Chords In a Key -

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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
There are four basic chord qualities Major Min
or Diminished Augmented
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Basic chord qualities Abbreviation Example Ma
jor nothing A Minor
m Am Diminished dim. or º
A dim. or Aº Augmented aug. or
A aug. or A
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Chord functions are designated with Roman numerals
I II III etc.
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Chord functions are designated with Roman numerals
I II III etc.
There are seven chords per key One for each
different note in the scale
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
I II III IV V VI VII
All major keys follow the same pattern
Major
minor
Major
Major
minor
dim.
minor
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Chord functions are designated with Roman numerals
So, in the key of C I II III IV
V VI VII
C Dm Em F G
Am B dim.
Major
minor
Major
Major
minor
dim.
minor
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
In other words, in any major key

• I IV and V are always major chords
• II III and VI are always minor chords
• VII is always a diminished chord

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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Lets see how this works in some other keys. How
about the key of G. The notes in the G scale
are G A B C D E F
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Now, add the chord functions (the Roman
Numerals) G A B C D E F I II III IV
V VI VII
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Now, add the chord qualities G Am B m C
D Em F dim. I II III IV V
VI VII
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Now, lets analyze a song.
Blowin In the Wind is in the key of D and uses
the following chords D G A
A7 Bm
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
The chord functions (Roman numerals) for these
chords would be
I IV V V7 VI D G A
A7 Bm
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
The chord progression Bob Dylan wrote for the
verses in the song is
D G D D D G A A7
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
This translates to
I IV I I D G D D I
IV V V7 D G A A7
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
The chord progression for the chorus is
G A D Bm G A D D
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Which translates to
IV V I VI G A D Bm IV
V I I G A D D
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Virtually all songs can be analyzed using this
method. A chord progression, the formula of the
song in Roman numerals, is the true essence of a
song, not the chords themselves.
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Most songs use I, IV, and V as their basis. The
Time of Our Lives by Green Day is a prime
example
Key of G
G5 Cadd9 Dsus Em D C D
Em G C D
I IVadd9 Vsus

VI V IV V VI I IV
I
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Other songs are more complicated. Look at Hotel
California
Key of D
Bm F7 A E G D Em F7 G D
Em F7
VI V7/VI V V/V IV I II
V7/VI
IV I VI V7/VI
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Chords In a Key - The Way Chords Function
Thinking in Chord Progressions is Fun! Try It
With All Your Favorite Songs!!