Why Does This BAROQUE Chord Progression Sound SO GOOD On Guitar?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

There is an ulterior "secret" to this chord progression that I do not reveal in this video... I want to see how many will figure it out by themselves. HINT: ask yourself, "why this chord progression flows so well?"

[@robcerasuolo9207]

I'm going to guess that you're talking about voice leading. It looks like every chord change involves changing two of the three notes, which helps tie any two adjacent chords together. Also, with some roots, you may play it as its normal triad at one point, or its 6/5 at another point; so, while most root notes get repeated, we don't hear the same chord, and the fingering may also be different enough to add to that effect.

[@johnmac8084]

The top & middle voices descend throughout the progression?

[@marioreznik3654]

You played it on an electric viola da gamba whilst sipping wine made from grapes in your vinyard?

[@christopherheckman7957]

I'd say that Rob and John have each got a piece of it. Both of those observations mean you are resolving a dissonance the way that Classical music/Music Theory recommend (by stepping down a second).

[@sislaneydillanomore2803]

the 2-3 suspension chain in top two voices

[@rudigerk]

It's basically a descending fifths sequence ending on an imperfect Cadence. Instead of only playing Root Notes in the Bass you interchange them with Thirds.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Yup. That's the "ulterior secret" I'm alluding to in the pinned comment. I'm glad some people are figuring it out!

[@smith8281]

First inversions

[@sitarnut]

Dude.. You are a bad "Mamma Jamma" Wonderful lesson..many blessings!

[@LeFisheAuChocolat362]

This sounds amazing and you explain it so well. Please do more analysis of baroque composition techniques!!!

[@monasticphil5658]

Beautiful chord progression.Interesting every other note is the andalucian prog . thanks man

[@Pablo-ft6un]

thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Really great. and also enjoyed your extra riddle onthe diatonic chord progression.

[@Nickshreds890]

Thank you so much !! I really like these chord progressions, and I'm fond of classical music and neoclasical metal too ! 😊

[@hglundahl]

1:15 Ah, the Neapolitan school! Now we know why it sounds so good. Buon Natale!

[@Bubba-zu6yr]

Excellent realization! Thank you!

[@thedebatehitman]

These kinds of videos give me so much inspiration and so many ideas. Thank you!

[@sevapaco]

Estaba deseando que volvieras a la pizarra, un saludo maestro!

[@Dman85612]

The vihuela and the lute , both predecessors of the guitar , had composers that used these sequences in the late Renaissance . Being predecessors of the guitar , this is why these progressions sound so good on the guitar and have been used in pop, jazz, rock, etc. they are pleasing to the ear in their tension and release .

[@zecalimazeca]

WOW, in 2 minutes of content all I wanna do is subscribe, comment, like etc. THANK YOU . Greetings from Brazil

[@GaveMeGrace1]

Wonderful! Thank you-Mille Gracie!

[@chrisk3754]

Very cool thanks for the concept.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Great material and presentation Tommaso - Thank you for sharing ! All the best in 2023 - John

[@davidpetersonharvey]

Another winner of a video! Thanks! I'm going to use this in a piece I just started.

[@wchphoto]

Thank you! That was fun. I like voice-leading exercises.

[@edgarsnake2857]

Very nice. Thanks for the insight on a beautiful progression. Happy New Year!

[@jameserenberger3425]

Please, please, please do more partimento/figured bass for guitar. I want to learn to improvise this way, but I don't read Italian or Latin.

[@APK-pn4qh]

Sounds fantastic and a really interesting lesson. Thank you!

[@richermorin]

youre such an expert love it and happy holidays to you

[@othelloo8354]

This is sublime beauty. I will definitely steal these ideas 😂

[@davecarey2816]

A circle in a spiral, a wheel within a wheel. Have heard snippets of this sequence in many contemporary songs. Thanks Tommaso, can't wait to get home & try it ❤️

[@granaff]

Great video, thankyou

[@aspirativemusicproduction2135]

Always great content.

[@hans-peterjoachim7489]

This is absolute gold. Thank you

[@leaharrington4472]

First, I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side, But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong And I grew strong… 😁

[@rosiefay7283]

The falling leaves drift by my window...

[@Davey3]

🎶 and now your back from outer space 🎶

[@baschdiro8565]

This chord progression reminds me on the Nazgul theme in Lord of the Rings.

[@bigbasil1908]

You are going to start hearing it in so many things now lol

[@seanandben]

A really great lesson Tomasso, with some lovely chord voicings and ideas. I personally prefer the minor approach but that's just my own taste, and using the "65" voicings over the root notes sounds really nice to my ears. It seems to me that you're replacing the root of the chords with the third as you descend, which is a lovely effect.

[@timbeaton5045]

It's basically a cycle of 5ths/4ths depending on which way you look at it. Just with different inversions.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

yup

[@timbeaton5045]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar Another classic example is "I Will Survive" which is nothing but a cycle like this. And much of Michel Legrand, too.

[@DiogoJordan]

Hi. Those 6/5 chords and the other ones like them are writen in figured bass. So they're still chords without extensions, but in different inversions. That F 6/5 would be a FMaj7 chord in first inversion (A, C, E, F). The 6/5 represents the interval to the bass of the chord, from the top down (the F is a 6th up from A, the E is a 5th up from A). The 3 is expected, so it's not notated. It would just be redundant to call it a 6/5/3 chord.

[@geoffpetty1023]

Really brilliantly useful! I've just found out how to like one of your videos, I've enjoyed a lot of others, thank you so much!!

[@jacebastian7192]

BEAUTIFUL chord progressions, and a really great idea! I'm definitely going to be stealing it. :) Thanks for sharing!

[@domenicosorrentino1972]

Complimenti sarebbe bello un intero corso del genere.

[@sitearm]

music history fun w. MTG - ty for posting!

[@stthbldt3594]

Thanks as always! (even if that bright white background is akin to staring at the sun)

[@awol2602]

very beautiful voicings

[@mikedavis7636]

I thought I heard that sequence of notes before. And it bears a striking similarity to the opening overture to Handel's Messiah.

[@thomaswalker8790]

Super melodic with a touch of magic. Great 👍 keep on keeping on. Ciao for now!!?

[@AmarGuerfiContreras]

Very good material. Thanks a lot

[@yakzivz1104]

this sounds cool!!

[@NedJeffery]

A "65 chord" is basically just a minor 7 in 2nd inversion. So in this situation when you start on the root, then go down a third to the 6th (as a 65 chord), it's kinda like going up to the 4th instead.

[@mirllewist3086]

Lovely!

[@josrodsedre5142]

Potentially stupid question but after watching the video twice I still don’t get how “down a third, up a whole step” results in A F G E F D E? Is it down a major third or down a minor third? Because A to F is 4 half steps down and G to E is 3 half steps down -unless I’m counting wrong?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

You're counting right. In the video, I mean "down a third, up a step" IN THE SCALE. So it can be down either a major or minor 3rd, and I pick the one that gives me a note in the scale.

[@josrodsedre5142]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar Oooh OK! Thank you!

[@christopherheckman7957]

At around 2:10, when you wrote "Fenaroli", I suspected it had to do with Galant schemata. And in fact, John A. Rice dubbed it "Down-A-Third, Up-A-Second" in one of his research papers. ( For those who are reading this comment, Tommaso did a video on the Romanesca, which is another Galant schema: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap7MimyQrd12Zrs ) 9:00 or use HEX FUZZ!

[@bluetv6386]

Instant FOCUS....

[@vicmorrison8128]

Very nice......

[@wulfenii64]

You really broke the mood when you came in after the intro. 😉

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)

[@GBPaddling]

Sounds eerily similar to 'Shape of my heart' by Sting?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

There is a similar cadence at the end, but the rest of the progression is different.

[@mikefoo6842]

I thought so too. There is a similarity in the flavour/sound. Apparently Miller was working on some Classical (Baroque?) stuff when he came up with the sequence.

[@radiozelaza]

Big In Japan

[@randydean23]

For some reason I kept hearing the intro to that Dusty Springfield JAM about "if I said I needed you.... you don't have to say you love me just be close at hand.." believe me?? Is that the title?? In any case definitely not a bad thing. If I has to guess sounds like a Bacharach composition?? But great song irrespective of composer. Btw _ have you seen that Adam Neely video about citation as opposed to intellectual property?? If so I wonder what your thoughts might be??

[@andreaadamo8830]

your italian is perfect

[@777excel1]

muy bueno

[@antonadhitama2778]

Like the first version

[@mikefoo6842]

The flavour sounds like Shape Of My Heart by Sting/Dominic Miller. Is there any similarity?

[@thegreatdestroyer6506]

There are a bunch of songs that have this progression, or very similar to it. "Big in Japan" by Alphaville, "I will survive" Gloria Gaynor, just to name two.

[@stm113]

Just curious but why did you choose the 6/5 chord for the 3rd down movement? I am a rock guy so most of my writing is power chords but i want to start expanding my palette with some different chords. I grasp (loosely) the construction of the chords but when and how to use them is blurry to me at best.

[@shubhamkhare7]

How to decide when to go back a major third or a minor third? I'm so confused. The pattern I could figure out is, if the chord has a major third, then go back a minor third and vice versa. Also, the chord is determined by the old trusty major or minor scale degree pattern.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Simply stay in the scale

[@shubhamkhare7]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar ohh...now I get it. Thank you so much for the reply. I've learned a lot over the years from your channel. Your work is literally astounding and easy to grasp.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

@@shubhamkhare7 Thanks!

[@marioreznik3654]

Interestingly, even in major, the neutral 65 chords had a minor feel, giving the whole progression a non major character....or do I have excess wax in my ears?

[@robritoboy]

Could this be considered the first Mathcore? It reminds me a little of a sequence in Mastodon's Blood And Thunder, which is a powerchord that repeatedly goes up a tritone and down a minor third. I'm not sure if that's the definition of Mathcore, and it's tritone's so not hugely harmonic but it matches the song. Maybe mathcore does something weird to your brain, Christian Bale was listening to Mastodon while doing his market calculations in 'The Big Short'. Don't know, I think it makes you think logically for some weird reason.

[@glennpagemusic]

"Song for Europe" by Roxy Music!

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

That song has a different chord progression, but it is in a similar style.

[@glennpagemusic]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar It doesn't have the chord alterations, right? But it is a- F - G - e - F - d - E, I think? 🙂

[@johnrichmond7739]

Because this particular progression is in A minor, I think this would sound sweet and mysterious on a baritone guitar.

[@DjVortex-w]

Not under copyright? You mean there are chord progressions out that that are? Which ones, exactly?

[@carloscastro1122]

Hi, first Comment

[@rodneymcgough9456]

Ok now there is a written harmony progression that reveals certain aspects of your patter: Am Dm7/F G C7/E F Bm7/D Esus E

[@bigbasil1908]

Looks like a bunch of notes from a beatles song

[@bigbasil1908]

I think 'Michelle' is one of those beatles songs. I'll have to dig out my beatles songbook to find more

[@raygoy688]

The Am progression: “It’s A Sin”, Pet Shop Boys?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Not quite, but similar.

[@aldeayeah]

Uhhh baby baby it's a wild world Cat Stevens's Wild World has a variation of this progression in the verse.

[@daveduffy2823]

Sounds like “All The Things You Are”

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Yes. Well... "All the things you are" sounds like this :-)

[@josed65]

Please, could you name the chords of this chord progression?

[@thegreatdestroyer6506]

"Big in Japan" by Alphaville

[@HarlanHarvey76]

😁you left the reverb on your mic😁

[@Alpha_fitz]

Damnit, I thought it said Barbque chord progression.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

New year resolution: invent a new chord progression and call it: "the Barbecue chord progression"

[@zyxyuv1650]

It might confuse people to say a 65 chord "contains the 5th and the 6th of the chord" cause that would be more of an add6. It would help to mention that it's a first inversion 7th chord which includes a 5th and 6th interval up from the bass. There's an easy way for people to learn the 7th inversions: 7, 65, 43, 2 is a perfect sequence for: root position, 1st, 2nd, 3rd inversion.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

All explained in the video linked at 3:45.

[@zyxyuv1650]

​@@MusicTheoryForGuitar I know, I'm just being anal retentive cause you said it had the 6th of the chord. Do you know of any other good music theory channels? I think you have the #1 music theory channel on KZbin. I'm subscribed to almost every possible music theory channel and it's hard to find anything with depth like your channel, there's mostly beginner stuff. I found 8bitMusicTheory, MusicMattersGB, and 12tone are also good.

[@christopherheckman7957]

@@zyxyuv1650 Well, it *does* have the 6th of the chord.

[@zyxyuv1650]

@@christopherheckman7957 It doesn't have the 6th of the chord, it has the root, 5th, 7th of the chord, and in this case no 3rd. Because the chord is in first inversion there's an interval of a 6th up from the bass. Just because a certain interval occurs in a chord voicing it does not determine which degrees of the chord are present.

[@zyxyuv1650]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar See, people are already confused by that, which is why I mentioned it. 😇

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

Is this the chord sequence in that song "Never gonna let you go - Sergio Mendes"?

[@chrisrosencrans]

If it's not baroque don't fix it

[@mikeelliott2736]

A F G E F D E. E to F is only a half step. It should be F# rather than F

[@jonathancapps1103]

I thought you were going to answer the question....

[@glitner]

Almost this entire piece is based on that chord progression kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpTFopegg8x6n6M

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

And a friggin' good execution too!

[@grantharrismusic]

Chord progressions aren’t subject to copyright, ever.

[@mikeelliott2736]

You can't copyright a chord progression

[@mjr2451]

If it ain’t baroque don’t fix it

[@hoidoei941]

Reminds me of Anatu’s song (Matthew) - Bleach kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6LHfmVqdq-VabM

[@matthorne9593]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJmvkIiAl9uDn5ofeature=shared oh man this is one of my favorite songs. i didn't realize i was playing it the first few minutes of leaning this sequence