Songs that use 2 5 1 chord progressions
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- 2 5 1s, often written down with roman numerals (ii V I) are potentially the most powerful chord progression for quickly and smoothly modulating to and from any key. On top of that, they just sound so satisfying and jazzy. From Coltrane to The Beatles to Maroon 5 you can find 2 5 1s in every corner of popular music!
And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇
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Let me know your favourite example of a 2 5 1 chord progression in a song!
Thanks
So great to have this knowledge 👏
As a classically trained musician who always wanted to delve into jazz, I asked a friend of mine, a brilliant tenor sax player, what was at the core of jazz. He said, “Two - five -one.” Yup. 👍🏻
That and syncopation. You'll also need to know all possible substitutions for any given chord and how to apply them. If you're classically trained, you should already have a solid grasp of modulation. Aside from all that, like blues, it's about rhythm and feel, that last being the ineffable quality that makes music spark. If someone ain't got the feel, it's never going to sound like jazz.
A great example is the segment in this video where David plays through all 12 key changes using only ii-V-I changes with a seemingly effortless walking boogie bass groove with his left hand which lends all the feel of what he's playing to his right hand. The bottom end is 'laying it down' as we say.
Get yourself some good fake books of jazz standards (there is a ton of stuff online, but flipping through a book of songs is more than convenient and you'll discover and try things you otherwise might not.) and listen to a ton of recordings, both old and contemporary.
Sincere best wishes, fellow music traveler. It's a journey that lasts a lifetime. I wish I had spent much more time and energy on it.
@@alistersutherland3688 Great advice! Learning jazz truly is a lifelong endeavor.
Ha! There ya have it! Of course the rhythmic feel has to be there too. The turn around is always necessary of course…
If you play and “dissect” Coltrane’s Giant Steps you have most of the heavy work done. I’m a classically trained musician and when I was a early teenager trying to learn jazz and improvisation I had a hard time finding someone to teach it. We are very fortunate now having so many places on the internet that have good information about such things and aren’t left with the old “go figure it out yourself” that I experienced back in the early 70s. Of course the do it yourself method has its benefits but having someone actually teach it to you is always a lot less frustrating…
@@jeffjones1359 Thank you for the kind words, Jeff.
@@alistersutherland3688 With all due respect...where is syncopation not a necessary tool in music?
Even when you think you know everything, David’s channel teaches you more…
I owe so much of what I know in composition to you David…
That’s amazing to hear, thank you 😊
Same. It’s opened up a whole new level of understanding music for me. Great channel all round.
Really amazing how just a simple dominant chord can take you to another key on the fly.
Wow. I never knew that, but I hear it in the Beatles song.
On the mothhhha ficking flyyyy biiiirch
People who say The Beatles are overrated should watch these videos. So many of the videos feature them and help show their greatness
No one who says something that silly and contrarian will be swayed by logic and examples
@@FPSBuzz fair enough lol
I'd suspect people who say so are either tone deaf or have no hope of appreciating quality songwriting
I don't think the beatles are overrated but I'm pretty sure the beatles are in every of these videos just because David really like the beatles
@@Userrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.r definitely lol
One of the BEST music theorist on RUclips. I really enjoy your videos and as a songwriter learning
Thanks!
That jazzy improv you played was so delightful. It brought me back to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and the types of piano he'd have on his children's show. GREAT JOB!
As a music student, I adore and appreciate your videos so much. Thank you! :)
Thank you!
Thank you so much for that one.
One of my preferred in your channel.
And of course your improv at the end is just ... Jazz !
Thanks!!!
so true the improv is amazing, i never knew 2-5-1 was that practical
The ur-251’s are “I Get A Kick Out Of You” and “I've Got You Under My Skin”, both by Cole Porter. And there's a topic for you, David: twin songs. Another pair I always think of together: “Tears Of A Clown/Tracks Of My Tears”.
Cool idea, what’s the link between the Smokey songs, and maybe some more examples?
Not trying to be a smart-ass here, but I think you could go out on a limb and say that almost every song by Cole Porter has at least one 251 cadence in it somewhere
@@MrGiuanin I think he’s just saying the innovator of the 2-5-1 was Cole porter
@@kieranl5249 yep, he is😬😬😬
aand how high the moon...fly me to the moon...etc..etc...so many standars jazz use that...
Hello David! I felt like I should let you know that I really really appreciate all these videos that help people remember and feel different chord progressions, different intervals, etc. This is the very thing that I enjoy watching on RUclips. This is my content. Keep it up!
Glad you like them! Thanks 😊😊😊
the improvisation at the end of the video was beautiful
Ayyyyy, you did my idea! I feel so proud. I hope you'll make more of these!
You would definitely have plenty of well-known examples if you do one about I V vi IV or I vi IV V
In "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel, the bridge is made up entirely of 2-5-1's in different keys, similar to the piece at the end of the video.
Whenever I hear this progression my brain instantly sings "sunday mornin' rain is falling..." Maroon 5 has a few colorful voicings in there but its a 2 5 1
Same!
That’s exactly what I heard
Back when Maroon 5 made actual music… Songs about Jane was a great album
@@josrodsedre5142 agree 100%
same
Another brilliant lesson. What makes it so great are the many examples making the subject matter accessible, understandable and enjoyable. Amazing pianist also.
So talented.
I think it's a nice touch to play a wandering jazz bass-line while you discuss musical concepts: (15:46). Might be something to incorporate on the regular. 😁
😎
Virtually all key changes in your final improvisations are so smooth that my semi tone-deaf ears barely register that a key change has occured. Cool!
One of the best - if not THE best - contribution on this topic. I was aware of a ii - V - I chord progression, but wasn‘t aware of its power and flexibility in combination with key changes! Very enlightening!
I've learned so much about music from you! Thanks for making my research easier :)
Great! 😀😀😀
That last music piece that you played was really cool and smooth. I really enjoyed this lesson and it helps a lot in understanding why this works so well and how to use it more effectively. Thank you David for all these great tips and lessons.
I cannot believe how much learning I can get from David, I’m currently in the process of writing my own songs and when I’m out of ideas, boom, a video from David gives me a whole world of them. Thanks David!
This is the best teacher hands down…no nonsense he digs right in on the topic and fills my brain up with useful information..rather explain why they explaining whatever it is like examples “ my neighbors dog kept me up all night and when I was yelling at my neighbors dog that I damage my vocal chords but I couldn’t go to the doctors because I bang my toe yelling at my neighbors dog see?” That takes up about thirty minutes and then two minutes is actually a half ass tutorial and never really about the title I hit the button in the 1st place
Your improvisations are remarkable. I keep enjoying them.
Your improvisation at the end of the video was the best part. You showed that it is possible to move around seamlessly using ii V I. Thanks
If you haven't already, could you do a video on dominant 7 chords vs major 7 chords?
Good idea!
the significant difference between the two is their function. The only technical difference between a dominant and a major chord is that the dominant contains a b7. Cmaj7: C E G B, C7: C E G Bb. but in practice they serve different roles.
in a lot of modern music the dominant chord is usually the 5 of a major key and it’s primary purpose is to resolve down to the 1 chord of that parent key, usually creating some form of tension in the process.
The reason this works is because in the 5 chord of any key, it contains notes that sound like and do resolve perfectly downwards or upwards towards the notes in the 1 chord
G7 - Cmaj 7 for example
G B D F
C E G B
The G remains the perfect 5th of our 1 chord but the B wants to go up to the C and the F down to the E, with the D either resolving upwards or downwards.
Dominant chords can have any number of numerous extensions or alterations but they typically serve the purpose of creating further voice leading, or notes that resolve better towards your target chord.
The dominant chord can have a lot of other roles than just being the 5 of a key tho, and this video demonstrates some of that, but its purpose is usually to resolve to another chord whereas Maj7 chords are usually things you resolve to,
because of the intervals present in Maj7 chords they sound more complete and final.
you could also say that the reason the Dominant 7 chord sounds tense is because of the tritone present between the 3rd and b7th of the chord
G B D F
B - F a tritone
but explaining why a tritone sounds tense is more like a subjective thing and something to do with the harmonic series and cultural interpretations way too complicated for my pea brain
@@cmyk8782 You kinda said a lot without saying much. Everybody knows that dominant seventh chords are, well, dominant. It's the major seventh that’s less discussed.
@@cmyk8782 I appreciate your comments. As a long time hobbyist now trying to sharpen up and become a professional, I'm learning that there are many things that seem "obvious" to most real musicians that are totally foreign to me. I knew the technical difference, but this is the first I'm seeing about the practical difference. Thanks for taking the time to put it out there.
Great video, as usual. I learned "The Christmas Song" for the holidays a couple of months ago, and it uses a beautiful two-five-one of Dm7/G -> G7b9 -> C. The ending modifies it a little to Dm7b5 -> G7b9 -> Cmaj7. Sounds awesome. Thanks, David!
Great example of a ii IV I
@@landondavismusic Thanks!
This is amazingly well done! Going through all 12 keys at the end was truly incredible. Thank you!
Incredible. It’s all just magic to me until you break it down in videos like this. Thank you.
holy smokes! just last week i was searching to see if you did a video on 2,5,1. the universe works in mysterious ways
😊😊😊😊
Don’t know how often you hear or read this, but thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. You’re always insightful and you have a nice way of teaching. It’s appreciated that you take time to offer your skills to help us learn.
Thank you! 😊😊😊😊
I really love your videos. I never see anything partial or half true. You are always approaching everything from the big picture and focusing in on a couple specific aspects. That makes you always able to explain WHY something works the way it does in a super accurate way. Very enjoyable.
Thank you! That means a lot!
I like the way you show the music and the chord changes and play the examples it makes it easier to see exactly what you’re talking about
I'm a guitar player - pretty much exclusively - and I love these chord progression videos. You explain the concepts clearly and the examples are ideal for getting them into the ears. This whole playlist is outstanding. Well done.
It was great to hear you just play for a while uninterrupted! I would love to hear more of your original or improvised tunes at the end without the Patreon names being read over them.
Try his second channel
David you are a legend for posting such valuable information on RUclips.
Thanks Edd!
This is quite brilliant David. I absolutely love these videos, and it shows, that the Beatles did actually understand music, and used a number of different cords. Amazing. Yes I love them too. I feel I have learned so much about music, it just goes to show how blessed we are, with all this brilliance.
Could you do a video on what makes classical music more 'complex'? What aspects makes it considered so (I understand jazz uses more sophisticated chords) but it would be an interesting series. Is it the harmonic progressions or technical melodies? 😁
Excellent, David, thank you.
Thanks Peter!
That casual talking while doing all that playing on the piano legitimately makes me jealous of how easy it is for you. I play guitar, I can't have a casual conversation as I play.
Yet another interesting and informative video.
Always learning something here.
Great content.
Best wishes.🎸💪👍
Thanks!!!
brilliant lesson and great playing. I really learned a lot from this thanks
Thank you!
Thanks so much David!! Melodies can come to me fairly easily, but i'm always stuck for chord progressions. Your videos have really opened the door of creativity !!
Nice!! 😊😊
Write the bass line as a melody, then make the chords work with that.
@@JiveDadson That is a very good idea! I did that once before when i created a bass line before the melody or lyrics.
Wow David that was terrific playing on your part. I also greatly enjoyed your explanation of this sequence. Bravo 👏
Today you opened new horizons for me with that il V I. So once again, thank you
😀😀😀
I've watched a lot of 251 videos and i must say it is the best by far to understand it, much better than some that specialized in jazz actually
This is the BEST video to describe (and demonstrate) the 2-5-1 progression I have seen on RUclips. Great fun, great work! 👍
Yet another brilliant video David.
I look forward to your posts as they are truly informative, educational and enjoyable 👍
Thanks! 🙂🙂
i really appreciate your further break down with real world applications like reel jazz standards and lead sheets
also how you explain how to use this in our own composition
This lesson is unbelievably well done and absolutely fascinating. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Just want to say how great your little cover versions are in all your vids.
Very nice lesson. The Nashville Number System never ceases to amaze me. And it never ceases to amaze me how many Music Teachers refuse to teach it. "There's more to music than the Nashville Number System"....
Very helpful, and I enjoyed listening to you play the piano at the end. I hope you keep putting segments like that in.
Thanks!
Spot on…. Learned some things about cadences and some chord placements watching this…. Theres a hint more beneath this defining lesson..!
Thx David!
Cheers! 😊😊
Amazing! You just made me interrested of the ii-V-I progressions!
This was fabulous!! I've always wondered what to do with that progression. Thank you.
As a drummer learning theory for guitar this is so great to truly rap my head around it
Such a helpful tutorial, thank you! My music theory has come on leaps and bounds since I subscribed!
Such great and amazing content on your channel. Love the chord progression examples explained along with the theory behind it. This is pro-level made available to everyone. Thank you!
This is a brilliant video. Really like your style of teaching. Clear and well paced. Keep up the great work 👍
Thank you!
That piano playing went BEAST MODE at the end
😂😂😃😃
Your method of instruction is so good. I really appreciate how simply you lay down the tracks of learning. Thank you!
You just added a whole new layer to my understanding of 2-5-1s. Very clear and helpful explanation of this progression's function...and so entertaining with your great selection of beautiful songs. Thank you!
Great video! Excellent explanation. Japanese Music also love Two Five One progressions and circle of fifths harmony.
So glad I found this channel, love your videos
Thank you 😊
Outstanding video. You’re a great teacher.
Thank you!
Absolution era Muse used alot of these but my favourite would probably be Endlessly's as its so satisfying in the context of the chorus.
Ok. That was brilliant and answered a question I could never figure out. Thanks David!
Thank you for sharing your musical knowledge.
Damn, your playing of the last is hype, bro. And your videos are so helpful
I love everyone of your videos! Would it be possible to have some alt-j, tool and some more king gizzard analysis? :)
I come for the theory but really enjoyed the playing, jazzy piano isn't normally my jam but expecting chords in the example and getting that was awesome :)
3:17 I once heard in a MLP song (“Road to Friendship” in its namesake episode) the fifth chord there was used as a minor one, and it surprisingly to me really fit the vibe. I was amazed as a little composer myself! It goes to show that when it comes to music, nothing is carved in stone.
I want to know if there are more examples of this particular idea.
Wow. Because of your comment I actually searched for that song and heard what you were talking about!
I was so proud of myself for hearing it (cause I dont have much experience in chords)
So... thanks for your comment and which led me to a huge confidence boost 😄
@@smcaqua1079 A brilliant touch isn’t it! MLP songs are arguably underrated.
Right back at you! This certainly made my day. Congratulations! 👍
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the continuing education! You are an excellent teacher.
Another fantastic lesson. Very beneficial
David, wonderful!! Thank you. Your teaching has become so great! You have compressed or contained so much music theory, notation, modulation, understanding keys, harmonizing - all in a 17 minute video. I'm old, and wish I'd seen your materials - probably before you were born! Your variety of sample music performances, recordings, with the elegant visual of time-tracking the music performance with the written music score, and your explanatory narration is very much on target. If I just quiet my obsessively questioning mind - about written notation form ii V I, the annoyances of speaking the notation, compared to speaking the sheet music notes, all of which infuriates me by seeming to over-complicate learning/teaching music - I get it filled in by you.
probably irritating explanatory rant section:
(It takes my brain, just "out of it" to stop and try to mentally shift gears from playing a few chords on guitar I know, to just use the needed time to convey musical information, under variety of spoken/written "codes" or "languages" - let's use numbers to refer to chord structures - Roman Numerals in written form, but English numerals spoken, but one must understand that the Roman numerals will be lower case in this instance. . .OMG I know American Sign Language, some computer codes, and other spoken languages, and this disjointed Mess of Music Theory/Performance/Notation just SCREAMS to me for some more elegant unification. The typical animated graphic in many music recording videos, with the continuous flowing presence of colored -coded to notes in octaves- vertical bars (sustained notes) or dots (short/brief notes) displayed above a piano keyboard is a hopeful model for some coherent, comprehensible communication of music. The history compacted in the notations and name-labeling is wonderfu, fascinating for historic, sociological and historic purposes, but NOT to teach or even communicate in 1 person to 1 person conversation/tutorials - except perhaps with better, consistent, communication means. ) end rant.
Masterful educators obviate so much pain, fear, intimidation, confusion, and delay or abandonment of continued music education. I think you could use this one video as a "calling card" or sample of the excellence of your current level of teaching and sharing music theory, performance, and appreciation of music. Great work, young man! Thanks again. 2-19-2022
I agree...it's his genius in the selection of examples too
I wish I had subscribed to your channel in 1960. You would have changed my life and let me learn a new language that I always heard but could never speak.
Absolutely brilliant video & superb playing. Thank you!
A good substitute dominant chord in a ii-V7-I is bII7. in a ii-bII7-I, the bII7 shares the exact tritone found in the V7, so the resolution to the major is quite smooth.
Awesome video! As soon as I saw the title and started to watch a viedo I almost immediately heard "Giant Steps" in my head, but still wasn't sure is this actually 2 5 1 progressions in different keys, until you confirmed it in the video.🧐
Wow, this is the first video ever to actually explain wth this annoying ii-V-I is mentioned everywhere while I couldn't figure out why. As a chord progression for a song it is quite boring but in the context of Jazz and Key changes, it is highly useful and I now understand why every musician always talks about it!!!
Thank you very much for this amazingly clear tutorial.
amazingly insightful! thx David!
Another tidy example is Michael Franks' "Down in Brazil" which modulates by whole tones DOWNWARD through six key centers. This overlays the ii of each new key onto the I of the previous key. Here are the first two segments:
• Amaj7 • Am7 D7 Gmaj7 • Gm7 C7 Fmaj7 •
Thank you David, for all your videos 🏆
That teach us all and inspire us to teach and create ❤️
You are a gift to music
And musicians 🎁
as usual, great lesson. I always learn and get so inspired by your lessons. I do want to note that you skipped Bb Major in your circle of ii V I. Only reason I noticed it is because I wrote them down to use as another practice cycle.
I used to pretend to play bass and guitar many many years ago. Althoughnot playing anything anymore, I truly enjoy your videos on music theory. You make it so easy even for those who have minimal knowledge on topic.
Thank you so much for all the information and knowledge brought in an easy but complete way.
Hello. Do you mean literally pretending to play while holding a bass or guitar? Could you elaborate please? You say you "used to pretend to play" then say "not playing anything anymore" and those contradict each other. Thank you.
@@Arycke I used to play. But I didnt play well. Hence the tongue in cheek with the "pretending to play". I dont remember the last time I played an instrument, so essentially I dont play anything (although I do remember few basic chords)
@Flavia Restitutti gotcha. It wasn't discernible with 100% certainty what you meant/if it was tongue in cheek without further information. Thanks for responding, I appreciate the clarification.
Repetition legitimizes.
I’ve been following music theory on and off for the past 4, 5, 6 years now; minding that I should be practising while I’m listening.
I can say, I’m understanding this a lot better than when I started out.
I don't think I ever realized the 2 chord can be Major or Dominant .. Thank You David!!
Digging today’s performance. Intelligence with a groove. Great stuff.
Muse's Knights of Cydonia changes key from E minor to C minor to Ab minor and then back to E minor using 2 5 1s in its first half, that's an example I enjoy a lot.
Nice!!
Exactly the video that I needed to see at exactly the time that I needed to see it, thank you!
Thank you so much! I just wrote a little jazz tune and this is what it needed. You are the best.
Another great video David, thanks!
Thanks Giel!
Note that the similar "I ii V", used as a song's backbone (not a transitional device), is the corniest of all chord progressions. Only a master can use it without sounding lame. Mozart Sonata k.333 is an example of a master using it well, yet still sounding dangerously close to corny.
Townes Van Zandt's use of it in Two Girls doesn't sound too terribly corny.
Great lesson practice and theory clearly explained.
I noticed how a good number of pop songs simply loop a 2-5-1 chord progression throughout the whole song, and I always wondered why. This actually explains a lot, as well as why it's so common in jazz songs.
Nice improv. I thought you would go through the circle of fourths. Anyone could do that. What a badass
Your teaching is amazing
Thanks a lot 😊😊😊
Your videos are fantastic!
Thank you 😊
Awesome lesson! Your improv at the end really hit it home for me. I need to try writing a song using these techniques! The music theory I learn from you also really helps my bass guitar playing.