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A chord progression is a sequence of chords played one after another in a piece of music. Chord progressions provide the harmonic foundation that supports the melody and gives a song its musical direction.
What is a chord progression?
Most chord progressions are built from the notes and chords of a musical key. One of the best-known progressions in popular music is I – V – vi – IV, which in the key of C major becomes C – G – Am – F.
A good chord progression creates a sense of movement. It begins with stability, builds tension through changing chords and eventually resolves back to the home chord, known as the tonic.
How are chord progressions used in piano playing?
Learning common chord progressions is one of the fastest ways to become a confident piano player. Instead of memorizing every song from scratch, you begin to recognize the same harmonic patterns appearing in thousands of songs.
By practicing popular chord progressions in different keys, you will improve your accompaniment skills, play more easily by ear and quickly learn new pop, rock and contemporary songs.