Can a musician please explain this chord progression (let me try again).?

Question

Sorry I posted the question incorrectly. Please explain this chord progression: I, IV, I, V, which is normal for verse, but then in chorus they go to IV, I, II (which is a major), IImaj7, V. What kind of progression is that from I to IImajor, to IImaj 7. Thanks.

Ok, thanks, but what do I say the progression is? It's in the key of G and goes verse: G, C, G, D repeatedly and then verse C (normal), G, A, A7, D. Backward scale run D,C,B,A, then G chord, etc.

Sorry, I mean Chorus C, etc.

Yup, sorry, everyone is right, it is actually a dom 7th and not major 7th. I just thought normally the 2nd degree in the scale is minor and not major? I should have paid more attention in theory class.

Answer 1

If it's A7, then it's probably not a IImaj7, but a dominant-7th chord on scale degree 2.

G-A-A7-D is just a short tonicization of D major. Think of this progression as being "in" D major for a brief moment. Then it's IV-V-V7-I. Not knowing what song you're actually talking about, it's hard for me to say exactly. But, the move from A to A7 is probably just some dominant prolongation on the way to D. Not uncommon.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Everyone has pretty much gotten it right. I'll try to explain as best as I can. There are things called secondary function chords. In traditional harmony, these can be diminished or half diminished chords and dominant chords. If you see a chord that is foreign to the key you are in, then chances are that it is a vii chord if diminished/half diminished or a V chord if major or dominant 7 to a note that does belong in the key. I'll use the example given earlier in C. D is the ii chord in the key of C and would be a m7 since both the F# and C# of D major are lowered to fit the key of C. If you have a D7 (D, F#, A, C) then the F# sharp does not fit C, so the chord is then not a II7, which doesn't really exist in traditional harmony, bit it is functioning as a V7 of G which is the V chord of C. It is written V7/V(V of V). Any note in the C scale can be a "temporary" tonic through this technique. In the key of C, a B7 would be a V7/iii since B is the V of E which is iii in this key and it's notes don't fit in the key of C. Another example is F#o(dim) in C would function as viio/V since F#dim is viio of G which is V in this key. Traditionally, V chords would only by used as a Major or Dominant 7 chord. In your example you give a II maj 7 meaning in the key of C it would be a Dmaj7 (D, F#, A, C#) and does not work in the key of G, which is where we are temporarily moving to, but that is traditionally. Starting with the later romantic composers and the French composers like Debussy and Ravel, rules were broken all over the place and they started using altered dominant and altered mediant (3rd and 6rd of a scale) chords, where they would alter any of the notes that would normally be used. So you could even have a D+7 and still have it function as a V of G, not to mention all the alterations that could be added once you start adding the 9, 11, and 13 to a chord. Jazz and pop have used this technique extensively especially when used to alter the ii/V/I progression.

P.S. The VMaj7/V chord does not do a very good job of making us feel like we are in a key so it is also important to also check out the melody and often time it will help you understand why the chord was altered. Many time, the altered note, in this case the C#, is part of the melody or may serve as a function in relation to the melodic content of the song, either by adding a strong dissonance or a interesting harmony to the melody if it is not part of it.

Answer 3

Well let's say that you're in the key of C. Then your actual chords would be: C/G/C/G and chorus F/C/D then D major7/ G.
What's going on with the I/II major7 V (i think you meant V here) is that they are setting up the D to resolve to the G.(D is in this case a V of V chord) If they did it right then that D is NOT a Major 7th chord but a major/minor seventh - ie D7 or d-f#-a-c - (not d-f#-a-c#!) Check that.
If they really have the latter chord spelling the progression is weakend. You should have c there, not c #.

Answer 4

Your terminology may be flawed -- do mean thet the II chord is major, with a 7th like a dominant 7th, or is it an actual Major 7th chord?

If it is a dominant 7th built on II, then it is simply a secondary dominant, what we would call V7 of V in this case (for instance, D7 to G in the key of C)

The II Major7th option does not really work too well -- it does not tonicize the V. and introduces a second accidental into the key.

Answer 5

Is this a classical or pop song?
In much modern music, they just say "who cares!" and make random transitions that may be bad in theory but "sound good" in context.

There are a lot of pop songs, as well, that like to use the major II chord. I think it derives from the (Lydian?) mode (the one with a whole step between the third and fourth tones, which sounds "more major than major"). Pop music also likes to use the Maj7 chord because it sounds cool, not because it gives a transition back to the dominant.

Many basic theory rules go out the window when analyzing pop songs. :)

Answer 6

Hi there,
If I read your question properly, it sounds like you are looking for the name or a descriptor of the chord progression?

Going back to my music theory books from college, from the surface, not knowing what style of music you're talking about nor seeing the music to see the progression in the context of the entire piece - I had to look in the 20th century techniques section. The structure could use parallelism, but again, it's hard to say without seeing the whole piece or knowing the genre.

I hope that helps in some way.

Answer 7

VERY common is many styles of music - pop as well as Mozart - V of V - otherwise called the Double Dominant.