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The "Progressionator"


Still Learning

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So I'm playing around with chord progressions, in different keys and different inversions/voice leadings and I'm talking with a friend at work about a cool I vi IV V (G Em C D) [Start with G in second inversion, then simply move the low D to E for the Em in root position, then down to a Cmaj in root and a Dmaj in root which leads back to the Gmaj in second inv. by moving the two upper notes]....Anyway...my friend (a guitar guy) goes; "Oh the old ice cream progression". and I'm thinking to myself, "The what progression?" but sure enough, Wikipedia confirms the term ice cream progression"

 

So here is question #1 for you. What other common (or semi-common) progressions have cute names associated with them?

 

Question #2. Any unique chord progression names for specific areas of the World? (i.e. Southern U.S., African, Indian, Oriental, Nordic?)

 

Oh yeah, the title of this thread comes from a cool little app I found called the HotFrets Progressionator!

When most people go to work, they work. When musicians go to work, they play. Which do you prefer?
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Minus 3 on style points kanker, You've got to list the progression (i.e. I IV V) ALONG with it's name for it to be accepted in this highly scientific data gathering experiment!
When most people go to work, they work. When musicians go to work, they play. Which do you prefer?
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Indiana changes occur once a week when someone from

Indiana bathes and changes their clothes. Looking at your avatar, you DO know that spongebob is from Indiana, right? Kanker and I went through this months ago.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Yep, I've also heard it called "Heart and Soul" at jam sessions. That progression is used everywhere and someone will say: "Heart and Soul in F".

 

And don't forget the Rhythm Bridge, usually starting on the III7 chord:

 

III7 - VI7 - II7 - V7 (All chords dominant 7ths and usually lasting one bar)

 

In C:

 

E7 - A7 - D7 - G7

 

In practice you'll hear "Rhythm bridge starting on F7" or some such. It's best to be explicit because when they're learning a tune on the stand is no time to make musicians do math :)

Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker
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Parker changes are basically a way to get from the I to the IV in an 8 bar or blues form

 

| I | viiø III7 | iv II7 | v I7 | IV | (or a variety of sub variants)

 

Trane changes sub for a ii V7 I

 

| ii bIII7 | bVI VII7 | III V7 | I |

 

Rhythm and Indiana are long forms - not going there, look em up ;)

A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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Indiana changes occur once a week when someone from

Indiana bathes and changes their clothes. Looking at your avatar, you DO know that spongebob is from Indiana, right? Kanker and I went through this months ago.

Listen Mr. St. Louis - you better watch what you say or I'll have to kick your tail when I play BB's Jazz Blues and Soups Sept 6....
A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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I've never heard this progression called "Ice Cream Changes". Around here, guys just call it "Doo Wop Changes". Although a lot of the tunes use the ii instead of the IV. And we tend to color them up a lot more than the old-school recordings. like:

 

Imaj9 - vi7 - ii7 - V7b9

 

Or in 4's:

 

Imaj9 - vi7 - ii7 - V7b9

Imaj9 - vi7 - ii7 - V11

Imaj9 - vi7 - ii7 - V7b9

Imaj9 - vi7 - ii7 - bIImaj7

 

:D

 

--Dave

 

Make my funk the P-funk.

I wants to get funked up.

 

My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/

 

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Genuine question..

 

Kanker,

what exactly is iivø? A mistake? I see its a half diminished but what would iiv represent?

 

 

I think he meant viiø

Exactly. You'd think since i quit smoking pot nearly 20 years ago that I'd be able to think straight by now....
A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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I think he meant viiø

Yep, and one post earlier MonksDream wrote IV7 instead of VI7. Some kind of Roman Dyslexia seems to be going around.

 

Larry.

Oops! Corrected.

Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker
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Exactly. You'd think since i quit smoking pot nearly 20 years ago that I'd be able to think straight by now....
Dude, you're lucky you can balance your checkbook with what's left up there.

 

 

 

 

;)

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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All responses must be phrased in the form of a question :)

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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There's the old "Sears Bridge," sometimes also known as the "Montgomery Ward Bridge," which is used in countless standards. It goes I7, IV7, ii7, V7

 

There's the "Omnibus" Progression, which is just easier to link to then try and chart it out here: Link

 

The "Ragtime" progression is just dominant chords using the cycle of fifths, but was used quite often in (you guessed it) ragtime music. C example: E7, A7, D7, G7, C

 

Also, Scriabin's "Mystic chord" which, as the name implies, isn't a progression per se, just a single chord. Basically a 13(#11), but voiced in a particular way, for example, on C: C, F#, Bb, E, A, D.

 

Common ending changes and/or licks: The "Basie" ending, "Take the A Train" ending, and the ol' "Shave and a Haircut."

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Sometimes it's fun to select a pattern/progression and just run with it. down a m3, up a half, down a m3, up a half, etc. Just a quick example, but you see what I mean. Couple leading tones/scale tones and it's instant music....

http://www.bellmusicproductions.com/clientdownloads/sixths.jpg

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