Chord Theory Pt. 2 of 2 - Half Cadences and Endless Progressions
This is Part 2 of the essential intermediate harmonic (chord) theory that producers need for creating rich and interesting chord progressions. In this video I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence".
NOTE: I strongly recommend that you watch Part 1 first, to ensure you have the basic concepts that this video builds upon. You can find it here: • Chord Theory Pt. 1 of 2 - Using Scaler for...
In Part 2, I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence". After absorbing the simple ideas in Parts 1 and 2, you will know 95% of everything there is to know about writing chord progressions, and you'll be able to understand why some neat chord progression you're looking at actually works!
(Big thanks to Robert Crawford for compiling this list of timestamps!)
0:00 - INTRODUCTION
3:17 - Half Cadence Explained
5:18 - Half Cadence Example
7:40 - A Little History
8:41 - Why They Work in EDM
10:39 - Rule 1
11:31 - Rule 2
12:20 - Rule 3
12:53 - Rule 4
15:18 - Rule 4: Modal Interchange & Chord Substitution
18:29 - Extra Example
22:14 - Extra Example 2
25:58 - Extra Example 3
30:15 - Making Longer Progressions w/ Half & Full Cadences *
33:30 - OUTRO
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HARMONIC THEORY IN A NUTSHELL - Part 2 of 2
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Half Cadences:
These are like a comma in the middle of a sentence. They leave you hanging, and make the chord progression so far feel incomplete or suspended, making the listener expect some type of continuation.
IMPORTANT: A progression that ends in a half-cadence almost always must start with a 1 to sound pleasant. This effectively resolves that suspenseful ending by coming back to "home" at the start of the progression.
anything to 5
1 to 4
5 to 4
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Rules for Suspenseful/Endless Chord Progressions:
1. Nearly always end with a Half Cadence (anything to 5, 1 to 4, or
5 to 4)
2. Always start with a 1
3. Put literally anything you want in the middle between the starting
1 and the half cadence.
4. Note that a 1 to 5 or 1 to 4 half cadence all by itself with no other
chords at all is a perfectly good suspenseful/endless chord
progression. You can even do these in reverse!
( 5 to 1 or 4 to 1 )