Contents
Alright, we’ve finally made it to the explanation of the last one to go, 3▲.
3▲ is unique with its strangely unsettled, floaty feeling, referred to as bringing a “soft effect” 1. In classical music it’s not commonly used except for I→IIIm. A classic harmony book says that 3▼ is more satisfactory than 3▲ in general2. And it is explained as “weak progressions” in jazz theories as well.
1. The Connection from I to IIIm
First, let’s talk about I to IIIm. It is a common conception that I is the “starting station” of a key and therefore can progress to any other chords. By such a logic the progression I→IIIm is widely accepted since the era of classical music.
Soundwise, it’s the same T to D motion as I→V, but with less movement and involving chord type change from major to minor, creating a slightly melancholic mood.
The beginning of “Help!” (When I was younger so much~) is I→IIIm. This calmly floating sensation is the character of 3▲.
Its moderate darkness is also quite popular in K-Pop. Here’s a single by the multinational idol group TWICE. The beginning of both the verse and the chorus is IIIImIVIVm. This subtle touch of sadness is unique to IIIm, very useful in pop music. You can also change it to III, a quality change, and it still works nicely.
2. Nexus of IV→VIm
The IV→VIm nexus is not common in classical music. However, considering that IV–I, which is the same kind of resolution to T function chord, is possible, it seems a bit challenging to come up with a good excuse for deeming this progression as unfavorable. Therefore, classical books often skip the explanation for this progression and simply ignore it, trying to get around it. So it’s not explicitly forbidden, but it’s evidently not encouraged either.
What about in practice? While not so particularly common, it is frequently used in genres such as EDM, techno or electronica. Especially in electronic music, where there’s often a roll as background music, overly emotional progressions can be overdoing. That’s when progressions with minimal changes, such as 3▲, come into play.
4-6-5
For example, progressions like IVVImV can be often found in genres like EDM, tehcno or rock.
The calm and smooth 3▲ works well for creating a chilled mood or is suitable for themes like heartbreak.
The 4-6 nexus can be seen as taking the classic chord progression IVVVIm, removing the V to reduce the intensity, creating a more subdued atmosphere.
Sometimes D–T resolution sounds too clear to express more ambiguous mood. When aiming for a mature and serene ambiance or wanting to express a more subdued mood, 3▲ might be a better fit. Let’s explore more examples of chord progressions.
4-6-2-1
In these songs, the 4-6-2-1 progression is used. This is not a popular chord progression, I can barely find 4 songs, but it is notable that here no D-function chords, V nor IIIm, is involved. The progression just goes back and forth between S and T.
4-6 Loop
In genres like electronica, alternative rock, hip-hop and more, there are songs that go through a section just with the interplay between IV and VIm.
There are variations where they purely use IV–VIm or VIm–IV loop or some that sandwich a short V chord in as a little connection, creating subtle differences in that regard. After all, what drives music forward is not just the chords. There are various aspects that make music engaging, like what you convey with rhythm or how you develop the sound. There are moments when a chord progression without strong motions can shine.
Moreover, there’s probably an aspect of freshness coming from the fact that it’s not a type of progression found in classical or jazz music. Progressions not found in music theory books are by no means wrong. They simply represent the birth of a new style.
