How To Write Chord Progressions With NEGATIVE HARMONY [Simple Explanation]

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You may have heard about Negative Harmony (after all, it was all the rage on YouTube a while ago) and maybe you tried to understand it.

But for all the talk about it, there are still very few resources that actually explain it! Most people came away with the idea that Negative Harmony is an abstract or brainy concept reserved to geniuses.

In reality, everybody can use Negative Harmony in their music - it's not difficult to do as long as you can play a few chords on your guitar. You can find everything else in the video below.

In this video you will learn what Negative Harmony is, how it works, and how you can use it in your music. I play plenty of examples so you can hear how it sounds, and see how to use it in practice.

By the time you get to the end of the video you will be able to apply Negative Harmony to create new chord progressions that sound great

If you like this video, share, like, comment & don't forget to subscribe for more content!

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[cwade]

For the first time in my almost 64 years, I'm beginning to grasp the logic of music theory. Many thanks for your great instruction.

[XalphYT]

You have musical fingers. When I write notes on a whiteboard and then point to them, nothing happens.

[cpia]

Easy way to think of it - Going Up the C Major (or whatever) scale, is equivalent to going DOWN the C (or same) NATURAL Minor Scale. This also works for the chord relationship. So C becomes C Minor, D minor becomes Bb, and say, A minor (6th up in the scale of C Major) becomes Eb (6th Down in the Natural Minor Scale).
Try playing your C major scale up, then your C Minor Scale Down. Think about what number you are on (either going up Major, or Going Down Minor) and then that number becomes is the Negative Harmony of the other one :)

So SCALE UP C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B dim, C (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Becomes = Natural Minor Scale
DOWN Cm, Bb, Ab, Gm, Fm, Eb, D dim, Cm (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Just match the numbers and substitute the chord!

[candythiefmusic]

When I started out writing songs, I wrote totally anarchic non diatonic progressions, and in the intervening decade it has transpired that there was a name for everything I did. It’s fascinating how any sound you can be drawn to has a relational logic. Who knew country music with a minor IV chord could actually be describe in terms of negative harmony? :)

[adamedison]

I'm a lifelong pianist, and I found this explanation very useful - that's the beauty of music theory taught well! Really nice job!

[renejohnkerkdyk]

This is the best explanation about why and how negative harmony works that I have seen. Thank you, Tommaso!

[Ibanez]

I've been playing Don't Look Back in Anger for 15 years and I always wondered how the Fmaj to Fmin worked within the C major key, and now I know, great vid, thank you

[goodbeans]

A while ago I found the chord progression C-G-Fm-C and I couldn't figure out why it sounded so good, but this explains it so beautifully! Thank you for the video!

[darrylem]

I watched this vid when I was pursuing a course in music theory and boy I felt like I was lost in space... 3 years after putting my music theory into practice, I can actually understand and see the application of ur subject. I can now create very interesting harmony from this. I also watched ur vid (the wrong chords sound better) where u built complex/ext chords from combining simple diatonic chords and I was in awe of how simple u made something that was seemingly sooo complex. Thank u for sharing ur wealth of knowledge Mr T. 👏👏👏

[emmawynter]

7:17 gave me an eargasm... so beautiful

[eblackbrook]

Well explained. One criticism though: In a video like this where your audience is trying to keep the chord progression you just played in memory to compare it with the next (negative) chord progression, having music playing in the background is very unhelpful.

[tomorama]

i love how this video explains the dominant function of a borrowed minor IV chord, like in all those Beatles songs.

you could think of that Dm7/b5 as an inversion of the usual seventh chord of C.

[TheProletariat.]

I hear this when I play but totally NEVER thought of the musical science behind what I was hearing! I would not like ending on certain notes.. but this totally explains it.

Now if I can just stop being "blown away" with amazement and focus on what he's teaching me... lol!! This channel opened up a whole new world to me! Thank you!

[wilsonramosguitar]

I've been playing the guitar for over 40 years and studying musical theory. And I have never met such a didactic person like you. Thank you!

[hanstaagen]

I hesitated to watch another video trying to explain it in a simple way. Im glad i clicked on the video. Good job

[JohnnyAGraves]

Am I seeing a pattern? Always take the 1and 5 and switch position, flatten the third, switch the 2&4, and switch the 6&7 then flatten to make the minor scale?

[jamesdobrovnik]

This ones over my head presently sir. I’m still working on the fretboard note mastery instruction. Your lectures are by far the most understandable. I recently rediscovered my interest in the instrument. And obtained some nice gear as a mid life reward. 51 in a few days. Slowly things are starting to piece together. My goal is the sound and harmonies never heard before and really enjoy your content. Have a great day.

[Hecatonicosachoron]

Nice explanation. I like to think of it as inverting about the tonic and transposing up a fifth.
I also like to show that it works visually with the circle of fifths as well.

[kingdicelille]

The clearest explanation of negative harmony I've seen. A belated thank you.

[yoemichelp_yoe]

Most accurate and comprehensive explanation of negative harmony. Everybody else fall short. Thank you a lot!