Part I

Chord Progressions

I-IV-ii-V-I

The harmonies introduced so far are the ones that you will mostly use. In fact, almost everything else that follows are just variations on the above.

The chord progression given above is a useful one to memorize. Think of the chords including all of its variations. So, V refers to V, V7, and the cadential six-four chord. ii refers to both ii and ii7. As we shall see in the next part, they also refer to all of its inversions and substitutes.

You can use it to build longer progressions. Its use is simple. You can use any chord a long as it follows the above order, and I is prefaced by V.

So I can go to any chord. ii and ii7 move to some version of V. V always goes to some version of I. IV can go to ii(7) or V, but IV doesn't go to ii, and so on.

In addition to the above, IV -I, the plagal cadence, can be used. Try to use progression that move toward V and ultimately I, saving the plagal motion for specific effect.