Harmonic Progressions
Music: Edexcel GCSE, topic 1.1.5
12 Bar Blues
A harmonic/chord progression is basically a succession of two or more chords which help to ‘structure’ a piece of music. The possibilities are endless, but there are a few special ones that you need to be able to identify.
12 Bar Blues
- This famous progression is the basis of most pop, jazz and (of course!) blues music.
- It is based on chords I, IV and V of any given key.
- So in C Major your possible chords are:
- I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII
- C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - Bdim
Primary chords
- The 12 Bar Blues Chords would therefore be C, F and G as highlighted.
- These also happen to be the only MAJOR chords in C Major - what we call the primary chords.
- The 12 Bar Blues progression is usually as pictured (where each box is one bar of music).
Circle of Fifths
A harmonic/chord progression is basically a succession of two or more chords which help to ‘structure’ a piece of music. The possibilities are endless, but there are a few special ones that you need to be able to identify.
A circle of fifths
- A circle of fifths is a chord progression that has been used for hundreds of years.
- You will find them in Baroque music but also in pop and jazz - including an example in the set work Killer Queen by Queen.
Identifying
- The best way to spot a circle of fifths is by listening to the bass note (which is almost always the root [first note] of a chord).
- It will go DOWN a perfect 5th then UP a perfect 4th, then DOWN a perfect 5th and UP a perfect 4th and so on.
- This can happen just twice or multiple times - it is still a circle of fifths!
Example
- So - if we started on a C Major chord, a circle of fifths may be as pictured:
Practice
- It all looks a little strange as the chords are not linked by a common key, but the best way to understand this progression is to practice playing the sequence on a piano or guitar, starting on different chords.
- Once you have heard a circle of fifths a few times you will soon find them easy to spot.
Example
- The example in Killer Queen can be found at bars 20 - 21.
- The chord progression here is as pictured:
Test yourself on Harmonic Progressions
12 Bar Blues is based on which chords of any given key?
Which is NOT a chord 12 Bar Blues is based on (of any given key)?
Which of these is NOT a 12 Bar Blues Chord in C major?
Which set work has a good example of a circle of fifths?