In the previous article, we learned how to use theory as a weapon for ear copying. But when you want to write your own music, simply lining up diatonic team members doesn't automatically produce a compelling chord progression. What's missing is drama — the art of giving your chord sequence a sense of beginning, tension, and resolution.
🎬 A chord progression is a story
Think of a chord progression like the plot of a movie or manga.
* A good story: Daily life → departure → conflict → resolution → homecoming. The ups and downs draw you in
* A boring story: Nothing happens. No movement. You stay in one place the whole time
Chord progressions work the same way. Stability → movement → tension → resolution — this flow is what moves the listener's heart.
So what gives chords these roles of "stability," "movement," and "tension"? That's the Captain, Midfielder, and Striker from the diatonic article.
⚽ The backbone of drama — building stories with three chords
In the diatonic article, we learned the team's three key roles:
* 🏠 Captain (Tonic / 1st): Stability. "Home." Where stories begin and end
* 🎯 Midfielder (Subdominant / 4th): Movement. "Departure." The floating feeling of leaving home
* ⚡ Striker (Dominant / 5th): Tension. "Climax." A strong pull back home
With just these three, you can already tell a story:
Pattern 1: The classic arc
C (1st) → F (4th) → G (5th) → C (1st)🏠 Home → 🎯 Departure → ⚡ Climax → 🏠 Homecoming
The simplest and most powerful. Many classic rock 'n' roll, blues, and country songs are built on nothing more than these three chords.
Pattern 2: Tension from the start
C (1st) → G (5th) → F (4th) → C (1st)🏠 Home → ⚡ Instant tension → 🎯 Easing up → 🏠 Homecoming
The Striker arrives early, grabbing attention right from the top. A pattern often used at the start of a chorus.
Pattern 3: Don't go home yet
C (1st) → F (4th) → G (5th) → F (4th)🏠 Home → 🎯 Departure → ⚡ Climax → 🎯 Still on the road…
Instead of returning home, the progression ends on the Midfielder. This creates a bridge to the next section — a feeling of "this isn't over yet."
Three chords, three completely different dramas. A chord progression is the art of designing a story through the order and roles of chords.
🎭 Bringing the other four team members into play
The three-chord trio (1st, 4th, 5th) provides the backbone. But what about the diatonic team's remaining four members — the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th?
6th (vi) — Submediant: the "vice-captain"
In C major: Am
Am shares two notes with C (C and E). So it can step in as "another kind of stability" in place of the Captain (C). But since it's a minor chord, the feeling shifts from bright stability to bittersweet stability. Think of the vice-captain in soccer — when the captain steps off, the vice-captain holds the team together in a slightly different way.
In pop music, this contrast between bright stability (C) and bittersweet stability (Am) is one of the biggest tools for creating drama.
2nd (ii) — Supertonic: the "reflective midfielder"
In C major: Dm
Dm shares two notes with F (F and A). So it can serve as a substitute or setup for the Midfielder (F). If F is "stepping outside into the open," Dm is "a quiet shift happening inside."
The Dm → G (2nd → 5th) movement, known as a "two-five," is one of the most common patterns in both pop and jazz.
3rd (iii) — Mediant: the "link man"
In C major: Em
Em shares notes with both the Captain (C) and the Striker (G), making it one of the most connected members on the team. It rarely takes center stage, but it excels as a link man that smoothly connects one chord to another.
For instance, the Am → Em flow deepens a sense of melancholy by chaining two minor chords. In the "royal road" progression (F → G → Em → Am), the 3rd (Em) serves as a crucial relay point that creates a natural landing into the 6th (Am).
7th (vii°) — Leading tone: the "specialist off the bench"
In C major: Bdim
The diminished chord has a uniquely unstable sound. It carries intense tension — similar to the Striker's "pull back home" — but its sound is so sharp that it rarely appears in pop music.
That said, it shows up frequently in classical and jazz, and even in pop it can create a surprising jolt of tension when used briefly as a passing chord. Think of it as a specialist who usually sits on the bench but gets called in for that one crucial moment.
📐 Three perspectives for designing dramatic progressions
Let's organize what we've learned into three perspectives for crafting chord progression drama:
Perspective 1: Plan the "home → journey → homecoming" arc
When do you leave home (tonic)? Where do you place the climax (dominant)? When do you return? This is the backbone of the story.
* Return home (C) at the start of the chorus → release
* Place the Striker (G) at the start of the chorus → instant pull
* Place the Striker (G) at the end of the verse to set up the chorus → anticipation
Perspective 2: Bright stability vs. bittersweet stability
Choosing between the 1st (C) and the 6th (Am):
* C → Bright landing. "Yes!"
* Am → Bittersweet landing. "Ahh…"
The same progression feels completely different depending on whether you land on C or Am.
Perspective 3: Change the color of movement
Choosing between the 4th (F) and the 2nd (Dm):
* F → Open, floating feeling. Stepping outside
* Dm → Reflective, inward shift. Something stirring inside
Use F's openness before a chorus, and Dm's introspection for a quieter verse — that kind of contrast shapes the emotional journey.
🔑 Know the famous progression patterns
Using the ideas above, let's look at commonly used progression patterns. All examples are in C major:
| Pattern name | Progression | Dramatic character |
|---|---|---|
| Three-chord | C (1) → F (4) → G (5) → C (1) | Simple, powerful arc |
| Pop-punk staple | C (1) → G (5) → Am (6) → F (4) | Bright → tension → bittersweet → floating. Versatile |
| Royal road | F (4) → G (5) → Em (3) → Am (6) | A bittersweet drama starting from departure |
| Canon progression | C (1) → G (5) → Am (6) → Em (3) → F (4) → C (1) → F (4) → G (5) | A long narrative arc. From Pachelbel's Canon |
| Komuro progression | Am (6) → F (4) → G (5) → C (1) | From sadness toward brightness |
| Two-five-one | Dm (2) → G (5) → C (1) | Reflection → tension → resolution. The jazz foundation |
These are not things to memorize — they're things to understand. Once you see how the Captain, Midfielder, Striker, vice-captain (6th), and link man (3rd) are arranged, the "mechanics" behind these famous patterns become clear. And once you understand the mechanics, you can create your own arrangements.
🎨 Change the key or scale, and transplant the same drama
In the diatonic article, we learned that "the team's shape stays the same when you change the key." The same applies to chord progressions.
For example, the "pop-punk staple (1→5→6→4)":
| Key | Progression |
|---|---|
| C major | C (1) → G (5) → Am (6) → F (4) |
| G major | G (1) → D (5) → Em (6) → C (4) |
| E major | E (1) → B (5) → C♯m (6) → A (4) |
The chord names change, but the dramatic structure (bright stability → tension → bittersweet stability → floating) stays exactly the same.
As we learned in the scales article, changing the scale changes the team members. Try the same "1→5→6→4" in Dorian or Mixolydian and you'll hear a completely different mood emerge from the same dramatic framework.
🎛️ Experience chord progressions in OtoTheory
OtoTheory lets you design chord progression drama without any calculation — just your ears and eyes.
* Chord Progression Builder: Choose a key and scale, and the diatonic chords appear as your options. Tap to arrange them, then play back with a groove — hear your progression come alive as a song. Start with just the three-chord trio (1st, 4th, 5th), then add the 6th or 2nd to hear how the drama changes
* Insight Engine: Suggests candidate chords for your next slot. Each candidate shows a note like "vi→IV for a bittersweet feel" or "V7 for a strong dominant pull," explaining what theoretical role that chord plays in your progression. Try the suggestions and naturally learn why certain chords fit where they do
* Key & Scale Suggestion: As you build a progression, OtoTheory may suggest a key and scale combination with a higher match rate than your current setting. "I thought I was in C major, but D Dorian actually fits better" — discoveries like these expand your musical horizons
✅ Summary
A chord progression = designing "drama" in a sequence of chords. The flow of stability → movement → tension → resolution is what moves the listener's heart.
* The backbone of drama is the three-chord trio: Captain (1st) → Midfielder (4th) → Striker (5th)
* The 6th (vi) is the vice-captain — a "bittersweet stability" that stands in for the Captain
* The 2nd (ii) is a reflective midfielder, the 3rd (iii) is a smooth link man
* The 7th (vii°) is a specialist off the bench for crucial moments
* Famous progression patterns are for understanding, not memorizing. Understanding the mechanics lets you create your own
* Change the key or scale, and the dramatic structure transplants perfectly
Want to expand the range of chords in your progressions? Expanding Your Chord Palette covers 7ths, sus, and add chords — broadening your palette for richer expression.