The document discusses chord progressions that are commonly used in hit songs. It identifies the six main chords in the C major scale and explains that many popular songs use just 3 or 4 chords, most commonly the I, IV and V chords. Common 4 chord progressions are I-IV-V-vi and I-V-vi-IV. The document also provides tips on adding variation to chord progressions and choosing progressions that fit different music genres.

1. CHORD
PROGRESSIONS
What are the best chord progressions to use for writing
hit songs?

2. Learning Outcomes
• 1. Know and be able to play the six songwriter
chords in C major on your instrument.
• 2. Analyze chord progressions in popular songs
• 3. Construct a 4-5 chord progression for an original
song.

3. Chord basics
• A chord is built from stacked notes.
• Typically we have three notes, each a third apart
(like C, E, G)… but some chords have more (e.g.
seventh chords - C, E, G, B-flat) and some chords
have different arrangements of notes (e.g. Csu4 -
C, F, G).

4. Six main chords
• The six songwriter chords in C major are:
• Cmaj - I *
• Dmin - ii
• Emin - iii
• Fmaj - IV *
• Gmaj - V *
• Amin - vi *

5. 3 chord songs
• There are huge numbers of hit songs that only have
3 chords… Usually I, IV and V
• Most blues music.
• “Rock Around the Clock”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s
Door”, “Wild Thing”, “Sweet Home Alabama”

6. 4 chord songs
• There are also a huge number of songs that have
four chords.
• Usually I, IV, V, vi - in a variety of orders, but most
common is I-V-vi-IV

7. The secret to writing a hit
song!
• According the Axis of Awesome - all you need is 4
chords - I - V - VIm - IV
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ

8. Chords in your genre
• What is typical in your genre?
• Hip-hop often may only have one chord as it is
loop-based… Funk often has one chord… jazz has
many chords! Knowing what you are writing helps
with knowing what the expectations of harmony
are.

9. • How many different chords are used?
• How many of them sit in a single key?
• Is there a key change?
• How frequently is there a chord change?
• How much repetition is there?

10. Chord progressions can be repetitive - in
fact they may be the same throughout the
whole song… but the interest comes from
the arrangement, the structure and the
melody.

11. Adding colour to the chords
• Adding notes to the triad (7th 9th etc)
• Clustering notes together - adding 2nd or 4th intervals. Use
inversions as well (not the “root” or main note of chord in the
bass).
• The melody line may also add additions to the harmony.
• Change the bass note while keeping the chord the same.
• “Borrow” a chord from a different key—this could add emphasis
(before one chord, add a major chord a fourth below, such as
C-F-D-G), or change one of the “normal” chords between major
and minor (e.g. C-Dm-G-F-Fm-C)

12. Don’t overwrite!
Depending on what genre you are working in
will determine how tricky your chords can be!
Make the choices you make purposeful ones
for the benefit of the song.

13. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyEd0aKWZE
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdkou0CxS8I
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1bJtV4KkM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVGJ3YFDc8

14. Other ways to approach
harmony
• modal
• sample based
• cluster/noise based

15. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcqUv3mBK3o