Sign-up for Session Studio totally free today and get your discount code for a FREE 45GB of additional cloud storage if you join using my link:
PLUS, enter Session Studio's worldwide songwriting competitors for music creators totally free, and you might win ₤ 1000 money + a Native Instruments production suite worth over ₤ 1000! More details and complete T&C s:.
The chord progression of I II IV I appears frequently sufficient in Beatle-penned tunes that I consider it quite as a "Beatlish" chord progression. This intense string of significant chords provides a truly interesting blend of tonalities and has been put to work by numerous great songwriters.
And, an additional special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel's Patreon saints!.
ASSISTANCE ME ON PATREON:.
0:00 Introduction.
0:37 The Beatles.
2:18 Other tunes that utilize the progression.
3:40 Video game music.
4:20 Studio Session & Competitors.
5:38 the major II chord.
6:25 Lydian modal mixture.
7:36 Secondary dominant.
9:38 Voice leading.
11:19 piano outro/Patreon.
Click Here To Learn Piano or Keyboard
Such a nice and bright chord progression. Never realized how many of the songs I love used it. Always loved All Around The World especially, as they just go and key change everything TWICE.
The first three songs in that montage of all the non-Beatles or Beatles-wannabe songs are three of my all time favorite songs. <3
Two other songs that use a variation on this progression: "Love Train" by the O'Jays and "Into Yesterday" by Strawberry Switchblade.
The Apples In Stereo (ie, the GOOD Beatles-esque 90s band) used the original version of it twice: "Stream Running Over" and "Energy."
I made a slight variation on this progression. This time though the tonic chord is a minor chord. Making it:
i – II – IV – i
In the key of F# Minor it would be:
F#m – G# – B – F#m
It has an exotic sound to it.
Very interesting !!
Billy Corgan’s favorite progression. So many Smashing Pumpkins songs use this..
“Right here right now” by Jesus Jones and “plush” by Stone Temple Pilots incorporate the idea of this chord progression even if it’s not quite as overt. In particular, they both have that descending chromatic line cliche David talks about at the end of this video. Also, honorable mention to “my name is” by Eminem. It’s almost there except for the last chord. The list gets a lot longer if you drop that last chord. “When you sleep” by MBV and “counting blue cars” by Dishwalla come to mind immediately
I love using the major II in songwriting. Thanks for elaborating on why it works so well!
Came for the Beatles discussion, stayed for the Oasis bashing 🤣
I really like this chord progression, the major 2 has such an uplifting feel. I’ve also seen it where you can mix this with the minor plagal cadence so its I, II, iv, I and that sounds really nice. I think that’s what muse does on the verse to Kill or be Killed
I used to call it the ‘whatever gets you through the night’ chord progression named after the song by John Lennon. I used it to write a song quite a few years ago and didn’t realise that lots of other people have been down the same long and winding road, Including a well-known Beatles tribute band.
the velvet underground também usou muito essa progressão em várias e várias músicas
Always loved this sound, especially in A Kind of Magic and a lot of Robbie Williams and Kate Tunstall songs, but also this bright chord is used by Abba a lot, and of course this all started with jazz.
Wonderful video as usual ☺ are you going to make other videos in which you review our chord progressions? If so, I have this one: Fm – E7(#5)(#9) – Ab6/Eb – Dm7(b5) – Dbmaj7 – C7. I used it in an arpeggio like in Stairway to Heaven, but the song is in 12/8 time.
I think the last song on the Cowboy Bebop movie is in the progression. “Gotta knock a little harder”. If anyone with a better ear than mine can confirm, I’d appreciate!
3:17 Actually A Kind Of Magic is my all time favorite song 😃 Thanks for the analysis 👍
the last example of voice leading is exactly how The Britemores use those chords in their song ‘Perfect Day’. i knew it sounded familiar somehow
2:48 “Of course, this chord progression hasn’t just been used by The Beatles and The Beatles Tribute Act”
Savage.
As a Queen nerd, I really should have realised this was also the ‘Kind of Magic’ progression! Also, that shade thrown at 2:32 and 2:49 was marvellous!
“The Money Song” and “Vote Your Heart”, both related to Avenue Q, also use this chord progression, although with some variations (namely, sometimes swapping IV to iv)
Hello David, I’m curious to know where do you find your exemples, do you remember those chord progression in the songs you talk about or is there a list of those songs with their chord progression somewhere?
Blur’s “Lot 105” uses this progression, as well as alluding to its use in the one lyric of the song “Eighteen times a week, girl”.