Epic Chord Progression Hack - Chromatic Mediant Motion

#epicmusic #cinematicmusic #musictheory
Diatonic progressions, conventional harmony, don't have the Epic you're looking for? Try Chromatic Mediant Motion. You don't have to study the Tonnetz or understand Neo-Riemannian Theory to get it.
00:00 intro
01:19 quick diatonic review
02:57 Chromatic Mediant motion with triads & extensions
05:35 minor third motion
07:26 Strings example
08:40 Arpeggiated Electro example
09:23 conclusions

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[garygimmestad]

I’ve always loved chromatic mediant harmony and it was a great revelation when I learned about Neo-Riemannian theory. An exercise I do with my students (and that I do myself) is to choose a starting point on the Tonnetz and follow various paths from chord to chord - which is essentially what you did in this video. Learning chromatic mediant harmony is liberating but it also reminds us of all kinds of common-tone relationships that exist in traditional functional harmony. Because these harmonies are, on one hand, unmoored, and on the other, the most familiar and stable harmonies - simple triads - they make the familiar strange and the strange familiar. In order to preserve that effect, added extensions can’t create dominants - no tritones. And that’s what you did with your beautiful minor chords with extensions. They’re especially evocative - like distant bells full of dark portent. As always, thank you you for continuing to open doors and windows. Cheers!

[MrSonicAlchemy]

I have experimented with this kind of movement in the past but some of those extended harmonies you used were really beautiful and made me want to explore further. Thank you!

[nenharma]

I really love that you experimented with potential applications of this with strings and also electronic music. Thanks a lot!

[ghfdt]

Hey Chris loved the video and little exploration of chromatic mediants! One topic I'd love for you to cover are chord progressions and ideas used a lot in the 80's as I personally think a lot or artists and bands used really beautiful wide, rich chords and harmony with major and minor 9, 11, 6ths chords aswell as add 9, sus 2, sus 4 and inversions. Tips and hints on how to make our own and get that beautiful rich 80's atmosphere would be awesome, Thanks 🙂

[lmrock]

The melody is like a painting, and its frame is like the chord progression and canvass that you paint over with color-tones. Re-harming a song is like re-framing a painting.😊

[markbelcher]

Would ❤ a better understanding of NEO-RIEMANNIAN theory via your beautiful, calming style

[harryleblanc]

I've been hugely influenced by neo-reimannian theory ever since I read the book "Hollywood Harmonies." I'm interested in bringing these kinds of epic changes into a more pop setting. You do hear a few examples in pop music (e.g., in Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke", the chord change for "you can feel it all over." That sixth, which diatonically would normally be minor, is unexpectedly major, which brings a bright ray of sunshine into the chorus.) Exciting stuff!

[drewb]

always appreciate your insight Chris, thanks for continually posting great videos like this over the years.

[bassocanario]

Just stumbled onto your channel. Great presentation here: clear, concise explanations. Thank you, looking forward to checking out more of your material !

[waekwicku]

More creative provocations ...Many thanks once again for all the excellent & well thought-out work !

[lighterwaves]

Your voicings are the secret sauce...🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[netuno]

Great video. The sound of these chromatic mediants is indeed evocative or climatic.

[noalias]

Chris, you are such a pleasant and sympathetic explainer. Always very interesting topics and information. Super well presented.
Best regards from Switzerland.

[ericmiller]

Great! I was looking for a way to make non boring progressions and this fit the bill.

[vonanderssonnoisesystem]

Great stuff, very inspiring. Thank you! I’m a big fan of Radiohead and their various side projects. They often use ideas like these to create epic chord progressions.

[uffevonlauterbach]

This was pretty cool. Your videos are really informative. Do you happen to have your own compositions that you've completed?

[PatternMusic]

I am working with a Eurorack modular sequencer "Tetrachords" by Cycle Instruments. It is a chord and arpeggio sequencer. And it has a feature called "pivot modulation" that uses this technique. Your video provides valuable background to help me understand it.

[rhettohlerking]

If there’s chromatic mediants, is there such a thing as chromatic sub dominants? Or chromatic dominants? There may be an obvious answer but I’m just curious as to why chromatic mediants stand out

[EnkiAndInanna]

Great work again, i compose meditation and hypnosis music and sounds and struggle with making pieces long enough and also stay low information or movements. Is there a trick to elongating ideas without being repetitive?

[jimrogers]

I would love a link to the poster at the beginning of this video… visuals are always helpful. Great video! Cheers!