4 classic chord progressions and why they work

Today we're going to take a look at 4 chord progressions that have been used in loads of classic songs and that you can use too!

And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇

0:00 Introduction
0:16 Harmonic Minor vamp
1:53 Viva la Vida progression
4:35 1-4-5-4 vamp
7:22 the Dorian vamp

[FizzyK-]

Never thought I'd hear we are number one in a lesson about chord progressions.

This video is definitely going down in history.

[shandya]

Viva la Vida progression somehow sounds optimistic yet melancholic at the same time. It’s one of my favorite progressions.

[NickHoad]

We Are Number One coming right after Evanescence was a piece of editing genius, hit me like a freight train

[ND]

I can’t wait to emulate Robbie Rotten’s musical genius.

EDIT: something I wanted to point out about the Viva la Vida progression. It is very similar to _another_ chord progression you’ve covered before; the Royal Road progression. If you replace the tonic chord in the Viva progression with a mediant chord, you get Royal Road. Because of this, you could probably use these progression interchangeably, considering that the mediant chord has tonic quality as you explained in the Royal Road video.

[SoleaGalilei]

I heard Mad World and Pink Floyd as soon as you introduced the Dorian vamp, but I was so surprised by the other styles of music that have used it! It's cool how the same chords can sound sad-proggy or disco-funky.

[rome]

It's interesting that most examples of the "Viva La Vida" progression seem to take place in the chorus or bridge of the song. "Viva La Vida" is actually uncommon in that it uses it in the verses. I think it's because going to the IV chord for the chorus is so common in the first place. It makes sense that if you were going to use that progression you'd want to use it in the chorus. Verse chord progressions tend to be more centered around the tonic.

[austinshivers]

The theory is great, but I love hearing the examples and remembering all the great music I've forgotten about

[ArmanBaig]

as a huge pink floyd fan i’m glad you included those examples. roger was a big fan of the dorian vamp.

[torgejh]

I just love how flawless evanescence transitions into we are no.1, sounds like prechorus and chorus. Really works.

[SpartaYoshi]

My favorite chord progression I think doesn't have a name. I call it the Dirty Day progression:
IV - i - bIII - bVII
or IV - I - bIII - bVII
It's similar to the plagal cascade. You could say it's a double plagal cascade. It's the one used in Dirty Day by U2, Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (at half-tempo), Watermelon Sugar etc. It is also very very used in the production of lo-fi hip hop, I think I'm gonna make a playlist to catalog them

[BobBobenstein]

would you consider doing a video on instrumental solos? I've always wondered why they are added to songs, why some people enjoy them and some don't, and why they have fallen out of vogue in popular music today

[scottmatznick]

I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. I've been stagnant for quite a few years trying to spice up my chord progressions, and your videos have helped so much, just by demystifying the construction of my favorite songs.

Idk if that made any sense, but point being: you've made me a better musician and songwriter.



Also, it irks me that someone with such a baby face is so much better than me at music, soooo I'm getting better lmao.

Keep it up brother.

[offline_meetup]

I'm shocked the way you explain the emotion of the chords and I clearly understand it. Stunning

[mmohd]

Have always found the 'viva la vida' chord progression particularly satisfying and often evoking reflective, bittersweet or longing emotions - often (i feel) reflected in lyrics for songs using this progression

[DanielLightspeedMcNair]

wow, pink floyd REALLY likes the i-IV progression, huh?

[bismuththebi]

I see Coldplay in the thumbnail, I click the like button

[cocanecaulk]

Your videos of common chord progressions have actually given me the confidence to both start learning melodies purely by ear and start busking downtown.

I play the accordion and learning any 4 chord loop is trivially easy on it, so I quickly started finding myself figuring out the melodies to these different examples you used very naturally be ear aftet just cycling through the chords. Incorprating the examples you mentioned into my playing (essentially actually playing the montages you show) really gave me the confidence that I was performing something unique enough to start busking in public and I've already made a few hundred dollars since I started earlier this month.

Thanks a ton and keep up the great vids!

[puphcp]

These chord progression videos are really cool. I like being able to hear them in so many different songs and spot them in the wild

[aristotleasparaguspodcast]

Thanks for using my suggestion!
And I will say that Show Me Love by Robyn, Rio by Duran Duran, and Waterfalls by TLC all have the same chord progression so if you can find more songs there's another good chord progression

[Joka]

Since the beginning I've always wondered... David, where do you get all these examples from? Your music knowledge is vast but I doubt that you just think of all of them from the top of your head