When we think of Key Center, we’re often thinking of harmonies that revolve around a single chord, or a note that feels like home. But some chord progressions sound more resolved when they don’t stop than when they do. The four-chord progression has entered the chat.
First of all, the name is deceptive because the four-chord progression is really more like a family of progressions. But if you find yourself playing a chord cycle that sounds particularly cheesy when you end it, chances are you’ve stumbled on one. The variants all share a common ancestor, and you’ve heard it in more songs than you can count.
This one, six, four, five may sound tired, but it’s flirting with both C major and A minor. Watch what happens if we play “Spin the Bottle” and change the starting chord. Suddenly, the song takes on an entirely new character.
And you can start this sequence anywhere. Spin the bottle again. It’s happier in motion than it is at rest, and that’s one of the defining characteristics.
You might see it swapped out with a two-chord or a three-chord, but you’ll definitely see it in a Beat Kitchen class. And if someone who belongs in one, share this post.
