Chord Progressions – What They Have In Common

Click on this link to watch this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGZeGYRzdP0&feature=youtu.be

In our video today we are looking at the commonality of chord progressions over a wide variety of musical styles. Here is a transcription of the video in case you would like to follow along.

Good morning, this is Duane. We have been doing a series called Good Stuff You Really Ought To Know About Music. One thing you ought to know about music is the commonality of chord progressions from style to style or genre to genre. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether it’s classical or rock or jazz or whatever it is, you’re going to have exactly the same chord progressions. Let me just give you an example.
I just played Für Elise, a little sloppy Für Elise, but it was Für Elise, and it just used two chords. Beethoven used the A minor chord and the E 7th chord. That’s it, okay? That far. Of course, it goes on to other chords, but the theme is just two chords, A minor and E 7th.

Now listen to this … Again, that was sloppy too. Okay? Same two chords, A minor, E7th, A minor. E 7th, A minor. Same chord progression exactly.

Now listen to this … Then it goes on to something else, but listen, same two chords, A minor, and this time, instead of E major, it’s E minor, okay? Just two chords, A minor and E minor. Exactly the same chord, of course they used different extensions, you know, 6 and 7s and so on, it depends on the genre there, but … the style can be completely different, but the chords can be exactly the same, same basic chords. So there is three examples, one from classical music, one from praise music, and one from, say the blues or pop music, Summertime.
Okay, that’s it for today, just a little something more you ought to know about music. It doesn’t matter what kind of music it is, the same chord progressions are in play. Thanks for being with me, and if you enjoyed this series, come on over to playpiano.com and sign up for an entire series. Hope to see you there, bye-bye for now.

***For lots more good stuff on piano playing come on over to my website at https://www.playpiano.com and sign up for our free piano tips – “Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions!”
Here’s a great little book on chords and chord progressions on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Chords-Chord-Progressions-Exciting-ebook/dp/B0076OUGDE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404158669&sr=1-1&keywords=piano+chords+duane+shinn
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