I to IV Progression

[4hisglory]

This week, I just realized why the I to IV progression work.

Regular
I.....C.....C / C E G
IV....F.....F / F A C


I.....C.....C / C E G
pc....C7....C / C E G Bb
IV....F.....F / F A C

I just realized why that passing chord works.  Because its the 5th of F (the C7 is)  duuhhhh...

[playhear]

Yeah, theory's cool.

[CESharp]

are you saying that you can use the fifth of any key to get a passing chord?
example

          D / D F# A
         D7.........D F# A C
          G / G B D

Is that right?

[4hisglory]

Yep, that is correct.

[T-Block]

Only use that when it fits, i.e. when you're next chord is a 4 of the chord.

[T-Block]

Another way to do it is like this:

C / C-E-G
Bb / C-E-G
F / C-F-A

You see?  You just play the minor 7th note with your LH and keep the rest of the chord in your RH.  For a more dramatic affect, you can do it this way:

C / C-E-G
Bb / C-E-G
A / C-F-A
G / Bb-D-G *don't really need the RH chord, just throw in for kicks (LOL)
F / A-C-F

This is more likely how you would hear it being played in gospel music today.  Instead of playing the root of the last chord with your LH, play the 3rd then walk down to the root.  I

[4hisglory]

The Ledgend has Spoken.

[CESharp]

is it because: F is the 4th of C, and C is the 5th of F?

[CESharp]

Okay T-Block, you lost me
I need to study that to find out how you went there  I understand the C to the Bb but not the A.......

[4hisglory]

C / C-E-G...........C
Bb / C-E-G........C7......Bb is just in the bass
F / C-F-A.........F

or this:

C / C-E-G...........C
E / Bb C-E-G........C7
F / C-F-A.........F

Its really the same thing, just a different bass note.  Its all about getting to that 4 chord

[T-Block]

CESharp wrote:

is it because: F is the 4th of C,

Yes.

and C is the 5th of F?

This is correct, but is not relevent in the progression.

Okay T-Block, you lost me
I need to study that to find out how you went there  I understand the C to the Bb but not the A.......

The A is a member of the 4 chord, F-A-C.  I was trying to explain that instead of just playing the root of the chord with your LH, you can play the 3rd of the 4 chord then walk down to the root:

C / C-E-G (1)
Bb / C-E-G (b7) *really a I7 with Bb in the bass
*A / C-F-A (6)  *really a 4 chord, F-A-C, 3rd in the bass
*G / Bb-D-G (5) *filler LH note walking down to the root of the 4 chord, RH chord added in for kicks
F / A-C-F (4)

Do you understand a little better CESharp?

[T-Block]

and C is the 5th of F?

This is correct, but is not relevent in the progression.

I take that back.  It is relevant cuz if you were in the key of F, then yes C is the 5th and if you play a C7 chord, C-E-G-Bb, it would naturally resolve to a 1 chord in F, which is an F major chord, F-A-C. 

This is why I tell people that when u are analyzing the resolution of the dominant 7th chord, say that it resolves to 4 of the chord, and not just 4.  The resolution chord may not be 4 in the key you are in, it may be a 1 or 6 or whatever.

[rjthakid]

Which explains why G7 resolves so nicely to the C.  Not because G is the fifth of C, but because C is the fourth of G.

Music moves in fourths.  the 7-3-6-2-5-1 is basically just movements in fourths.  That's why it's so important to learn the Circle of Fifths.

[ai3winner]

Okay,

Im totally lost!!!!!!!!!!!! Please explain what u guys are trying to say as basic as possible    What would these chords be used for? When would you play these chords?
Also, this went in the following order: I, I7, 6, 5, 4 , when I played that, it didnt sound good at all. Now, it must be me since Im not grasping the concept, please break it down.

What do you mean by passing chord?
Help me !!!!! 

[bongcai]

Hi, it's my first time post here 
For progression I to IV, try these:

1 3 5 7/1 -> 5#724/1 -> 3613/4 > 5#234/7b

Or

7235/1 -> 47b2/5 > 47b2.1 > 361/4

I'm not in front of my keyboard, but I think that will work =]

[bongcai]

I think this is nice to:

7235/1 > 45#2/5>  451/4 and then immediately change to 361/4   

[T-Block]

ai3winner wrote:

Okay,

Im totally lost!!!!!!!!!!!! Please explain what u guys are trying to say as basic as possible    What would these chords be used for? When would you play these chords?
Also, this went in the following order: I, I7, 6, 5, 4 , when I played that, it didnt sound good at all. Now, it must be me since Im not grasping the concept, please break it down.

What do you mean by passing chord?
Help me !!!!! 

I HOPE YOU READY FOR THIS!!!
First of all, you lost cuz you wrote it down wrong.  It is not a I, I7, 6, 5, 4, it is I, b7, 6, 5, 4.  Those numbers correspond to scale degrees and not acutal chords.  I'll explain each one individually:

I = C / C-E-G (1)

Here, you have a I / 1.  The reason why it is a 1 is because you are in the key of C and C is the 1st scale degree. That only explains the note in your LH, but has nothing to do with the chord.  To identify what kind of chord you have, you gather up every note that is present and stack it into 3rds.  The chord we have here is C-E-G, which is a C major chord.  Now, in the key of C, a C major chord is a 1 chord.  So, all together, we have a 1.  If we break it down by each hand, we have a 1 in the LH and a 1 chord in the RH.  You wit me so far?


b7 = Bb / C-E-G (b7) *really a I7 with Bb in the bass

Here, you have a b7.  The reason why it is a b7 is because you are in the key of C and B is the 7th scale degree.  But, we don't have a B, we have a Bb.  So, thus we have a b7, which means a lowered 7.  Again, that only explains the note in your LH, but has nothing to do with the chord.  To identify the chord let's take all the notes and stack them in 3rds.  The chord we have is C-E-G-Bb, which is a C dominat seventh chord.  Now, it is true that you have a I7, but it is played with the Bb in your LH and the C-E-G in your RH.  Are you still wit me? Chord names come from looking at all notes being played, but progression numbers are strictly related to the LH notes.  Now, theory teaches us that a dominant 7th chord resolves to 4 of the chord, so we have to look at the next chord to see what happens:

6 = *A / C-F-A (6)  *really a 4 chord, F-A-C, 3rd in the bass

Here, you have a 6.  The reason why it is a 6 is because you are in the key of C and A is the 6th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but doesn't tell you anything about the chord.  Let's stack all the notes in 3rds and see what chord we have.  The chord we have is F-A-C, which is an F major chord.  In the key of C, an F major chord is a 4 chord.  Stop right there!  Didn't we say above that the dominant 7th chord resolves to 4 of the chord?  Well, lookey what we got here, a 4 chord.  The only difference here is we are not playing the root F in the bass, we are playing an A, which is the 3rd of the F major chord and the 6th scale degree in the key of C.  The 6 wins out, so althoghther we have a 6.  If we break it down by each hand we have a 6 in the LH and a 4 chord in the RH.  You wit me now?  Let's move on:

5 = *G / Bb-D-G (5) *filler LH note walking down to the root of the 4 chord, RH chord added in for kicks

First of all, this chord is really not needed, it is what we call a filler / passing chord.  These type chords are just thrown in here and there to fill the spaces between the important chords, or the chords that have to be played.  Anyways, here you have a 5.  The reason why it is a 5 is because you are in the key of C and g is the 5th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but not the chord itself.  Let's stack the notes in 3rds and see what chord we have.  The chord we hve is G-Bb-D, which is a G minor chord. 

Now pay close attention to what I'm about to say. In the key of C, the G chord is a major chord, G-B-D, but here we have a minor chord.  The reason why we are playing a G minor chord is because when we played that C dominant 7th chord earlier, and it resolved to 4 of that chord, which was the F major chord with the 3rd in the bass, there was a temporary modulation to the key of F.  So, now we are not only thinking in the key of C, but also in the key of F.  And in the key of F, the G minor chord is a 2 chord.  So now I bet u probably wondering why I didn't call the chord a 2 instead of a 5?  Well, the answer is because this is a temporary modulation, meaning that it shifts back to C.  So, instead of using theory for the key of C and F, we use theory for the key that is present the longest. 

Now, back to the chord, altogether we have a 5.  If we break it down by hands, we have a 5 in the LH and a minor 5 chord (key of C) or a minor 2 chord (key of F) in the RH.  I know you probably not wit me now, but let's move on:

4 = F / A-C-F (4)

Last, we have a 4, which is where we waned to end up in the first place.  The reason why we have a 4 is because in the key of C, F is the 4th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but not the chord.  Let's stack the chord in 3rds to name it.  The chord we have is F-A-C, which is an F major chord.  Now, in the key of C, an F major chord is a 4 chord.  So, altoghether we have a 4.  If we break it down by each hand, we have a 4 in the LH and a 4 chord in the RH.

Let me guess, i bet you wasn't expecting all that info were you?  I know it's gonna take a while to process all this information, but this is the process that my mind goes through when I am analyzing chords and stuff.  Yall lucky yall don't have to do this for a grade, cuz I had to do this for a grade in high school and college.  If I didn't get it right, I just got an F on my test, so I had to study hard and fast.  If you still having trouble, I can try to break it down some more, but I don't know if i can.


ISN'T MUSIC THEORY FUN?

[bishopcole]

T-block,I applaud you for that. Simplicity sell!!! Please all new and beginning musicians remember this!! Bishop Cole

[CESharp]

T-Block................yes, I get it now.  I just had to take time and imagine what you were posting.  N.w, I just have to keep it in my brain
Thanks.

[ai3winner]

ai3winner wrote:

Okay,

Im totally lost!!!!!!!!!!!! Please explain what u guys are trying to say as basic as possible    What would these chords be used for? When would you play these chords?
Also, this went in the following order: I, I7, 6, 5, 4 , when I played that, it didnt sound good at all. Now, it must be me since Im not grasping the concept, please break it down.

What do you mean by passing chord?
Help me !!!!! 

I HOPE YOU READY FOR THIS!!!
First of all, you lost cuz you wrote it down wrong.  It is not a I, I7, 6, 5, 4, it is I, b7, 6, 5, 4.  Those numbers correspond to scale degrees and not acutal chords.  I'll explain each one individually:

I = C / C-E-G (1)

Here, you have a I / 1.  The reason why it is a 1 is because you are in the key of C and C is the 1st scale degree. That only explains the note in your LH, but has nothing to do with the chord.  To identify what kind of chord you have, you gather up every note that is present and stack it into 3rds.  The chord we have here is C-E-G, which is a C major chord.  Now, in the key of C, a C major chord is a 1 chord.  So, all together, we have a 1.  If we break it down by each hand, we have a 1 in the LH and a 1 chord in the RH.  You wit me so far?


b7 = Bb / C-E-G (b7) *really a I7 with Bb in the bass

Here, you have a b7.  The reason why it is a b7 is because you are in the key of C and B is the 7th scale degree.  But, we don't have a B, we have a Bb.  So, thus we have a b7, which means a lowered 7.  Again, that only explains the note in your LH, but has nothing to do with the chord.  To identify the chord let's take all the notes and stack them in 3rds.  The chord we have is C-E-G-Bb, which is a C dominat seventh chord.  Now, it is true that you have a I7, but it is played with the Bb in your LH and the C-E-G in your RH.  Are you still wit me? Chord names come from looking at all notes being played, but progression numbers are strictly related to the LH notes.  Now, theory teaches us that a dominant 7th chord resolves to 4 of the chord, so we have to look at the next chord to see what happens:

6 = *A / C-F-A (6)  *really a 4 chord, F-A-C, 3rd in the bass

Here, you have a 6.  The reason why it is a 6 is because you are in the key of C and A is the 6th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but doesn't tell you anything about the chord.  Let's stack all the notes in 3rds and see what chord we have.  The chord we have is F-A-C, which is an F major chord.  In the key of C, an F major chord is a 4 chord.  Stop right there!  Didn't we say above that the dominant 7th chord resolves to 4 of the chord?  Well, lookey what we got here, a 4 chord.  The only difference here is we are not playing the root F in the bass, we are playing an A, which is the 3rd of the F major chord and the 6th scale degree in the key of C.  The 6 wins out, so althoghther we have a 6.  If we break it down by each hand we have a 6 in the LH and a 4 chord in the RH.  You wit me now?  Let's move on:

5 = *G / Bb-D-G (5) *filler LH note walking down to the root of the 4 chord, RH chord added in for kicks

First of all, this chord is really not needed, it is what we call a filler / passing chord.  These type chords are just thrown in here and there to fill the spaces between the important chords, or the chords that have to be played.  Anyways, here you have a 5.  The reason why it is a 5 is because you are in the key of C and g is the 5th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but not the chord itself.  Let's stack the notes in 3rds and see what chord we have.  The chord we hve is G-Bb-D, which is a G minor chord. 

Now pay close attention to what I'm about to say. In the key of C, the G chord is a major chord, G-B-D, but here we have a minor chord.  The reason why we are playing a G minor chord is because when we played that C dominant 7th chord earlier, and it resolved to 4 of that chord, which was the F major chord with the 3rd in the bass, there was a temporary modulation to the key of F.  So, now we are not only thinking in the key of C, but also in the key of F.  And in the key of F, the G minor chord is a 2 chord.  So now I bet u probably wondering why I didn't call the chord a 2 instead of a 5?  Well, the answer is because this is a temporary modulation, meaning that it shifts back to C.  So, instead of using theory for the key of C and F, we use theory for the key that is present the longest. 

Now, back to the chord, altogether we have a 5.  If we break it down by hands, we have a 5 in the LH and a minor 5 chord (key of C) or a minor 2 chord (key of F) in the RH.  I know you probably not wit me now, but let's move on:

4 = F / A-C-F (4)

Last, we have a 4, which is where we waned to end up in the first place.  The reason why we have a 4 is because in the key of C, F is the 4th scale degree.  That explains your LH note, but not the chord.  Let's stack the chord in 3rds to name it.  The chord we have is F-A-C, which is an F major chord.  Now, in the key of C, an F major chord is a 4 chord.  So, altoghether we have a 4.  If we break it down by each hand, we have a 4 in the LH and a 4 chord in the RH.

Let me guess, i bet you wasn't expecting all that info were you?  I know it's gonna take a while to process all this information, but this is the process that my mind goes through when I am analyzing chords and stuff.  Yall lucky yall don't have to do this for a grade, cuz I had to do this for a grade in high school and college.  If I didn't get it right, I just got an F on my test, so I had to study hard and fast.  If you still having trouble, I can try to break it down some more, but I don't know if i can.


ISN'T MUSIC THEORY FUN?

T-Block, T-Block, T-Block,

I loooooooove you! First, thank you for alll your help! Second, b/c you just opened my eyes! I completely understand theory and chord names, so it actually confuses me a little bit when you guys are wrting out notes instead of C7add9 (example). Even though you were simplyfying I was still confused. I know it sounds wierd. But one thing I didnt realize until now, is that you can have a bass note that doesnt always have to be directly related to the chord in your right hand.

You are truly blessed! Never, hide your light under a bushel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you

PS Now Im going to read your post again!!!!!!!!!!!!!