I’ve learned SO MUCH about songwriting, piano and theory from former Berklee Instructors & Associates on TH-cam for FREeeeeeeeee..that I’m dedicating my first Hit to Berklee and making a Tuition sized donation!
Clear. Meaningful. I knew a lot of this, but you tied it all together perfectly. Take a moment today to feel happy knowing you created a mini masterpiece on this subject and inspired at least one budding songwriter!
Ben, you have successfully condensed what are typically multiple chapters of many songwriting books into one crystal clear video. Respect and many thx!
Wow this is so Great!! I just Write my First Song Text a few months ago and Now i am gonna find the melody. I dont have much knowledge about Musical Theory. But i am so happy i have found this as my First TH-cam Video on the topic. It makes me feel that it is Not Impossible to find my melody to create a Beautiful Song. Great teaching, Thank you so much! I think there is Not much content out on this Topic on yt that is so high quality and well explained 🎉🎉🎉
This seemed so BASIC in the beginning & a bit boring but I held on & HALLELUJAH (!), suddenly it broke my mind open & got to something I was thinking of all along: how the chords 'mirror' the intent of the lyrics at different points in the song. Brilliant Stuff & an easy way to think about it: Home, Departure, Ready to Return & the chord substitutions that 'delay' the real arrival to Home.
Why is this information so hard to find? This is what I have been looking for forever. You have just leveled up my musicianship in one 20-minute video. Thank you.
Such a wonderful way to explain some basic music theory and how it applies to making a song. I wish I’d known this when I first started out. And I wish I’d thought of it when I was teaching! Thank you for your insight. Very helpful!
Best lesson I’ve ever seen on TH-cam! I think there is a void between beginner and intermediate, right where I’m standing currently and this lesson was a solid bridge. A lesson in writing, is a great way to teach theory IMHO Thank you!!!
THE best Video that covers the bases of Chords and their relations I have ever seen. I knew 80% of it by long years of struggle towards that knowledge. But this filled the still existing gaps and explains it plainly and on point.
Such a brilliant lesson thank you! I've watched many a video on Chord progressions but this was by far the best and brought it all together. Question: is the same for a minor key?
Thanks Zen, glad it was helpful. In regards to the minor, the notes are the same but the functions are a little different - so if we're in the key of Am (i) then the iv chord is Dm and the V chord is Em (however we would typically make this dominant - E7) - so the substitutions of Am (i) is C (III - relative major) - the substitution for the Dm (iv) chord is still F, but F is now the VI chord, while E7 (V) B dim (ii) and G (VII) can all be considered chords that delay resolution or create a 'return' function back to Am. I'll definitely make another video soon focusing on how to write in minor keys
In this one lesson you have made things so clear and inspired me to write more music. You're a superb natural teacher and make the subject easy to comprehend. Please carry on making these excellent videos they are helping thousands of us believe we can write beautiful music 👍👍👍👍
I've always wondered if there is a common formula for say an entire song structure. Like verse 1 4 5, then chorus ???, back to verse 1 4 5, chorus again, outro maybe bridge, solo and so forth. I hope that makes sense. Thanks, and you're a great teacher man.
You could say there are lots of common song forms or formulas - many of them utilising the 1 - 4 - 5 chords in the verse then utilising some substitutions in the chorus or bridge. You can start to think of these chord patterns as conventions of specific genres, for instance blues, rock, folk and country all use 1 - 4 - 5 as their core structure, while jazz relies more on 1 - 6 - 2 - 5 patterns and a series of 2 - 5 - 1 manoeuvres. Hope that helps. Thanks for support!
I have been playing a long time over 50 years but never really spent time on HOW to write. I gota say that your way of teaching is itself perfect. Ive played these chords but never considered their relationship. I love it. Thank you this is great stuff. Oh hey the B dim looked like the e 7 but I am not sure I see your fingering of it?
Wow! Excellent, Ben! Very clear and well explained. Please make more videos like this. Your channel is amazing. And the Montreal Jazz Festival rules! Great banner. ;)
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it! I am planning to make more videos like this very soon, mainly focusing on more complex chord progressions and options from outside the key... and yes, Montreal is one of my absolute favourite places! That poster is a souvenir from my trip to the Festival about 15 years ago... such great memories!
@@htws please continue producing this type of content. I love your channel and I am learning a lot. I am in the Montreal region and during my first years around here, I lived just a few steps away from where the festival takes place. It was amazing!
I’ve fairly recently taken up guitar and definitely have the urge to write my own songs. I’ve been watching your videos and learning a lot about the process. This video felt like the most useful one yet. I’d love to see a video with highlights of a brainstorming session where you’re writing music and lyrics and pulling a song together. I haven’t been able to find anything like that on the internet. For some one new to song writing, seeing how a writing session works would be very helpful.
Hi Jason. Glad you've been enjoying the channel and thanks for the feedback. We're currently working on a way to present brainstorming and other idea generation techniques - as well as a series of videos showing the songwriting process from start to finish. Stay tuned
Very well done! Home run. This explanation will help in crafting songs and in my playing in general. So glad I found your channel, please keep it up.Thank you!
Magnificent explanation. It integrates a lot of information I’ve known for years, in a consistent, practical framework I had not visualized before. Beautiful!
Awesome. I've been trying to wrap my head around the logistics of chord progressions as they relate to song writing for far too long with no success, Thanks for your insights. :)
Your video does such a great job of explaining about the number system and chord progressions. The Leonard Cohen song was the perfect example. I'm eager to try and actually use this. Thanks!
Landed recently on this channel and I'm absolutely mesmerized by the quality and clarity of your lessons. Binge-watching everything. A happy follower ;)
Such a lovely primer! I’m deep down the Modes hole and this is a solid Bring-it-on-home of the basics clearly stated while I’m simultaneously thinking much more complicatedly. Many thanks for all you guys do. Love the channel. Love your teaching.
I’m a singer songwriter in Nashville, always trying to learn. They use Nashville numbers allot here. About to release my first album! This was a great video, subbed! 🤟
This is a thorough and clear description of how to utilize different chord progressions. It offers a simple way of starting to put a song together which is great. The only issue I would take with it is using a diminished 7th chord in the 7 position. It would more properly be a diminished triad. The G sharp is not diatonic. I see you use the E7 in Hallelujah later on. The dim7 and E7 are closely linked so I can see why you used that as an example. That is a good bit of foreshadowing.
Thank you for this wonderful video and simple explanation of why chords work together. After countless books/videos and “luck” of finding chords in my writing, this lesson is sure to help me and others properly structure a song. Thank you again
Hi, good lesson, thanks! I have to say though that the triad chord formed in the seventh degree of the major scale does not include G# since this note does not belong in the scale of C major. Even though G# is not part of the major scale it surely can eventually appear to form a tritone when we want a stronger resolution to Am for example and it is the main reason for the harmonic minor scale existance.
Hi Leo, thanks for your feedback - that's totally right, I played the full diminish and introduced the G# which is technically not diatonic - something I'm planning to explore more in future videos
Brilliant explanations as always... I'm never stuck for too long into building my songs since I follow you. And I even often get fresh inspiration. Thank you 👍
You’re so welcome! It might be worthwhile checking out our Patreon, if you’re writing regularly and want some more in-depth guidance and feedback! www.patreon.com/howtowritesongs
I do all this intuitively, but I never had the reasons explained like this, other than that major chords are more joyful and minor chords are more melancholy.
Crazy that your video showed up on my TH-cam suggestions today because my musician friend was sending me chord progression suggestions last night with use of some 7th chords I like. I hadn't even googled anything about it and here you are today explaining it. 🙂 Many of them were exactly what you suggested here and with your explanation of the home analogy, it really baked in for me. Thank you so much and definitely going to subscribe.
regarding the (iii) chord in Major tonalities, some feel that it sort of "spoils" the arrival of the dominant chord, because it contains the dominant scale tone (5) (ie; E-G-B). for this reason it's usually used after the dominant, as a tonic sub or to somewhat delay the main tonic. also, its usually altered, so that the dominant tone is changed, most often raised (G to G#), forming a (Major III), or (E-G#-B). Lastly, because of the raised alteration, the note now has strong resolution to scale tone (6), such as (III moving to vi) or (E-G#-B moving to A-C-E). PS (III7 or Dominant 7, E7, actually is considered a secondary dominant of (vi), V/vi. So naturally, E-G#-B-D wants to resolve to the diatonic (vi) chord of A-C-E. Sorry for going a little overboard, but people often find the mediant chord "unusable" & its actually very flexible chord. Try the progression of (CMaj - EMaj or E7 - am - dm - G7) versus (CMaj - em - am - dm - G7)
Absolutely awesome lesson. I’ve been wanting to understand cord progression without Just doing what’s already done this show me how I can do what I want to get what I want done. Thank you so much I really do appreciate you and what you’re doing for us. Bless up
Great video......the best videos always seem to be the ones where someone can break musical concepts into a simple way to understand them. I've seen too many music instruction videos where someone tries to dazzle you with their "expert" knowledge - and you usually walk away with little or no gained knowledge.
Thanks Alex, really appreciate the feedback ... I'm always grappling with how to simplify or condense a lot of complex info a framework that just makes sense so I'm delighted to hear that it comes across that way. Cheers
As I watch this it is very basic to me but if I try to explain these ideas to most song writers they just shut right down, like they are afraid of spoiling their innocence. But, yeah I agree with this stuff. I love how the part in Hallelujah describes the chord progression: the 4th the 5th, the minor fall, the major lift. Then when it goes to the E7 it leads to the relative minor, A minor. I would go, look, these are the secret, sacred chords that pleased the lord. The chords that David strummed on his harp to lull old King Saul to his slumber. They don't care to know the writing on the wall. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN" and Daniel interprets them for the king: "MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed ... and found wanting;" and "UPHARSIN", your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Well, no thanks. There is a song that also does that C to Am thing and it also goes to F and G, but mainly just C to Am. 1,000 Miles From Nowhere, by Dwight Yoakam. Soaring guitar solo by Pete Anderson is sublime, going the full 1,000 miles up, up, and away, all over that C to Am vamp.
In david bowies space oddity he uses the I -iii to actually move far away from resolution (lining up beautifully with the lyrics as the I chord is for ground control and the iii us for major tom who is far away in space) so i would argue the iii can function as a chord moving far away also.
Wonderful series and even better that it's made by Australians. You've earnt another subscriber. This particular video addresses some misunderstandings I had. Could you please do a similar video with minor progressions? Another question I have is what about borrowed chords and what sort of feel they have eg a bVII chord such as Bb in the key of C? It creates a sense of tension and movement but how does it differ from other borrowed chords like Ab or E when in the key of C major, they all introduce tension.
Thanks for your support and glad to hear you found the info helpful. As a matter of fact, I just created a video explaining borrowed chords - Borrowed Chords Explained | A Simple 2-Step Method for Songwriters th-cam.com/video/ODp47kH6l30/w-d-xo.html As for minor progressions, we’ve got one in the works. Cheers. Benny
@@htws Thanks Benny for the quick response, I've watched most of your videos but missed the one you've just referenced, it is very helpful. Look forward to the minor progressions video. With regard to borrowed chords, are there any guides to which borrowed chord you would select if you are after a particular effect, if you wanted maximum tension would you perhaps move to a B7 in the key of C as opposed to an Eb which would have more notes in common with Diatonic chords in the key of C? Then there are chords that you think won't work but some songwriters make them work perfectly, an example is A major in the key of C. I've seen a number of songs that have the progression C A7 Dm G and they sound fine, The A major hardly sounds borrowed at all.
Hey Ben. One of the best lessons I've seen on TH-cam. Have you done any lessons on Dobro or Lap Steel? Found some of your old videos of your playing these instruments
Hey, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! I haven't done any lessons on Dobro of Lap Steel as part of this channel but its something I've been planning to put together... is this something you'd be interested in? Are there any specific topics or techniques you'd like me to cover?
@@htws Thanks for your reply, Ben. By the way, I'm Aussie - in Byron. I've been playing Dobro and occasionally Lap Steel for a while now and am moving on from playing other's arrangements from TAB etc. My goal is to play like ME playing original and other's music in my own way. I want to develop my own style using my own compositions, and other's music, to evoke the emotion and melodic sounds that I hear in my head and feel in my soul. (Easier said than done, huh)! A bit like Lloyd Green does on Pedal Steel. I saw the videos of you playing the slide instruments some years ago in Sydney and I was struck by the way you seemed to express what I am talking about. There are plenty of lessons out there about HOW to play Dobro etc but very little about this kind of thing. Perhaps this is a space that you could contribute to. I sense from the few lessons that I watched of yours, that you would have lots to offer. Cheers Mike
Hard to exaggerate how helpful this is to new artists.
Thanks Dwayne, fantastic feedback! Glad it was helpful!
I’ve learned SO MUCH about songwriting, piano and theory from former Berklee Instructors & Associates on TH-cam for FREeeeeeeeee..that I’m dedicating my first Hit to Berklee and making a Tuition sized donation!
Outstanding job!!!! You made a complex subject easy and fun to understand. Best class I see in a while.
One of the best lessons on songwriting I have come across on TH-cam! Brilliantly explained. Thank you!
This was thoroughly excellent, and also very nicely produced graphically! Thank you!
Thanks Stefan, glad it was helpful and appreciate the feedback!
Explained in a story like format that comfortably leads you to the conclusion.
Well done..
I like how you say, "You're choosing when you want to return home". Very helpful!!!
Clear. Meaningful. I knew a lot of this, but you tied it all together perfectly. Take a moment today to feel happy knowing you created a mini masterpiece on this subject and inspired at least one budding songwriter!
Rob, this is sincerely some of the loveliest feedback we've ever received! So delighted to hear that it was helpful. Really appreciate the support!
^^^ this!!!
Ben, you have successfully condensed what are typically multiple chapters of many songwriting books into one crystal clear video. Respect and many thx!
Thanks Chris! Condensing this kind of material is always a challenge but I'm glad it worked on this occasion. Cheers
Wow this is so Great!! I just Write my First Song Text a few months ago and Now i am gonna find the melody. I dont have much knowledge about Musical Theory. But i am so happy i have found this as my First TH-cam Video on the topic. It makes me feel that it is Not Impossible to find my melody to create a Beautiful Song. Great teaching, Thank you so much! I think there is Not much content out on this Topic on yt that is so high quality and well explained 🎉🎉🎉
Here it is, the simplest and most direct explanation of chord functions and substitution at once.
Big thanks
This seemed so BASIC in the beginning & a bit boring but I held on & HALLELUJAH (!), suddenly it broke my mind open & got to something I was thinking of all along: how the chords 'mirror' the intent of the lyrics at different points in the song. Brilliant Stuff & an easy way to think about it: Home, Departure, Ready to Return & the chord substitutions that 'delay' the real arrival to Home.
Why is this information so hard to find? This is what I have been looking for forever. You have just leveled up my musicianship in one 20-minute video. Thank you.
Such a wonderful way to explain some basic music theory and how it applies to making a song. I wish I’d known this when I first started out. And I wish I’d thought of it when I was teaching! Thank you for your insight. Very helpful!
Thanks Todd, really appreciate the support and feedback!
Thank you very much for beautifully explaining chord functionality, it’s all starting to make sense to me now!
Thanks Yianni, glad to hear this video helped!
Best lesson I’ve ever seen on TH-cam!
I think there is a void between beginner and intermediate, right where I’m standing currently and this lesson was a solid bridge.
A lesson in writing, is a great way to teach theory IMHO
Thank you!!!
THE best Video that covers the bases of Chords and their relations I have ever seen. I knew 80% of it by long years of struggle towards that knowledge. But this filled the still existing gaps and explains it plainly and on point.
This is the best explanation of anything I’ve ever watched online. Glad I found your site!
Thanks, much appreciated! Glad you found it useful
Such a brilliant lesson thank you! I've watched many a video on Chord progressions but this was by far the best and brought it all together. Question: is the same for a minor key?
Thanks Zen, glad it was helpful. In regards to the minor, the notes are the same but the functions are a little different - so if we're in the key of Am (i) then the iv chord is Dm and the V chord is Em (however we would typically make this dominant - E7) - so the substitutions of Am (i) is C (III - relative major) - the substitution for the Dm (iv) chord is still F, but F is now the VI chord, while E7 (V) B dim (ii) and G (VII) can all be considered chords that delay resolution or create a 'return' function back to Am.
I'll definitely make another video soon focusing on how to write in minor keys
@@htws thank you so much for the reply and looking forward to the video! Fantastic channel
Tremendous lesson. I’ve never heard chord progressions taught this way. Makes so much sense! I will be subscribing. Thanks!
Totally agree, this was so useful and the clear explanation of the function of the chords was incredibly useful.
How have I never heard this explained this clearly before?!?!? Amazing video!!!!! Absolutely brilliantly articulated!!!!!!
Amazing feedback, thanks for the support Erik!
In this one lesson you have made things so clear and inspired me to write more music. You're a superb natural teacher and make the subject easy to comprehend. Please carry on making these excellent videos they are helping thousands of us believe we can write beautiful music 👍👍👍👍
Fabulous. Chord progressions and why they feel the way they do explained, demystified and made practical in less than 20 minutes.
I've always wondered if there is a common formula for say an entire song structure. Like verse 1 4 5, then chorus ???, back to verse 1 4 5, chorus again, outro maybe bridge, solo and so forth. I hope that makes sense. Thanks, and you're a great teacher man.
You could say there are lots of common song forms or formulas - many of them utilising the 1 - 4 - 5 chords in the verse then utilising some substitutions in the chorus or bridge. You can start to think of these chord patterns as conventions of specific genres, for instance blues, rock, folk and country all use 1 - 4 - 5 as their core structure, while jazz relies more on 1 - 6 - 2 - 5 patterns and a series of 2 - 5 - 1 manoeuvres. Hope that helps. Thanks for support!
I have always been the person writing the music. But, lyrics always freaked me out. You all have been so helpful to get me started. Thank you!
one of the best videos about chord progressions I've ever watched
Thanks Tanju, amazing feedback! Glad it was helpful
I have been playing a long time over 50 years but never really spent time on HOW to write. I gota say that your way of teaching is itself perfect. Ive played these chords but never considered their relationship. I love it. Thank you this is great stuff. Oh hey the B dim looked like the e 7 but I am not sure I see your fingering of it?
Wow! Excellent, Ben! Very clear and well explained. Please make more videos like this. Your channel is amazing. And the Montreal Jazz Festival rules! Great banner. ;)
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it! I am planning to make more videos like this very soon, mainly focusing on more complex chord progressions and options from outside the key... and yes, Montreal is one of my absolute favourite places! That poster is a souvenir from my trip to the Festival about 15 years ago... such great memories!
@@htws please continue producing this type of content. I love your channel and I am learning a lot. I am in the Montreal region and during my first years around here, I lived just a few steps away from where the festival takes place. It was amazing!
This made clear a lot of things I was aware of but did not understand. Great explanation, thank you.
I’ve fairly recently taken up guitar and definitely have the urge to write my own songs. I’ve been watching your videos and learning a lot about the process. This video felt like the most useful one yet. I’d love to see a video with highlights of a brainstorming session where you’re writing music and lyrics and pulling a song together. I haven’t been able to find anything like that on the internet. For some one new to song writing, seeing how a writing session works would be very helpful.
Hey Jason! What a great suggestion. We'll add it to the list :)
Hi Jason. Glad you've been enjoying the channel and thanks for the feedback. We're currently working on a way to present brainstorming and other idea generation techniques - as well as a series of videos showing the songwriting process from start to finish. Stay tuned
Just listen to some good music to see how it's done. "American Song" by Paul Simon would be a good one :-)
Very well done! Home run. This explanation will help in crafting songs and in my playing in general. So glad I found your channel, please keep it up.Thank you!
Thanks Jeffrey, really appreciate the feedback! Happy writing!
Magnificent explanation. It integrates a lot of information I’ve known for years, in a consistent, practical framework I had not visualized before. Beautiful!
Awesome. I've been trying to wrap my head around the logistics of chord progressions as they relate to song writing for far too long with no success, Thanks for your insights. :)
Thanks David, glad it was helpful. Happy songwriting!
Very nice, especially the conceptualization and visualization of the function of chords, these are "home", these "move away", these "come home", etc.
Thanks Roy, glad the visualisations work for you... appreciate the feedback!
Your video does such a great job of explaining about the number system and chord progressions. The Leonard Cohen song was the perfect example. I'm eager to try and actually use this. Thanks!
i wish you would have did this amazing lesson 5 years ago and i have watched 5 years ago :( never late for anything :) thanks a lot
Landed recently on this channel and I'm absolutely mesmerized by the quality and clarity of your lessons. Binge-watching everything. A happy follower ;)
Such a lovely primer! I’m deep down the Modes hole and this is a solid Bring-it-on-home of the basics clearly stated while I’m simultaneously thinking much more complicatedly. Many thanks for all you guys do. Love the channel. Love your teaching.
I’m a singer songwriter in Nashville, always trying to learn. They use Nashville numbers allot here. About to release my first album! This was a great video, subbed! 🤟
Thanks for the sub Ricky and best of luck releasing your debut album!
Excellent! One of the clearest explanations I’ve ever learned about chord progression. Thank you
Thanks Rafael, glad it was helpful!
Tremendous lesson. I’ve never heard chord progressions taught this way. Makes so much sense! I will be subscribing. Thanks!
Thanks Joseph, appreciate the support!
This is the most educational video I've seen in a long time. God Bless. Keep going.
Thanks Niesdi, realy appreciate your support and feedback! Glad you found it helpful!
Brilliantly simple. I like hierarchal view of: functions -> available substitutions -> play with these substitutes. Then we can paint on top of this.
Hi Jeffrey. Thanks for your feedback... love your idea of 'painting on top' of the hierarchal framework... lovely way to phrase it
I love the way you analyse chord progressions! Any other songs you would like to take us through? This was brilliant!
Awesome explained. I wish someone told me that so clearly many years ago.
I agree with Zen… top shout, nice one both🙌🎸🤛
Thanks, Mark!
This was a great lesson brother✊🏽
First time I’ve heard Chord progression explained this way. Made since To me.. thank you🙏🏾 Motor City Native🎶🕺🏾
This is a thorough and clear description of how to utilize different chord progressions. It offers a simple way of starting to put a song together which is great. The only issue I would take with it is using a diminished 7th chord in the 7 position. It would more properly be a diminished triad. The G sharp is not diatonic. I see you use the E7 in Hallelujah later on. The dim7 and E7 are closely linked so I can see why you used that as an example. That is a good bit of foreshadowing.
Thank you for this wonderful video and simple explanation of why chords work together. After countless books/videos and “luck” of finding chords in my writing, this lesson is sure to help me and others properly structure a song. Thank you again
Hi, good lesson, thanks!
I have to say though that the triad chord formed in the seventh degree of the major scale does not include G# since this note does not belong in the scale of C major. Even though G# is not part of the major scale it surely can eventually appear to form a tritone when we want a stronger resolution to Am for example and it is the main reason for the harmonic minor scale existance.
Hi Leo, thanks for your feedback - that's totally right, I played the full diminish and introduced the G# which is technically not diatonic - something I'm planning to explore more in future videos
Brilliant explanations as always... I'm never stuck for too long into building my songs since I follow you. And I even often get fresh inspiration. Thank you 👍
You’re so welcome! It might be worthwhile checking out our Patreon, if you’re writing regularly and want some more in-depth guidance and feedback! www.patreon.com/howtowritesongs
This is a wonderfully compact and comprehensive clip! Thank you!!
I do all this intuitively, but I never had the reasons explained like this, other than that major chords are more joyful and minor chords are more melancholy.
I am so inspired by this lesson brilliant break down
Exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Thank you! 🙌
Thank you so much for this post. Been looking for this approach for years!! So enlightening.
You’re most welcome David, glad it was helpful! Thanks for the support
Crazy that your video showed up on my TH-cam suggestions today because my musician friend was sending me chord progression suggestions last night with use of some 7th chords I like. I hadn't even googled anything about it and here you are today explaining it. 🙂
Many of them were exactly what you suggested here and with your explanation of the home analogy, it really baked in for me. Thank you so much and definitely going to subscribe.
Haha, crazy how things like that happen... Thanks for your feedback Lisa, appreciate the support!
Awesome easy explanation to compose my songs. Thank you!
Thank you. This gave me a new way to think about substitution and keep things fresh at the same time. 👏🏻
Thanks Jon, glad it was helpful!
regarding the (iii) chord in Major tonalities, some feel that it sort of "spoils" the arrival of the dominant chord, because it contains the dominant scale tone (5) (ie; E-G-B). for this reason it's usually used after the dominant, as a tonic sub or to somewhat delay the main tonic. also, its usually altered, so that the dominant tone is changed, most often raised (G to G#), forming a (Major III), or (E-G#-B). Lastly, because of the raised alteration, the note now has strong resolution to scale tone (6), such as (III moving to vi) or (E-G#-B moving to A-C-E). PS (III7 or Dominant 7, E7, actually is considered a secondary dominant of (vi), V/vi. So naturally, E-G#-B-D wants to resolve to the diatonic (vi) chord of A-C-E.
Sorry for going a little overboard, but people often find the mediant chord "unusable" & its actually very flexible chord. Try the progression of (CMaj - EMaj or E7 - am - dm - G7) versus (CMaj - em - am - dm - G7)
Wow! What a well laid out lesson with great explanations. Great voice too! Subscribed!!
Thanks, much appreciated!
Such a great explanation!! You guys make such amazing videos! I’m very grateful for your chanel😊
This is a great channel for musicians 🙏🙏🙏
Thanks Roger, let us know if there's any specific topics you'd like us to cover. Appreciate the support!
This was an incredible explanation. Thank you.
Absolutely awesome lesson. I’ve been wanting to understand cord progression without Just doing what’s already done this show me how I can do what I want to get what I want done. Thank you so much I really do appreciate you and what you’re doing for us. Bless up
I know some chords and playing with tabs. I don't know anything about music theory but this video made me understand the basics.
Thanks Muhammed, glad it was useful!
You are a very gifted teacher.
Thankyou, much appreciated!
This is a really fantastic video! Thank you for sharing. You explain well.
Might be the best video I’ve seen on chord progression writing. Very well put insight.
Wonderful feedback, thankyou for the support!
I would like to see more "how to play guitar" videos from you both.
Extraordinary explanation! Thank you so much for this.
You’re so very welcome! Glad it was helpful and thanks for the support
Great video......the best videos always seem to be the ones where someone can break musical concepts into a simple way to understand them. I've seen too many music instruction videos where someone tries to dazzle you with their "expert" knowledge - and you usually walk away with little or no gained knowledge.
Thanks Alex, really appreciate the feedback ... I'm always grappling with how to simplify or condense a lot of complex info a framework that just makes sense so I'm delighted to hear that it comes across that way. Cheers
Definitely the best ~20 mins I spent this week. Awesome content!
Amazing feedback, Thanks for the support!
As I watch this it is very basic to me but if I try to explain these ideas to most song writers they just shut right down, like they are afraid of spoiling their innocence. But, yeah I agree with this stuff. I love how the part in Hallelujah describes the chord progression: the 4th the 5th, the minor fall, the major lift. Then when it goes to the E7 it leads to the relative minor, A minor. I would go, look, these are the secret, sacred chords that pleased the lord. The chords that David strummed on his harp to lull old King Saul to his slumber. They don't care to know the writing on the wall. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN" and Daniel interprets them for the king: "MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed ... and found wanting;" and "UPHARSIN", your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Well, no thanks. There is a song that also does that C to Am thing and it also goes to F and G, but mainly just C to Am. 1,000 Miles From Nowhere, by Dwight Yoakam. Soaring guitar solo by Pete Anderson is sublime, going the full 1,000 miles up, up, and away, all over that C to Am vamp.
Awesome video. Great voice too. Love how you Chris Cornell-ed Let It Be. 🤘
Thanks Finnish, appreciate the support! The Chris Cornell comment is very flattering too. Cheers
Thank you for these videos. They are very much appreciated.
Perfect Explanation!! Thank you so much, waiting for the Minor Keys video
Thanks Oliver, really appreciate the feedback! Video about writing in Minor keys coming soon...
That’s a brilliant lesson… thank you. 👍🏻
In david bowies space oddity he uses the I -iii to actually move far away from resolution (lining up beautifully with the lyrics as the I chord is for ground control and the iii us for major tom who is far away in space) so i would argue the iii can function as a chord moving far away also.
Wow! I feel like you just unlocked the vault.
Awesome! What a great way to describe it... thanks for the feedback Ernest!
Thank you so much as this makes scenes to me 🇮🇪🇮🇪☘️
Excellent, very educational and clearly presented!!! Thank you!
Thanks Bruce, glad it was helpful!
Clear and constructive
Great video. Very talented player/singer/teacher
Excellent explanation of chord choices in a progression. Thank you.
You're welcome Marc, glad it was useful.
Excellent Works for this and the others - thanks.
one of the great lesson I've ever seen! thank you 😊
You are most welcome! Thankyou for your kind words and support
Awesome video! I like to use Sus Chords to give that pendulum feel of away, yet home.
Great suggestion Nate, sus chords are a beautiful option for that kind of feel
This lesson for me is so enlightening! Thank you so much.
Thanks Tony, really appreciate the support! Happy writing!
Its awesome. I just subcribe. Thanks for the lesson. Its make me improve as a song writer.
Thanks Chico, much appreciated!
Wonderful series and even better that it's made by Australians. You've earnt another subscriber. This particular video addresses some misunderstandings I had. Could you please do a similar video with minor progressions? Another question I have is what about borrowed chords and what sort of feel they have eg a bVII chord such as Bb in the key of C? It creates a sense of tension and movement but how does it differ from other borrowed chords like Ab or E when in the key of C major, they all introduce tension.
Thanks for your support and glad to hear you found the info helpful. As a matter of fact, I just created a video explaining borrowed chords - Borrowed Chords Explained | A Simple 2-Step Method for Songwriters
th-cam.com/video/ODp47kH6l30/w-d-xo.html
As for minor progressions, we’ve got one in the works.
Cheers. Benny
@@htws Thanks Benny for the quick response, I've watched most of your videos but missed the one you've just referenced, it is very helpful. Look forward to the minor progressions video. With regard to borrowed chords, are there any guides to which borrowed chord you would select if you are after a particular effect, if you wanted maximum tension would you perhaps move to a B7 in the key of C as opposed to an Eb which would have more notes in common with Diatonic chords in the key of C? Then there are chords that you think won't work but some songwriters make them work perfectly, an example is A major in the key of C. I've seen a number of songs that have the progression C A7 Dm G and they sound fine, The A major hardly sounds borrowed at all.
more lessons about the funcion of the chord progressions please....love this one :)
Thanks Bruno, more coming very soon!
Wow. A gem of a lesson. Thank you!
Hey Ben. One of the best lessons I've seen on TH-cam. Have you done any lessons on Dobro or Lap Steel? Found some of your old videos of your playing these instruments
Hey, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! I haven't done any lessons on Dobro of Lap Steel as part of this channel but its something I've been planning to put together... is this something you'd be interested in? Are there any specific topics or techniques you'd like me to cover?
@@htws Thanks for your reply, Ben. By the way, I'm Aussie - in Byron. I've been playing Dobro and occasionally Lap Steel for a while now and am moving on from playing other's arrangements from TAB etc. My goal is to play like ME playing original and other's music in my own way. I want to develop my own style using my own compositions, and other's music, to evoke the emotion and melodic sounds that I hear in my head and feel in my soul. (Easier said than done, huh)! A bit like Lloyd Green does on Pedal Steel. I saw the videos of you playing the slide instruments some years ago in Sydney and I was struck by the way you seemed to express what I am talking about. There are plenty of lessons out there about HOW to play Dobro etc but very little about this kind of thing. Perhaps this is a space that you could contribute to. I sense from the few lessons that I watched of yours, that you would have lots to offer. Cheers Mike
Very very well constructed tutorial, thanks you
Thanks, glad it was helpful!
Great Lesson ! Lived it ! 👍
This was so helpful thanks so much!
Extremely helpful. Thank you!
Thanks, glad it was helpful!
2:40 lover those 3 chords.
so helpful and clear. Thank you!
Very Nice video! You made it understandable, and on point. Thank you!
Really glad it was easy to understand, thanks for the feedback!