Identify this chord progression

Hi Young Composers!

I was mucking around the other day on the keyboard, and I hit 2 strange progressions during it.

1) Am-D(-Am)

2) A-Cm(-A)

If I remember right the first set of chords sounded as if it was taken from blues or something, but I have no idea!

What modes are these from? And how would I compose with them (what style would use)?

That's all!

Hello!

As for the first progression, it is a typically dorian progression ( i - IV ). Dorian is a common mode, so these progressions are often used in jazz.

As for the second, I wouldn`t associate it with a particular mode. However, chord progressions by ''chromatic 3rd'' all have an odd feeling to them. These progressions have one voice moving chromatically while the chord root changes by a third - in the case of Am - Cm, the chromatic progression is E - Eb. A lot of these progressions were used by Ravel and Debussy. The are very fun to use as well.

Guys thats great! I retried these progressions with your information in mind and it blew me :D it would seem that Am-D belongs to both A Dorian and G. I never thought of it that way before!

@ParanoidFreak Your extra info about the chord progressions by 'chromatic 3rds' - very nice of you I learnt some more!

@Composer Phil You say these are common progressions in film scoring, yes they do pull my emotions, but how do people go about finding chords when writing for film? Vague idea -- > Trial and error? Obviously these chords are familiar to you, but is there somewhere where I could learn all this harmony?

I want to know more.

Walter Piston's text book: Harmony is the standard

Walter Piston's text book: Harmony is the standard

What a coincidoince I've heard of that - I already had it shipped to me a few days ago it's coming

:D

I'll study it alongside school work

your question of "how to compose" is way too broad to answer, but the truth can start with listening to simple film scores(not john williams or bernard hermann for example) and try figure out the changes(chords) and see for yourself how it worked, you'll get more "appropriate" questions after that.

the second chord changes can be used as symmetrical scale-diminished, half step-full step-half step-full step and so on.. starting from either A or C.

but you could also use each scale for each chord which takes more skill to master, A mixolydian(which is D major) and C natural minor(which is Eb major).

I agree with Phil! I use these chord progressions a lot. try them out in a few different pieces. It always sounds so cool :D

the second chord changes can be used as symmetrical scale-diminished, half step-full step-half step-full step and so on.. starting from either A or C.

but you could also use each scale for each chord which takes more skill to master, A mixolydian(which is D major) and C natural minor(which is Eb major).

Could you elaborate further? I'm unclear about what you mean by 'symmetrical scale-diminished' :0

Also, what do you mean by 'use each scale for each chord'? Do you mean using them to write the melody and other lines?

I appreciate your help so far!

I want to know more!

I think you should take a look at Paul Hindemith's theory and comp books. It includes some stuff about interesting progressions like this- and also some other really cool things.

Assuming that what you have in the parenthesis, is the intended key:

The first chords actually belong to the key of G. It is a progression of ii - V.

No they don't... There is no reason that those two chords are automatically part of the key of G, it all depends on context.

keysguitar

thankyou for trying to improve my understanding of phil's words :)

Phil

yes that was my intention, to understand the progression in my own terms and also to learn how else it could have been interpreted, which you generously took time to give me! thanks!

Pauloski

the Hindemith book is quite old right? Thanks I will look into it, then perhaps I will have more interesting questions :::

Thankyou everyone for your help! I'll get started on this much. Case solved and closed !!

When do I try to enforce that the two chords can only be used in the context of G major? He asked for an example of how to use the progression, and I provided (the most simple possible).

Sorry, I must have misinterpreted your words. It sounded to me like you were saying that was the 'only' or 'proper' place for that progression, and not simply another way of using it. Although technically ii-V-I would be an entirely different progression than having i-IV and implying that the A minor was the tonic, but I digress.

Pauloski

the Hindemith book is quite old right? Thanks I will look into it, then perhaps I will have more interesting questions :::

The Hindemith books were written in the 1940's. It is just a really good group of books. The Theory book starts off with talking about tuning and weather we should use the Well-tempered tuning or pure Pythagorean tuning. Its really interesting. Then his comp books (book 2 and 3) are all about harmonies.

The Hindemith books were written in the 1940's. It is just a really good group of books. The Theory book starts off with talking about tuning and weather we should use the Well-tempered tuning or pure Pythagorean tuning. Its really interesting. Then his comp books (book 2 and 3) are all about harmonies.

Ugh, sounds like outdated and close-minded ideas on temperament to me. But I haven't read the book yet, so for all I know I might agree with him. :P

So, I think I will head down to my local university library and see if they have this book.

2) A-Cm(-A)

This works well in Ab imo. I - x - N - iii - I (x where you input a progression)

1) Am-D(-Am)

This works well in any transition to a new key, for instance as v - I in the new key D major from B major. VI - v - I

or if you invert the harmonies so its A-Dm it works just as well as a progression that stays in B major. I - (b)VII - (b)iii

For you to resolve the second example is up to you, but is a very smooth sounding progression. I mention it because it is basically the same as your second example. I personally do not like to think of progressions or keys in certain 'modes.' They are all the same 'mode' (and when you change the scale for brief periods you are 9 times out of 10 changing the key back and forth), just that a key can be at different degrees. The I - (b)VII - (b)iii is not proper, but just helps one to envision it from the key of B major. It is more logical to write it as VI - V - i, where D is the key and B is the tonic (it is often up to interpretation what the tonic is. Usually it is the mathematical mode, the basis that links the piece together). This is not basic music theory, but it is less counter-intuitive in building successful harmonies.

Hi Young Composers!

I was mucking around the other day on the keyboard, and I hit 2 strange progressions during it.

1) Am-D(-Am)

2) A-Cm(-A)

If I remember right the first set of chords sounded as if it was taken from blues or something, but I have no idea!

What modes are these from? And how would I compose with them (what style would use)?

That's all!

there are number of options for you, i think what you should do is play(or record) the progression in loop, then check what notes works best with it.

the chord notes(for example A:A C# E) are the best for staying "in the chord" and you can compose a nice melody out of them, but usually it's harder to think "vertically"(since with chord there are jumps) and horizontally is easier(no jumps with the scale which fits).

there are melodies that works best with notes that AREN'T in the scale also, so conventional means aren't always the best.

i am all for experimentation.