design-chord-progression

Design Chord Progression

Compose chord progressions that establish tonality, create harmonic movement, and support melodic and emotional expression.

Why This Is Best Practice

Adopted by: Berklee College of Music (world's largest music school) uses functional harmony and Piston's framework as the core of its harmony curriculum; Everett's rock harmony analysis is the academic standard for popular music theory; all major songwriting curricula (BMI, ASCAP workshops) teach functional chord movement. Impact: Understanding functional harmony enables composers to intentionally create tension/release cycles that drive listener engagement; analysis of Billboard #1 hits shows 90%+ use I–IV–V–I or closely related functional progressions as their backbone. Why best: Chord progressions are the harmonic language that communicates emotional direction — functional harmony creates the expectation and resolution cycle that engages listeners emotionally and cognitively.

Sources: Piston "Harmony" rev. ed. (1978); Berklee Online "Harmony 1–4" curriculum; Everett "The Foundations of Rock: From 'Blue Suede Shoes' to 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'" (2009).

Steps

1. Establish the key and mode — choose a tonal center (key) and mode: major (bright, stable), natural minor (dark, melancholic), Dorian (minor with raised 6th — jazz/folk feel), Mixolydian (major with flatted 7th — rock feel), or other modes. Every chord choice is evaluated relative to this tonal center.

2. Map the diatonic chords — build the seven diatonic triads (or seventh chords) native to the chosen key. For C major: I(C), ii(Dm), iii(Em), IV(F), V(G), vi(Am), vii°(Bdim). These are your primary harmonic vocabulary in the key.

3. Understand chord function — assign each diatonic chord a function: Tonic (I, iii, vi — stable, home feeling), Subdominant/Pre-dominant (ii, IV — departure, motion building), Dominant (V, vii° — tension, strongest pull to tonic). A complete progression moves: T → PD → D → T.

4. Choose a progression type — select from: Authentic cadence (V→I, strongest resolution), Plagal cadence (IV→I, softer resolution, "Amen" feel), Deceptive cadence (V→vi, unexpected), Half cadence (ends on V, open/questioning). Full progressions combine these cadential gestures.

5. Apply common functional patterns — start with proven patterns: I–V–vi–IV (most common pop progression in major); i–VII–VI–VII (minor pop/rock); I–IV–V–I (classic blues/rock); ii–V–I (jazz). These are starting points, not templates.

6. Add harmonic interest with secondary dominants — a secondary dominant is a V chord applied to any diatonic chord: V/V (D7 in C major, points to G), V/ii (A7 pointing to Dm). Secondary dominants increase harmonic momentum and create brief tonicizations of other chord centers.

7. Apply voice leading principles — move each voice (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) in the smoothest motion possible: prefer contrary or oblique motion between bass and upper voices; avoid parallel fifths and parallel octaves; resolve tendency tones (leading tone to tonic, 7th of V7 down to 3rd of I).

8. Design the rhythm and pacing — decide how long each chord lasts (harmonic rhythm). Slower harmonic rhythm (one chord per bar) feels spacious; faster (multiple chords per bar) feels urgent. Syncopated harmonic rhythm (chords on off-beats) creates groove.

9. Consider modal mixture and borrowed chords — borrow chords from the parallel mode: in C major, use iv (Fm, from C minor), bVII (Bb, from C Mixolydian), or bVI (Ab). Modal mixture adds color and emotional depth without leaving the tonal center.

10. Test against a melody — play or sing a melody over the progression and evaluate: does the harmonic motion support the melodic climaxes? Are chord tones aligned with melodically important notes? Does the progression create tension and release at the right moments?

Rules

• The dominant (V) chord must contain the leading tone (7th scale degree) to create a strong pull to tonic.
• Resolve tritones (the interval between the 3rd and 7th of a dominant 7th chord) properly: the 7th resolves down, the 3rd resolves up to the tonic's root and 3rd.
• Test every progression by playing it repeatedly — harmonic progressions must work on loop for song forms.
• Do not confuse root position and inverted chords — bass motion is a primary driver of progression strength.

Common Mistakes

• Over-relying on I–V–vi–IV — this progression is effective but overused; exploring its substitutions (iii for I, II for V, bVII for V) creates fresher sounds.
• Ignoring voice leading — chord progressions played as block chords without considering smooth voice leading sound mechanical; inner voices create the smoothness that distinguishes professional harmony.
• No harmonic goal — random chord changes without a clear tonal target create harmonic wandering; every progression should have a clear home chord the ear is moving toward.
• Incorrect chord function in modal contexts — applying tonal harmonic rules to modal music destroys the modal color; Dorian and Mixolydian avoid the leading tone and strong V–I resolutions.

When NOT to Use

• When composing atonal or twelve-tone music (functional harmony concepts do not apply).
• When working in a strict modal context where functional resolution should be deliberately avoided (modal jazz, Gregorian chant).
• When the harmonic language is pre-determined by an existing melody or lead sheet (analyze first, then adjust).