Lesson 4 Chord progressions for the piano

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Chord progressions are simply movement from one chord to another in a harmonic framework. Translated in language you will understand if you are a beginner piano or music student this means you will be playing chords which, when combined, sound "right" or pleasant to the ear when played and are "harmonically" correct.

You know how to form a major scale from any point (note) on the piano. You have also learned how to construct chords by combining various scale tones (notes) together. It is now time to put this knowledge to use by learning some chord progressions. Now, there are many, many different ways to combine chords to form a piece of music. We will focus on some of the more "popular" chord progressions so you can get the "feel" of what we are talking about.

When I say, "combine chords" you need to understand I am speaking of moving from one chord to another in this harmonic framework I spoke of earlier. All the chord progressions we will be learning are based upon major scales and the scale tone chords. This means that the the 1st, 4th, and 5th tones (notes) will always be Major chords, the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th tones (notes) will always be minor chords and the 7th tone (note) will always be a diminished chord. These will be our 3-note or triad chord progression chords.

A diminished chord is composed of a 1st, b3rd (flatted third), and b5th (flatted fifth) tones (notes) of a major scale. This means the 3rd and 5th tones (notes) are lowered one half step. Using the key of "C" as an example the B diminished chord (triad) would contain the tones (notes) B, D, and F.

For our 7th chord progression chords, the 1st and 4th tones (notes) will always be Major 7th chords, the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th tones (notes) will always be minor 7th chords, the 5th tone (note) will always be a dominant 7th chord and the 7th tone (note) will always be a half diminished 7th chord.

A dominant 7th chord is formed by combining the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and b7th (flatted seventh) tones (notes) of a major scale. This means you would lower the 7th tone (note) one half step. A half diminished 7th chord is formed by combining the 1st, b3rd (flatted 3rd), b5th (flatted fifth), and b7th (flatted seventh) tones (notes) of a major scale. This means you would lower the 3rd, 5th, and 7th tones (notes) one half step.

Using the key of "C" as an example a G dominant 7th chord would contain the tones (notes) G,B,D, and F and a B half diminished 7th chord would have the tones (notes) B,D,F, and A. Click on the links below to get a description of the different chord progressions and a chart showing the corresponding chords.