapter 7 but Im crawling back up to the top again.Thanks for putting the course together

[@aleccraig7283]

They all work

[@synthartist69]

Many of the progressions that Don't Work for you actually do work when you combine those with progressions that Do Work for you.

[@TheWorld_2099]

synthartist69 - haha...! Well there it is: Chords that do and don’t ‘work for you’

[@rickeyjones729]

That's the biggest part of music that should be taught were trying to find u..... and how u make it work there just concepts u can create so much when u take away the can't a d just play.

[@digitig]

His point is about sequences that work in a loop. Lots of them work of they're moving you to somewhere else.

[@ALLMIGHTSTUDIO]

The progression IV - V - I - VI its a good idea when you substitute the I chord with the III and add the minor seven to the V and you have: IV - V7 - III - VI Hundred of J-pop music its based on this progression and you, if want, can alterate, substitute or color some chord. But I think this progression is rare nowdays in the western Pop music. Another funny progression its: I - V - V/VI - VI - II/IV - I - IV - IVm Is another super common in the J-pop style and I think all of this progression its based on the concept of the alternative IV - V - I - VI that you have rejected. Thanks for all your videos, you are awesome!

[@JeiShian]

Thank you for the interesting post :)

[@ALLMIGHTSTUDIO]

@@JeiShian not at all!

[@YVZSTUDIOS]

That's interesting! :D I knew about the IV - V7 - III - VI progression but wondered if it only works in a Major key? Is there some sort of a equivalent progression for something in a Minor Key? because not all J-pop songs are written in Major, right? And what does V/VI or II/IV mean?

[@ALLMIGHTSTUDIO]

@@YVZSTUDIOS Yeah, its working in the minor key, it is: VI - VII - V - I If in C major we have: IV - V - III - VI in the A minor (relative minor of C) we Have: VI - VII - V - I But basically share the same chord: F - G - Em - Am This concept its for all key. V/VI mean V grade of the VI grade of the key of the song or the key in that portion of the song. Is complicated at the begin, this concept is called: "secondary dominant". Any chord can be preceded by a dominant, in this case if we are in the C major tonality the V of VI mean: E7 Because E7 is the dominant of Am, the VI grade of C major tonality. This is for all key and relative minor. Sorry for my poor english and not very didatic but i'm Italian and this kind of arguments aren't simple to transpose.

[@craigsusen5551]

I can literally watch you do stuff like this all day. Carry on please.

[@Ultima2876]

“This doesn’t work” 1 4 5 6. Tell that to the Trance people who use that progression in EVERY TRACK

[@domwujek8900]

They wont listen

[@mehcustom24]

yeah dude there are so many of these that apparently aren't "viable", but are used in so many top 40 and EDM tracks.

[@sayyyyid]

@@mehcustom24 you right in fact it sounds like EVERY prog house song ever lmao

[@shanefiddle]

lol!

[@32herz]

:D I picked up that to, "the EDM Progression"

[@alfredtherien7791]

1564 is actually a (very slightly) modified version of the oldest sequence in the book, 1514-also in the form 1415. It was used extensively from the very beginning of the Baroque period, and on through the Classical and Romantic styles. It’s also been ubiquitous in Folk music as well as Country music. It basically consists of an oscillation between the tonic (I), the dominant (V), and the subdominant (IV). The 6 is actually a substitute for the 1. You might visualize it as: I V7 I6 IV.

[@robertbarner7626]

Some of the ones you didn't like I I thought would work great. Probably depends upon the genre of though too. I could hear them in Future Bass music, which can sound kind of random sometimes. Great video for when I get stuck for a chord progression!

[@whackoization]

Actually I look at these progressions in a different way maybe because I'm a studio producer but for me I see progressions for different purposes. Some progressions are perfect for intros, verses, bridges, choruses and outros.

[@producermz5694]

There's nothing quite like ending my day listening to an educated, well spoken and kind individual exploring the fundamentals of music. Thank you sincerely for sharing your perspectives and experience.

[@andrewcath4615]

6154 was the quintessential sound of top 40 edm a few years back

[@MarkPetrieMusic]

Great video! A lot of the progressions you’re rejecting actually sound amazing with inversions and modified chords (sus4, 9s)

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

yes but its interesting to look at it stripped down -no inversions or sus 4s

[@daviddelayat-dnapictures]

You're right ! My prefered ones are those ones !

[@banterbanter]

Great video thanks but please dial back the massive 4 second cathedral reverb :) On headphones anyway its killing me haha

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

@@banterbanter What reverrrrrrrrrrrrrbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb?

[@TheMentalblockrock]

Yes, inversion will make them work.

[@DopamineOverload]

Love every second of your videos. Utter brilliance, and useful info. Completely.

[@MacroMihir]

When I saw the title of the video on my homepage, I knew it. "Oh yeah... THAT one." I clicked, and I was correct.

[@facteurkaloun]

Great ! I'm litterally falling in love with this channel. I wish i could have such a teacher when i was at school. He proves that teaching music theory is not bound to be boring. Thank you very much. I am considering to buy the online course next month. Never too late to learn :)

[@ThomasCorfield]

Another great video, Guy. Thank you. "The 50s one": I remember my music teacher describing it as the "ice-cream change", presumably because of teenagers hanging out at ice-cream parlours.

[@farley333]

The stepwise thing can work if you use inversions and melodically play with the bass a bit. :)

[@thebassist122]

My thoughts exactly.... also could be cool with extensions and subs.

[@simonvanroij4182]

Yeah also I love the I IV V vi progression just not the way he played it

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I'm working on a progression now, that I like, but just can't get a melody around....so frustrating. Saw this, and though why not change the order a bit and see how it sounds. Thank you.

[@juancarlosarias6550]

To all the people criticizing the rejection of some of the chord progressions shown, it is obvious that each and everyone of them may work, provided the rest of the elements regarding composition and style are appropriate, and that there are many successful songs based on them, but it is equally obvious that he is sharing his thoughts about the ones he likes the most, and I find it most interesting and enjoyable. Thanks, Guy. Great job!

[@Choral-Tenor]

Well, you never get to the "why"... So, here's a couple of thoughts on that. 1. Those four chords give you all the notes in the scale, so there's no ambiguity about the key (you don't need the vi chord for this) 2. You get more major chords than minor (3 to 1), so there's no doubt about the sonority. Contrast ii-iii-viiº-vi. 3. You have a I! ...and a resolution back to I. And you don't feel the resolution is too strong, because it's plagal rather than authentic. Leave out the I and you don't have this problem (vi-viiº-V-IV, for example) 4. The vi chord functions like a deceptive cadence, saving you from I V I, which might feel too cadential to keep repeating. So why is it that you accept vi-IV-I-V but not IV-I-V-vi or V-vi-IV-I (well, you changed your mind about that one)? I think it might be because you're thinking in four-measure phrases in 4/4 time. Why does that matter? Because the relative strength of the beats of the 4/4 measure is paralleled by the stronger and weaker bars in the four-bar phrase. This helps to reduce the impact of the V and IV chords in the cycles you prefer, while increasing their impact in the cycles you don't favour. That doesn't explain vi-I-V-IV, but that was "yes and no". I'm not too keen on I-V-IV-vi (retrograde) but it's quite nice as I-viiº-IV-vi... (retrograde with substitute dominant function).

[@CR1992..]

They all work just fine, and it's all about the rythm and tempo.

[@raykellfoster8461]

You my friend..... are a Beast ! Loved this ! :) quite fun !

[@rodterrell304]

I am so glad I found your channel because as an older musician/composer ,its good to see someone that knows DAW that I can relate to. I see you are using Cubase and I've started using it also. Thanks for the great tips and ideas.

[@chrisjung5952]

Just discovered your channel and I quite enjoy it. I’ve been plinking around for years on keyboards without the vocabulary and theory to understand music properly. I find your approach understandable and fun. Keep up the great work!

[@andrewsmith9440]

"6514, mehish" lol. You are a terrific and fun teacher! You make learning music theory fun and memorable. Thank you!

[@capthook1]

Thank you, great vid! Don’t forget the many different contexts in which these progressions can be applied. The different sequences can be used for different types of cadences and also build ups, and then that unresolved feeling can work perfectly.

[@andycordy5190]

I'm comfortable with borrowing here and there to get what I want from a line, either musically or lyrically, something I've heard in many songs I admire. Thanks to your videos, I've taught myself to manage a chord progression as it spills over into the next line, borrowing accordingly without breaking into complex time signatures which my little brain can't handle. So the expected four chord chain becomes a five, followed by a three and I have used the next near diatonic chords to subvert the expectation in a familiar sequence. Your video on inversions has helped enormously with that.

[@joecantdance494]

This... Is... Amazing.

[@CraigDG]

You're delivery is fun, random and ad lib and I love it. Glad I found this channel. Throughout my songwriting career which has spanned approx 38 years, I have more often than not tried to avoid this chord progression, simply because I prefer to write complex pop melodies away from the predictable, but that still work melodically. I really don't pull any influence at all from the 50s or 60s, or twelve bar blues music, which I guess is why my style is a little left of centre. Having said that, my personal listening taste does mean toward easy to listen to pop and ballads from the 70s and 80s. When all is said and done you can write a shitload of variations of melody from the norm f you really spend quality time on your songs. And this is always my aim when writing a new work..

[@danabarnes4751]

Brilliant as always. Don't be afraid to pedal those chords with whatever.

[@aljamesproductions]

The reason these chords are so popular is historical songwriters are afraid to step out of the winning sequence, which I get. Hit Songs on radio why break the formula? But you have bands like prefab sprout who write great tunes for the sake of making great music that breaks moulds. Great video. Love your work.

[@paolomaggi8188]

You are a really a fantastic music teacher! Thank you !!!!

[@llillian4055]

Love or hate his opinions on what works ... playing with a set of chords systematically to find the sets YOU like really does work. :)

[@extremefocus7985]

Guy's methodology is overlooked by the negative reviewers; conceptualize all possible combinations of the most used chord intervals - then, choose the progressions you like. Why criticize Guy's results, when your results will be different using the same process? Anarchist are everywhere! They want to destroy the past constructions, so no one can compare, or criticize, their failed attempts to live in a world without logic! Why ignore the works of the masters who succeeded?

[@stevenpratt6986]

I've been meaning to get around to exactly this experiment, thanks for doing a great job on it. New sub!

[@michellessard7047]

Awesome instruction 😊 ,thank you so much ! 😊👍👍💖

[@7775Kevin]

Love your videos. Thanks for this one!

[@markyboyz1300]

still the loveliest man on the internet

[@DaveLitten]

excellent teacher and tutorial - the key here is writing better tunes and Guy gives us the better sequences - 1564, 1546, 1465, 6154, 6514, and 6415...don't be too pedantic on his opinions of what "don't work for him'...I guess if Guy called this "the most accessible versions" or some-such you would all be happy... 10/10 for education Guy - keep 'em coming...

[@stuffnuns]

Thanks for this. I have to mention your wonderful music room. Beautiful with all the glass and greenery outside. Perhaps not practical for recording live instruments with all the reflective surfaces, but, beautiful nonetheless.

[@MarioLucianAndreano]

I honestly give a Like to every video from this channel already from the intro...I have no doubt the rest will be good

[@jonathanredman8497]

It just clicked - you're Guy Michelmore. Great energy in your videos.

[@glenben92]

i'd love this as a series

[@AmberlightES]

They all work! Its a matter of preference and their application.

[@cowboyflipflopped]

Thanks for this! I wonder if you'd be interested in making a video that explores substitutions, such as swapping a minor for a major chord, or the double dominant for the dominant, or adding 7ths, or diminished, or augmented chords.

[@Alpha_7227]

Trouble with alot of music written today it's just in major and minor.

[@protiliusproductions]

Watches all these cool progressions in awe... Eyes bulge as host says “I don’t really like that.” “I’ll take that MIDI if you’re not interested. Every song needs a good bridge.” (Chuckles.)

[@VintageMusicGearTV]

Thanks for sharing going off to write a song very inspiring thanks

[@Vissepisse11]

Watched 7 minutes yesterday and spent some 70+ minutes today engaging in this very clever musical practice / listening exercise!

[@mastropicalofficial8552]

6514 is the late 2000’s Dr Luke favorite (Dynamite, Perry, Kesha). Funny how some you feel arent OK are David Guetta et al progressions!!!

[@iqi616]

Really this is just a challenge to us to write hits around the "meh" ones!

[@mvh2275]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing

[@richardliew2725]

Very good 👍 Sir I have learned something senseable hello from Malaysia

[@TrollsAndScrolls]

*The moment when you love every chord sequence that actually does not work for him LOL*

[@NiklasAhlstedtOfficial]

So true 😂😂

[@vikingwolf1544]

awesome thank you, a 9 min video explains yrs of my music theory great job.....

[@anton.vechakes]

I’m from Russia and your accent is real pleasure for my ears. No cockney😄 And of course your style of talking and thinking is so attractable. Thank you just for the fact that you are exist😁👍

[@joey4track]

New video from Guy makes me a happy guy

[@davemilnes1147]

Of course, the pedant in me wants to point out you can't really have 'four' alternatives...but the rest of me wants to say how much I enjoy your videos!

[@louisphilippemusic]

Thanks for this video , i really love this channel , its help me understand better about music theory

[@Devr0ss]

Thanks for all the amazing content. This video was great, but I would like to know what you are doing with your left hand to get such nice sounding full chords and a little ornamentation as well. I play along to all of this with just triads on the right hand and I am trying to learn how to use my left hand. I also noticed you sometimes play the second part of the number sequence lower rather than higher than the 1, makes a big dif. Thanks!

[@slsweetland21]

Loved the demonstration, but was oddly more interested in trying to figure out how you were playing the progressions. The fancy bits between chords sound lovely 😅

[@e.p.g9572]

I want to be like u when i grow up. Great video!

[@LindaMissad]

Interesting. Never thought about taking one chord progression and twisting it into it's many variations. thanks for the video.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

You're welcome :)

[@crabflag]

I like this guy. He is fun and talented. I feel like he could discuss music in depth all day.

[@jimmy2minutes]

Im new to the piano and the Penny just dropped. Wow. At first I was not sure at all what was going on. Then tested it out and l was right. I'm gobsmacked. Thanks.

[@jaredlane29]

This is a good way to use that chord progression without sounding cliché or rushed. Plus, when you add some passing chords or spicy V7's it can sound super cool, but you still have the familiar I-V-iv-IV sound. Also, your reactions to bad chords progressions are priceless!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

You could go to town with inversions and a lot of the others would work - I might have been a bit dismissive about some of them!

[@jaredlane29]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation Thanks for the video!

[@jossua7524]

I love stepwise mouvement progression sound very smooth to me

[@bazz30001]

I can't play a Triangle, but remember Guy from the tv, and find this strangely compelling.

[@markjackson2924]

all my progressions always start on 1 or 6 and this makes me feel better about it

[@raphaelkasongo8377]

4 works too. or even 2. See it as a sub. 2 can sub 4 in a progression and 6 can sub 1. You should try it xD

[@JohnFRodgers]

Some of the alternate progressions might not work well as a repeating loop, but they can be used to create the desire to resolve to a particular chord. These less-than-ideal progressions can be used to powerful effect in a pre-chorus or bridge, to draw extra emphasis to the coming chorus or next bridge.

[@TheOutofBodyExperience]

Been writing a song with 4615 and I love it.

[@HealthyBodyForLife]

Dude. I stopped the video at 0:23 to see if I knew where this was going. My mind is blown. Thank You!!!

[@jeffrey322]

All of the sequences you say no to are excellent as transitions or endings, however. Thank you for going thru these!

[@TomyKuss]

Thanks very much. This was really inspiring! Is there a comparable progression in minor?

[@frankwagner2161]

Interesting look into how the 4 chords could be used...thank -you

[@AtixaOfficial]

Thank you, good information, helped me to understand chords and how they work better! :)

[@rexel666]

I forgot to mention the most important point which is: Are weak root progressions bad and should they be avoided? The answer is no. Weak root progressions are okay, as long as they are used between a strong and a weak metrical accent, not between a weak and a strong metrical accent. Consider, for example, the chord progression; [I - iii] [IV - V] This progression of chords is perfectly acceptable, even though it contains the weak root progression of a rising third (I - iii) because this weak root progression is used, strong-to-weak. The following chord progression, however, is bad: [I - IV] [vi - ii] Because the weak root progression of a rising third (IV - vi) is used, weak-to-strong.

[@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe]

8:06 What do you mean that doesn't work??! That's literally Tracy Chapman's Fast Cars lol

[@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe]

@@ChessmasterHex Lol? Firstly it's in A Major (not that the key is relevant). Secondly if you're in G the chords are Cmaj7 -> G -> Em7-> D (IV - I - VI - V). So no you're not even close, try using your ears next time. EDIT: Poster deleted their comment so for context this is what it said: "Fast Car is a 6,3,1,7 in the key of E minor so no not even close."

[@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe]

@@ChessmasterHex Those are the chords for G. If you're in A they're D -> A -> F♯m -> E, same relationship.

[@ChessmasterHex]

@@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe Ok my dumb brain always always looks at keys from a minor point of view because that's how I learned guitar, it's common to learn minor pentatonic scale first so I was seeing it as E minor and not G major. Curse you relative minor :(

[@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe]

@@ChessmasterHex Haha, no worries mate! I'm not too hot on music theory myself, you had me questioning my ears for a second there.

[@TheWorld_2099]

ChessmasterHex - wow, awesome of you to come back and acknowledge that. It’s so interesting how we learn and hear things, and sometimes when you think you have it “backwards“ you come up with something new and original.

[@tonymurphy2624]

1654 is a lovely bridge. You wouldn't want to live there, but it's wonderful for transitions.

[@Palomo747]

If he changed the voicing of the chord for some of the sequences, they would sound better

[@BrokTheLoneWolf]

They all sound great.

[@gregt4202]

Love your videos! I agree with your findings, but sometimes an interesting melody can be teased out of those "ho-hum" chord progressions. Or a small change to Emin in lieu of Amin can evoke a very pleasing sequence.

[@WillayG]

I thought so too. Actually more than half of them kinda worked for me.

[@MildredStain]

I love these kinds of analyses. I will sometime chart out my options too. What I also like to do with these common changes is play with the base set by swapping out alternate chords. Like swap a C maj for and Amin or Emin to see if it works in the context of the change. It's turned quite a few not so good changes into something interesting and usable.

[@StephenOlner]

What an awesome lesson and the enthusiasm was inspiring !

[@mymockumentary9716]

nice explanation and thanks for your upbeat personality :)

[@gwynevans6088]

Hi Guy great stuff love your energy and videos. :)

[@garyreidmusic]

Well, it's time to write 4 or 5 songs, innit? This vid got me subbed.

[@PerezBroz-p5o]

I agreed with everything you said which makes me think that music is something inherent.

[@christiaantinga]

Some "don'ts" could be a "yes" at some point in a phrase, maybe. Especially when you intend to go to another key :)

[@GavinMorris1]

1 6 5 4 for example is a great 'joiner upper.'

[@christiaantinga]

@@GavinMorris1 In so many ways. Agree :)

[@burtcocain1986]

I don't know man - great vid by the way - I think a lot of those "step-wise" progressions sound like a Billy Joel B-section. So you might have one of your "viable" progressions for a couple of bars, then a stepwise one, back to the original. So an AABA into a chorus. Really inspiring though. Subbed!

[@derekfernandez7701]

4:50 6541 - But I like this one! At the end of a phrase maybe? (don't know music terms sorry!) I really appreciate how you went through them all so we could hear them! Love this! ❤️ PS Part of the reason I clicked your video was your choice of font! Lovely! 😊

[@quadaptation9605]

Once the vocals come in the most of these chord progressions could work and be used to bridge or pre chorus.

[@vivektyagi6848]

As a newbie the experimentation exercise just widened my horizon. Thanks.

[@futureshock7425]

Now try it in all the different inversions!

[@yuxuanng6760]

6451 is used in the latest BTS DYAMITE song thanks for the useful theory lessons! really helps a lot!!

[@disneyfamily5158]

Just wonderful on so many levels Guy, thank you! Do you have any videos that show the software side of things? What you use, tutorials, etc?

[@iansouthward7991]

You have behind you the makings of what would be my perfect man-cave, if I had the space, the wife who wasnt uptight about clutter and the collection would need a DX7 and Juno somewhere, Sadly 6 guitars and a Yamaha keyboard is all I can have in a small apartment.... I just love the sound of that sequence