Music Composition For Dummies
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As you compose music, you quickly realize that some chords just sound right together, and some don't. The following is a list of the tried-and-true major chord sequences that always sound good when played together:

  • I chords can appear anywhere in a progression

  • ii chords lead to I, V, or vii° chords

  • iii chords lead to I, ii, IV, or vi chords

  • IV chords lead to I, ii, iii, V, or vii° chords

  • V chords lead to I or vi chords

  • vi chords lead to I, ii, iii, IV, or V chords

  • vii° chords lead to I or iii chords

The minor chords that form good-sounding progressions echo those of the major chords, as shown in the following list:

  • i chords can appear anywhere in a progression

  • ii° or ii chords lead to i, iii, V, v, vii°, or VII chords

  • III or III+ chords lead to i, iv, IV, VI, #vi°, vii°, or VI chords

  • iv or IV chords lead to i, V, v, vii°, or VII chords

  • V or v chords lead to i, VI or #vi° chords

  • VI or #vi° chords lead to i, III, III+, iv, IV, V, v, vii°, or VII chords

  • vii° or VII chords lead to i chord

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Scott Jarrett has been a theatrical music director and has taught recording labs, voice, guitar, music theory, and composition. He has worked with artists from Willie Nelson to Dave Grusin.

Holly Day has created work for over 3,000 international publications including Guitar One Magazine, Music Alive!, and Brutarian Magazine. She is also the co-author of Music Theory For Dummies.

Michael Pilhofer, MM, holds a Master's in Music Education with a Jazz Emphasis from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami.

Holly Day's work has appeared in Guitar One Magazine, Music Alive!, culturefront Magazine, and Brutarian Magazine.

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