Chord Progression Expander
Chord 1:
Chord 2:
Chord 3:
Chord 4:
Key:
C
D
E
Eb
F
G
Ab
A
Bb
B
Scale:
Major
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Minor
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More hints
Some hints are explained in more depth at
Borrowed Chords Explained
by How To Write Songs
Some hints are repeated using different terminology
End on the 'root/tonic/one' chord. In the key of C: (
Am, F, G, C
)
Don't start with the 'root' chord. In the key of C: (
F, C, Am, G
)
Avoid the 'one' chord. In the key of C: (
Am, G, F
)
Vary how many beats the chord is held. (
1/2 bar, 2 and 1/2 bars, 3 bars
)
Change the quality of any chord:
From major to minor (
C → Cm
)
From minor to major (
Dm → D
)
To dominant 7 (
Am → A7
)
To diminished (
G → Gdim
)
Use
chromatic mediants
:
Major third up (C,
E
, F, G)
Minor third up (C,
Eb
, G, Am) or (C,
Ebm
, F, G)
Major third down (C/E,
A/E
, Em, F)
Minor third down (C,
Ab
, Em, G) or (C,
Abm
, F, G)
Use
secondary dominants
:
Five of two: (C,
A7
, Dm, G)
Five of three: (C,
B/D#
, Em, F)
Five of four: (C,
C7/E
, F, G)
Five of five: (C,
D7
, G, F)
Five of six: (C,
E
, Am, G)
Borrow
chords from the parallel key
:
Progression in the key of C major (C, G, Am, F)
Use some chords from C minor (Eb, Ab, Bb)
New progression (
C, Ab, Am, F
)
Take one of the 5 remaining scale notes and make that the root of a new chord:
D major has 7 notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#
There are 5 remaining notes: D#, F, G#, A#, C
Choose one of those remaining notes: G#
Make a progression: (
D, F#m, A, G#7
)
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