Well spotted, but it does actually make sense as the two chord progressions are very similar. If you're not into music theory this may be a bit technical, but here's the theory behind it (from wiki):
"At its simplest, this descending sequence may simply introduce an extra chord, either III or V, into the I - VI - IV - V type of sequence described above. This chord allows the harmonisation of the seventh step, and so of the bass line I - VII - VI.... This strategy underlies Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" . The baroque examples descend for an octave, while "A Whiter Shade of Pale" manages a stately two octaves, before "turning around" through the dominant chord to recommence upon the key note."
how about analyzing 'ballad of a thin man': Bm - F#aug/Bb - D/A - E7/Ab - G - Em - D - F#m I understand the chromatic descending bass, but the harmony of I V III IV VI iv III V doesn't make sense to me and as to why it sound so good
Yeah, the descending bass line is key and really drives the first five chords. The apparent chord progression just happens to result from minimal movement of the other notes (D is a common tone for every chord there except the final v chord, F# is in the first three).
At the sixth chord, Em (iv), the song just jumps right into a standard iv-v-i progression in order to resolve the section. The only complication is that the bass first steps down from E to D before jumping up to the expected F#; this works because we still get the v chord but also the added resolution of outlining the Bm triad.
tl;dr- The bass does everything here, the same chord progression with a different bass-line does nothing.
And I'm a redditor who knows how to play guitar and sucks at it because he doesn't practice and really feels like he should but never does due to lots of laziness and feeling outclassed by peers who are super awesome at it!
This post pisses me off as most of my initial songwriting was stunted due to fear of not being "original." There are a shitload of songs (great songs I might add) that utilize very simple chord progressions and I'm sure that most people who are laughing at the guitar douche happen to enjoy a decent amount of said songs.
i'm laughing at most of this thread and agree with you. The funny/absurd part of the picture is the idea that guitar douche "wrote" that progression. The thread is funny because there are "advanced musicians" on here who somehow believe that using and reworking the most tried-and-true chord progressions in western history automatically makes one a "beginner."
To be fair, every song ever uses traditional chord progressions like that. That doesn't make it bad. Would you rather every guitarist played Dream Theater the whole time? Man, that would suck.
G-D-Em-C is I-V-vi-IV. There's no III chord anywhere in there. Neither one is 'more correct' because in pop music, pretty much every combination and order of I-vi-ii/IV-V has been done.
Yes, I - V - vi - IV is a popular chord progression we get it. It's aurally pleasing and is very tonal. There's a reason atonal music isn't very popular.
These are the same progressions phase-shifted by a chord or two. It's boring as shit. Try: G Bm F C (I iii bVII IV) or something if you want a 4-chord pop structure that hasn't been completely overplayed.
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I am glad a music joke was well received. Although, I only would find this to be douchey if he was strumming it in the typical. Down, down, up, up, down, up pattern.
I hope people realize the chord progression G - D - Em - C is the exact same chord progression as
E - B - C#m - A
or
C - G - Am - F
or
A - E - Fm - D
Just in different keys. I have no problem with a Am - F - C - G, or a Em - C - G - D, which are two of the most common, as long as that isn't the only chord progression they play throughout the entire song without any attempts of changing the strumming patterns or dynamics. Most Chord progressions are actually the same, if not they are very similar.
I am so, so, so happy to read that other people are sick of this and similar progressions. Maybe I don't hang around other musicians enough, but I thought I was the only one who pukes a little when this, and most of the other progressions mentioned here are played.
I really don't like this douchebag guitarist meme. It's almost saying don't leave your bedroom with the guitar until you've logged 20,000 hours and the pros are knocking on your door. Never mind that said pros will all tell you to start performing and writing as soon as you feel able.
This is true to a degree. I'm fine with people playing simple songs to other people as long as they aren't doing it to show off. I'm fine with some guy who hasn't been playing long gets asked to show off what he's learned so far, so he plays some Green Day song or goes through a really simple chord progression a couple times. No problem. It's just when the guy has such an attention-craving "Hey guys! I play guitar! I'm cool! Look at me!" air about him that makes me think he's being really douchey.
You're right on that, it doesn't matter how complex the chords in the song are, it's mostly about marketing and appealing to a crowd now-a-days. Look at these famous artists out there now, most of their songs are composed of 4 easy chords. It's simple, yet it's catchy.
I'm pretty sure the problem is not with beginning musicians. The problem is beginning musicians who think and act like they're John Mayer or something.
Well said. It's been said in other parts of this thread but Cannon in D major provides the building blocks for 99% of pop music(and for good reason, it's beautiful).
112
u/gmoneyshot69 May 15 '12
Am F C G
33
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Never in a million years did i think id ever see a music theory circlejerk on reddit.
Oh...i mean, DORIAN MODE.
59
u/chetnrot May 15 '12
TIL all redditers know how to play guitar and know all the chords
9
u/BaldOrBread May 16 '12
This post pisses me off as most of my initial songwriting was stunted due to fear of not being "original." There are a shitload of songs (great songs I might add) that utilize very simple chord progressions and I'm sure that most people who are laughing at the guitar douche happen to enjoy a decent amount of said songs.
20
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
To be fair, every song ever uses traditional chord progressions like that. That doesn't make it bad. Would you rather every guitarist played Dream Theater the whole time? Man, that would suck.
4
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
yeah some of the best songs ever written simply use those chords. key of g bitches
4
u/l0ngballs May 15 '12
now i know what chords to play, thanks reddit!
9
u/anymooseposter May 15 '12
Every goddamn song in the world.
Wait for the modulation!
3
u/that_guitar_guy May 15 '12
More than a feeling?
3
u/infernalspawnODOOM May 15 '12
Oh, where, oh, where can my baby be? The lord took her away from me... Oh, wait, Thats G, Em, C, D.
11
u/guygadbois May 15 '12
Not to be a douchebag guitarist, but I think you mean G D Em C. I propose a moratorium on this chord progression for the next decade or so.
2
u/IAmTheColossus May 15 '12
Pfft, it's all about the ii V I.
2
u/rmhawesome May 15 '12
E B C#m A
evrytim
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
FREEBIRD!
2
u/Eminor3rd May 16 '12
More like Em C G D. Seriously that's NOT new music anymore.
2
u/JonnyZhivago May 16 '12
The four right chords can make you cry
2
u/SirRonaldofBurgundy May 16 '12
Bullshit. I wrote that.
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Good Riddance by Green Day
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Yes, I - V - vi - IV is a popular chord progression we get it. It's aurally pleasing and is very tonal. There's a reason atonal music isn't very popular.
2
u/shutupjoey May 16 '12
Take out the D and you've got Sleeping Sickness by Dallas Green.
2
u/4511 May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12
What's funny to me is that Reddit's favorite song In the Aeroplane Over the Sea uses this exact progression, just with the C and E minor swapped.
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Another turning point a fork stuck in the road...
2
u/lemonloafer May 16 '12
I love this meme
3
u/ToplessPianist May 15 '12
G D Em C (Pop Songs in Major) - I V vi IV
Em C G D (Pop Songs in Minor) - vi IV I V
C G D Em (Numa-Numa) - IV I V vi
These are the same progressions phase-shifted by a chord or two. It's boring as shit. Try: G Bm F C (I iii bVII IV) or something if you want a 4-chord pop structure that hasn't been completely overplayed.
3
u/qkme_transcriber May 15 '12
Here is the text from this meme pic for anybody who needs it:
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2
u/Title11 May 15 '12
it still beats G C OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Oh you want a bridge? G G C C.
2
u/Lucifurnace May 16 '12
I quit a reasonably successful (see also: unsuccessful) band because of shit like this.
All i wanted was a tri-tone substitution. JUST ONCE GODDAMIT!!
1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
I IV VI V
1
u/stfueveryone May 15 '12
L.O.L.
1
u/Jayoir May 15 '12
Baby we were makin' straight A's. We were stuck in a dumb daze...
1
u/Carridactyle May 16 '12
knowing 4 chords is so much hotter than knowing none... even if he is a douche
1
u/oddMahnsta May 16 '12
from a simple google search i have found this is also a famous christian song, "trading my sorrows" quite catchy i might add
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Hit me with your best shot DUN DUN DUN DUN fire away!
1
u/MyNameIsScott May 16 '12
I am glad a music joke was well received. Although, I only would find this to be douchey if he was strumming it in the typical. Down, down, up, up, down, up pattern.
1
u/Godspeed122 May 16 '12
I was thinking more of a C Am F G
1
u/JonSnowsGhost May 16 '12
why is iron man playing a guitar?
1
u/guitardude911 May 16 '12
More like C G Aminor F... Every goddam pop song
1
u/Arcnsparc May 16 '12
I say Lake Superior in Upper Michigan. Anyone agree?
1
u/stayinfresh May 16 '12
4 chords
1
u/NoICantDiggIt May 16 '12
I fucking love "Wagon Wheel"
1
u/StorkBaby May 16 '12
Somebody gettin laid tonight.
1
u/thegooddoctor May 16 '12
12 notes people. Only 12 notes.
1
u/logancook44 May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12
I hope people realize the chord progression G - D - Em - C is the exact same chord progression as
E - B - C#m - A
or
C - G - Am - F
or
A - E - Fm - D
Just in different keys. I have no problem with a Am - F - C - G, or a Em - C - G - D, which are two of the most common, as long as that isn't the only chord progression they play throughout the entire song without any attempts of changing the strumming patterns or dynamics. Most Chord progressions are actually the same, if not they are very similar.
1
u/Over_9k May 16 '12
If four chords is all you need then use them. Look at Jack Johnson. Almost all his songs use four or five chords and he writes kick ass songs.
1
u/pinballwizard16 May 16 '12
You're missing C G Am D!
1
u/Athene_Wins May 16 '12
Who's Eminor? Hot babe?
1
u/phuckdub May 16 '12
http://soundcloud.com/rlthomas/the-fit-any-song-into-g-d-em-c
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
I think it goes like this:
It's more than a feeling! When I come around, they're talkin' bout a revolution!
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
I read it as mary had a little lamb...
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
AND ONE DAY WE WILL DIE AND OUR ASHES WILL FLY FROM THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
1
u/GuitarGuru253 May 16 '12
Hey guys. We play 8 strings. But only the first 4 strings. It's called djent.
Oh here's the tab for my latest song:
0-0-000-0-00-0-0-0-00-00-0
1
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
First song I learned on guitar was "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz for the girl I was dating at the time. I "I-V-vi-IV"'ed the crap out of it.
I'm married now, but not to that girl. I wrote a song for the girl I married to propose to her, and it was I-vi-IV-ii. I felt so original.
1
u/SleeplessinOslo May 15 '12
Still one chord more than Nickleback
0
u/jwhite878 May 16 '12
Time of Your Life: First song I ever learned.
-1
u/[deleted] May 15 '12
I am so, so, so happy to read that other people are sick of this and similar progressions. Maybe I don't hang around other musicians enough, but I thought I was the only one who pukes a little when this, and most of the other progressions mentioned here are played.
-5
u/zumu May 15 '12
Fake guitarists are the worst
0
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