This mini-lesson in music history and culture is for all you pop music fans out there. Guess what? You secretly love classical music…you just don\u2019t know it yet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surprised? Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pop music actually draws a lot from classical music. You might not hear it right away, but there\u2019s a simple piece that explains everything. Listen to the first song I play in the video and see if you recognize it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
…That\u2019s right, it\u2019s “Canon In D”<\/a> by Johann Pachelbel! This is a familiar piece to many people because it\u2019s popular at weddings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is this piece so important? Well, it\u2019s arguably the birthplace of pop music.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n I know that\u2019s a bold statement to make, but just listen as I play the chord progression used in Pachelbel Canon and sing some songs over it. As you\u2019ll hear, we can sing Maroon 5\u2019s “Memories”<\/a> right over these exact chords and it fits like a glove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To see exactly what\u2019s going on, let\u2019s take a closer look at the chord progression used in both Pachelbel\u2019s \u201cCanon in D,\u201d which is in D major:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Canon in D” Chord Progression:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n D Major (I) If you\u2019re wondering what\u2019s up with the Roman numerals, they describe the chord\u2019s relationship to the D major scale. Since D is the first note of the D major scale, the D major chord is our I-chord (or \u201ctonic chord\u201d if you want to be technical).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sidenote:<\/b> We use capital Roman numerals to name major chords and lowercase Roman numerals to name minor chords. Using a numbers system<\/a> helps musicians quickly play chord progressions in any key<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCanon in D\u201d uses this chord progression: I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V<\/b>. And as I demonstrate in the video, you can play “Memories” right over this! The melody Maroon 5 uses even borrows from Pachelbel\u2019s melody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most pop songs use a simplified version of this progression, like I-V-vi-IV. Check out our lesson on pop chord progressions<\/a> if you want to learn more and write your own pop progressions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maroon 5 aren\u2019t the only ones paying homage to classical music. Oasis\u2019 “Don’t Look Back In Anger”<\/a> also uses a similar chord progression: I-V-vi-iii-IV-V.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nicki Minaj also uses a similar progression in “Starships”<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of my favorite songs of all time draws from Bach\u2019s classic, “Air on a G String”<\/a>. Procol Harum\u2019s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”<\/a> also uses Bach\u2019s chord progression. Listen to how I play \u201cAir\u201d and the intro to “A Whiter Shade of Pale and see if you can spot the similarities!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we put chords together a certain way, they make a chord progression. How we mix and match chords in chord progressions is how we make music, and this method is timeless. Just like pop and classical, jazz uses chord progressions<\/a> too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While chord progressions may seem similar, the creative potential for making melodies and harmonies with them is boundless! So next time you need some fresh inspiration, look back a few hundred years or listen to music you don\u2019t normally listen to. Pull from different sources of inspiration, see what you love about them, and make it your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next time you think you don\u2019t like classical music, think again! While they may be long gone, old-timey musicians like Bach and Pachelbel are still influencing us today.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s take a closer look<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A Major (V)
B Minor (vi)
F# Minor (iii)
G Major (IV)
D Major (I)
G Major (IV)
A Major (V)<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther classical influences hiding in your pop music…<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The takeaway: music is built on chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n