Musicians, how on earth are these chord progressions done?

[WiredIncorrectly]

I found a very uplifting anime type song. It's Japanese and has a very happy feel to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1OIDyiwfM4

But for those reading who have some knowledge playing an instrument ... how are these chord progressions formed? The chord formations seem very close together, possible different chords inverted so the fingers stay around the same octave on a keyboard.

Any words of wisdom to help me understand this? I've been told Jazz theory. I don't believe thousands of people who make what seems to be cheap (but great) throw away music are highly in tune with Jazz theory. That doesn't seem plausible.

[Fishmanpa]

That's actually a pretty standard 1-4-5 progression. B - F# - C# back to F# or B depending. Just a bunch of embellishments like an add9 and arpeggio type things and such added is all.

Positive thoughts

[WiredIncorrectly]

That's actually a pretty standard 1-4-5 progression. B - F# - C# back to F# or B depending. Just a bunch of embellishments like an add9 and arpeggio type things and such added is all.

Positive thoughts

Oh damn, you're right. It is that progression. I must be tone deaf because I couldn't hear it (although I could hear the accidentals - correct term there?). Are the embellishments causing that "downward" sort of feel in the progression in places?

Thank you Fishmanpa, I knew there would be somebody. I think I've asked this before, what do you play?

[ankietyjoe]

Yeah it's the embellishments that are throwing you off. There is some dissonance and resolution going on that kind of hides the actual chord progressions. The bass line is also reinforcing the downward feeling of the chords.

[Fishmanpa]

Oh damn, you're right. It is that progression. I must be tone deaf because I couldn't hear it (although I could hear the accidentals - correct term there?). Are the embellishments causing that "downward" sort of feel in the progression in places?

Thank you Fishmanpa, I knew there would be somebody. I think I've asked this before, what do you play?

I'm a classically trained guitarist. Most songs, especially pop songs, are the same four chords, albeit slightly re-arranged and embellished. When I perform, it's really just a putting a capo on the right fret for most of the songs to change the key. That anime song is capoed on the 2nd fret and you play A - E and B . Most popular songs are essentially the same chords... Check THIS out

Positive thoughts

[WiredIncorrectly]

Yeah it's the embellishments that are throwing you off. There is some dissonance and resolution going on that kind of hides the actual chord progressions. The bass line is also reinforcing the downward feeling of the chords.

Yeah they completely threw me off. I started over complicating things trying to figure it out, the solution is simple as always.

[WiredIncorrectly]

I'm a classically trained guitarist. Most songs, especially pop songs, are the same four chords, albeit slightly re-arranged and embellished. When I perform, it's really just a putting a capo on the right fret for most of the songs to change the key. That anime song is capoed on the 2nd fret and you play A - E and B . Most popular songs are essentially the same chords... Check THIS out

Positive thoughts

You dark horse. I'd never have guessed if we didn't have the convo in this thread.

"So let me get this straight chicken little" ... "**** OFF". Thanks for sharing this, makes so much bloody sense now. Only took me some 10 years to realize this.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Had to watch that video thrice. I feel cheated all these years. Everything has been the same

[Fishmanpa]

Had to watch that video thrice. I feel cheated all these years. Everything has been the same

I do a 'mini set' of songs from the TV show Scrubs in my show. "Beautiful World" by Colin Hay, "Sooner or Later" by Michael Tolcher, "Book of Love" by Peter Gabriel (Magnetic Fields cover) as well as a few others. They're all basically G-Em-C-D It makes the transitions flow nicely.

Positive thoughts

[WiredIncorrectly]

I would love to see if you have any online.

Certain things in life to me seem complex. Programming isn't one of them. Music is. How strange is that? My brain is always thinking about music from an analytical point of view. Why do those chords work together? How? Etc.

I'm now pondering why such common progressions affect the brain the way they do.

A normal person just jams and moves forward. I'm stuck down rabbit holes constantly.

But thank you. I shall call on your knowledge a little more when I get stuck. If you don't mind that is.