{"id":192,"date":"2019-07-26T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-01-11T14:39:45","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T22:39:45","slug":"exciting-progressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/exciting-progressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Your Piano Chord Progressions More Exciting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As you probably know by now, most popular songs use a variation of four chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are the 1-5-6-4 chords<\/a>. The reason so many songs use them is simply that they sound great together. There’s nothing wrong with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it can get a little … boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Jordan is back with an awesome tip on how you can make your progression<\/a> more exciting by adding in an additional chord that is OUTSIDE they original key. (The fancy name for this is non-diatonic)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “Exciting” Chord<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The chord we’re adding is the Major 3rd chord. So in the key of C Major, this chord will be an E Major chord. It will contain a G#, which is NOT in the key of C. But that’s what makes it sound so exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This E chord works beautifully as a transition chord between the 4 and the 6 chords, so it could lead to the F or to the Am. (This is because of secondary dominance, but that’s a bigger lesson).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This progression has been used by David Bowie, Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Sting and Twenty One Pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So try it out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying It In Any Key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just remember to find the Major 3rd chord of the key you are in. So if you’re in the key of F, it would be an A Major chord. If you’re in G if would be a B Major chord etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is such a great, unique sound, that I’m sure it will inspire you to come up with your own progressions and melodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have fun playing the piano!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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