Sequences

Descending 3rds & Descending 5ths

Descending 5ths

Descending 3rds

Ascending 5ths/Descending 4ths

Ascending & Descending 6-3 Sequences

5-6 Sequences (Ascending/Descending)

Other Diatonic Sequences

Chromatic Sequences

More Examples

Descending 3rds & Descending 5ths

The examples below are mixed up. Identify the sequence by type.

Descending 5ths

1) Gloria Gaynor, “I Will Survive,” intro

from Love Tracks (1978), words and music by Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:22)

2) Joseph Kosma, “Autumn Leaves,” chorus

Original lyrics by Jacques Prévert (1945)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (X:XX–X:XX)

3) Miley Cyrus, “Flowers,” verse (mm. 1–4)

from Endless Summer Vacation (2023), words and music by Miley Ray Cyrus, Michael Pollack, and Gregory Hein

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:16)

4) Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon,” first phrase
From It Might as Well be Swing (1964), written by Bart Howard

Score: Image
Audio: MP3

5) The Beatles, “You Never Give Me Your Money,” verse
From Abby Road (1969), written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Score: Image
Audio: MP3

6) Cat Stevens, “Wild World,” verse
From Tea for the Tillerman (1970), written by Cat Stevens

Score: Image
Audio: MP3

7) Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel,” verse
From Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968), written by David Clayton-Thomas

Score: Image
Audio: MP3
Note: The recording includes both this phrase and the phrase that follows. (Both use the same progression)

8) Train, “Drive By,” bridge
From California 37 (2012), written by Pat Monahan, Espen Lind & Amund Björklund

Audio: MP3

Em Am Dm G G/F
Please believe that when I leave

E Dm
There's nothing up my sleeve

G
But love for you and a little time to get my head together too

9) Johanna Kinkel, “Der Spanische Zitherknabe,” mm. 39–42

From 6 Gedichte, Op. 8 (1838), words by Emanuel Geibel

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (1:24–1:34)
Note: Challenging example

10 Billie Eilish, “L'Amour de la Vie,” chorus

From HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (2024), written by Billie Eilish and FINNEAS

Scores: MuseScore, Image, PDF
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:40)

Descending 3rds

1) Henry F. Williams, “The Parisian Waltzes,” mm. 24–32 (1854)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: MP3 (1:01–1:11)

2) Maroon 5, “Memories,” intro/verse (mm. 1–8)

Single from (2019), words and music by Adam Levine, Jon Bellion, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Stefan Johnson, Michael Pollack, and Vincent Ford

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:21)

3) Vitamin C, “Graduation (Friends Forever),” intro/verse (mm. 1–12)

From Vitamin C (1999), words and music by Colleen Fitzpatrick and Josh Deutsch

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:30), MP3 (chorus)

4) Oasis, “Don't Look Back In Anger,” chorus (mm. 25–32)

From What's the Story Morning Glory? (1995), words and music by Noel Gallagher

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (1:10–1:33)

5) Ralph McTell, “Streets of London,” verse 1

From Spiral Staircase (1969), written by Ralph McTell

Score: Image
Audio: MP3

6) Ben Folds, “The Luckiest,” chorus

From Rockin' the Suburbs (2001), written by Ben Folds

Audio: MP3

D A
That I am

Bm F#m
I am

G D A D A
I am the luckiest

7) Phil Collins, “I Can't Stop Loving You,” verse

From Testify (2002), written by Billy Nicholls

Audio: MP3

C G Am Em
So you're leaving in the morning on the early train

F G F G
I could say everything’s alright, and I could pretend and say goodbye

C G
Got your ticket, got your suitcase,

Am Em
got your leaving smile

F G
I could say that's the way it goes,

F G G#dim7
and I could pretend and you won't know

Am G
That I was lying...

I V vi iii
So you're leaving in the morning on the early train

IV V IV V
I could say everything’s alright, and I could pretend and say goodbye

I V
Got your ticket, got your suitcase,

vi iii
got your leaving smile

IV V
I could say that's the way it goes,

IV V viio7/vi
and I could pretend and you won't know

vi V
That I was lying...

8) Green Day, “Basket Case,” verse 1

From Dookie (1994), written by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool

Audio: MP3

D A
Do you have the time

Bm F#m
To listen to me whine

G D
About nothing and everything

A
All at once

D A
I am one of those

Bm F#m
Melodramatic fools

G D
Neurotic to the bone

A
No doubt about it

I V
Do you have the time

vi iii
To listen to me whine

IV I
About nothing and everything

V
All at once

I V
I am one of those

vi iii
Melodramatic fools

IV I
Neurotic to the bone

V
No doubt about it

9) Lenka, “Trouble is a Friend,” chorus

From Lenka (2008), written by Thomas “Tawgs” Salter & Lenka

Audio: MP3

C
He's there in the dark

G
He's there in my heart

Am
He waits in the wings

Em
He's gotta play a part

F
Trouble is a friend.

C G
Yeah, trouble is a friend of mine, oh ohh..

I
He's there in the dark

V
He's there in my heart

vi
He waits in the wings

iii
He's gotta play a part

IV
Trouble is a friend.

I V
Yeah, trouble is a friend of mine, oh ohh..

10) Fanny (Mendelssohn) Hensel, “Gondellied,” mm. 3–10

From 6 Lieder, Op. 1, No. 6 (1846)

Scores: MuseScore, PDF, Image
Audio: Youtube (0:06–0:25)

11) Procol Harum, “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” verse excerpt
Single (1967), written by Keith Reid, Gary Booker, and Matthew Fisher

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:26-1:06)

12) Juan Luis Guerra, “Bachata Rosa,” verse 1

From Bachata Rosa (1990), words and music by Juan Luis Guerra.

Audio: Youtube (0:14–0:31)
Note: The same progression repeats from 0:31–0:47.

G D/F# Em

Te regalo una rosa,

Bm C

la encontré en el camino

G

No se si esta desnuda

A7 D

o tiene un solo vestido, no lo se.

13) Jay Chou, “稻香 Rice Field,” verse (mm. 9–16)

From 魔杰座 Capricorn (2008), words and music by Jay Chou

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:26–0:49)

Ascending 5ths/Descending 4ths

1) Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe,” verse 1

From Are You Experienced (1967), words and music by Billy Roberts

Audio: Youtube (0:24– 1:11)

C G D A E
Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand?

C G D A E
Hey Joe, I said where you goin’ with that gun in your hand,

C G
I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady,

D A
You know I caught her messin’ ‘round

E
with another man, yeah.

C G
I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady

D A
You know I caught her messin’ ‘round

E

with another man. Huh! And that ain’t too cool.

2) Richrd O'Brian, “Time Warp,” refrain
From the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Audio: Youtube (1:11–1:23)

3) Deep Purple, “Hush,” refrain

From Shades of Deep Purple (1968), written by Joe South

Youtube: (1:04–1:20)

Ascending & Descending 6-3 Sequences

1) Joseph Bologne, String Quartet Op. 1, No. 6
Movt. 2, mm. 171–179 (1771)

Scores: PDF, Image
Audio: Youtube (39:44–39:55)

2) Harry T. Burleigh, “Worth While,” mm. 8–19
From 5 Songs of Laurence Hope (1915)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:21–0:51)

5-6 Sequences (Ascending/Descending)

1) Ok Go, “Here It Goes Again,” verse

From Oh No (2005), written by Damian Kulash

Audio: Youtube (0:18–0:32)

C G
It could be ten, but then again, I can't remember

Bb F
Half an hour since a quarter to four

C G
Throw on your clothes, the second side of Surfer Rosa

Bb F
And you leave me with my jaw on the floor Hey!

2) Fanny (Mendelssohn) Hensel, “Wanderlied,” mm. 20–31
From 6 Lieder, Op. 1 (1846), lyrics by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Score: PDF | Image | MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:26–0:46)
Note: There are two different sequences represented in this example. Can you identify both by type?

3) The Eagles, “Hotel California,” verse

From Hotel California (1977), written by Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:52–1:18)

Other Diatonic Sequences

1) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Romance for Violin, Op. 39, mm. 23–29
(1899)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (1:06–1:26)

2) The Everly Brothers, “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” bridge

Single (1958), words and music by Boudleaux Bryant

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:48–1:06)

Chromatic Sequences

1) Henry F. Williams, “The Parisian Waltzes,” mm. 24–42

(1854)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: MP3 (1:01–1:37)

2) Phish, “Reba,” verse 1
From Lawn Boy (1990), written by Trey Anastasio

Audio: MP3

E♭ B♭
Reba sinka boulder in the water

E♭ B♭
Reba tiea cable to a tree

E♭ B♭ D♭
Reba stuck in a game of lipstick perfume flypaper

A♭ C♭ G♭ A
Reba pressa razor to a slide cross a needle

B♭
with a prune

3) Mel Brooks, “Opening Night,” mm. 17–24

From the musical The Producers (1950), music and lyrics by Mel Brooks

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:08–0:21)

4) The Modern Jazz Quartet, Django, mm. 21-32

From Live in Bonn, Beethovenhalle (1959), written by John Lewis

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: YouTube (0:34-0:51)

5) Harry T. Burleigh, “The Jungle Flower,” mm. 36-43

From 5 Songs of Laurence Hope (1915)

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: YouTube (2:00-2:24)
Student Note: There are two different sequences represented in this example. Can you identify both by type?

6) Bruce Channel, “Hey! Baby,” chorus
From Hey! Baby (1962)

Audio: YouTube (0:14-0:41)

[Chorus]

A F#7 B7

Hey

E7 A F#7 B7

Hey baby,

E7 A F#7 B7

I wanna know

E7 A D A

If you'll be my girl

7) Louise Farrenc, Etude No. 11 in E major, mm. 9–19

From 30 Etudes dan touse les tons majeurs et mineurs pour piano, Op. 26 (1876)

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: YouTube (0:05–0:12)

8) Chico Buarque, “Cordão,” mm. 33-40

From Construçao (1971), written by Chico Buarque

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: YouTube (0:52–1:04)
Student Note: There are two different sequences represented in this example. Can you identify both by type?

9) The Ronnettes, “Be My Baby,” verse
From Presenting the Fabulous Ronnettes (1963), written by Jeff Berry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:08-0:37)

10) SZA (ft. Doja Cat), “Kill Bill,” chorus

From SOS (2022), written by SZA, Rob Bisel & Carter Lang

Audio: Youtube (0:32–0:55)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| E♭7 | E♭7/G | A♭∆7 | A♭∆7|
|F7 | F7 | B♭m9 | B♭m | (x2)
Note: The same progression repeats throughout the entire song.

B♭m E♭7 E♭7/G A♭∆ 7

I might kill my ex, not the best idea

F7 B♭m

His new girlfriend's next, how'd I get here?

E♭7 E♭7/G A♭∆ 7

I might kill my ex, I still love him, though

F7 B♭m9

Rather be in jail than alone

More Examples

Paula Maust, Expanding the Music Theory Canon: Sequences
Diverse Music Theory Examples: Diatonic Sequences, Chromatic Sequences
Music By Women: Explore the Database (Click on the Harmonic Progression Filter on the left and select Sequences.)
Yale Musical Examples Database: See the "Harmonic Progressions" tab at the bottom.