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Chord Progression Theory: Catchy Chord Progressions

This being the end of Chapter 6, here’s Table 51, summarizing the main ways, in accordance with the chord progression theory you've been learning, that you can create catchy chord progressions by not confusing and boring your audience with your chord choices and chord changes.

(NOTE: As always, these are not hard-and-fast rules. For instance, there’s nothing inherently “wrong” with using thirds or fifths up, so long as you know what you’re doing.)

TABLE 51 Optimizing Unity and Variety to Create Catchy Chord Progressions

Prefer...

Instead of...
Tonality
  • Firmly established tonality; use of dominant chord
  • Weak tonality; dominant chord absent or deemphasized
Organizing
Framework
  • Circular harmonic scales
  • Circle of Fifths
  • Modal circular harmonic scales
Chord Choice
  • Variety: consonant triads, dissonant 7ths, some use of highly dissonant or chromatic chords
  • All consonant or all
    dissonant chords
Chord
Progression
Types
  • Seconds, up or down
  • Fifths down
  • Fifths up, to or from
    tonic
  • Occasional use of
    chromatic progressions
  • Thirds down
  • Fifths up, away from
    tonic
  • Immoderate use of
    chromatic progressions
Modulation
  • Pivot
  • Relative
  • Parallel
  • Sequential
  • Shift
  • No modulation at all

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