Fantasy Chord Progressions

• Note about using the progressions:
  • A progression can be 2 chords, 4 chords, 8 chords, or a half of a song, and just about anything else that’s 2 or more chords. This a specific portion of the guide dedicated to helping one create chord progressions that provoke certain emotions. The chords listed under their respective moods can be used in practically any way or order.
  • What’s important is figuring out what modes you want to use. The moods are a guide to help you decide if you want to write with a major tonic/root chord or a minor one and how you want the overall feeling to be for that progression. The mode is responsible for the specific emotion being portrayed at the time, so write your music like a story. Also, all the moods/progressions are listed at the end of this section.
  • When writing, to make your progressions flow smoothly (and in other forms of music too), try to start your chords with an inversion based off of the melody (with the top voice/interval [out of 1, 3, and 5] being the same as the start of the melody or the voice/interval right below it) and make sure every chord that follows is in an inversion that has at least 2 tones within a whole step of any of the tones/intervals in the last chord. [So if the progression is C to A♭ and C is in first inversion, then A♭ should be in root position or first inversion.]
  • Chord progressions may be more coherent if the chord at the end of a phrase includes the root or fifth of the next chord that begins the next phrase.

• Serious Fantasy Mood Progressions (Epic, Hopeful, Peaceful, Sorrow, Desolate)
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if I is the key of the piece:
    • vi, vii, I, ii, II, iii, III, IV, V ← (Major Notation)
    • i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, V, ♭VI, ♭VII ← (Minor Notation)
  • Modes found here and the emotions they provoke:
    • Aeolian: Seriousness [♭6], sadness [♭6 + ♭7]
      • {i, ♭III, iv, v, ♭VI, ♭VII}
    • Aeolian [Harmonic]:Seriousness [♭6], edge/risk [♭6 + 7]
      • {i, iv, V, ♭VI}
    • Aeolian [Melodic]: build up of excitement [6+7]
      • {i, ii, IV, V}
    • Dorian: Mystery [6], (not/less serious) Action/Adventure [6+♭7]
      • {i, ii, ♭III, IV, v, ♭VII}
  • i - iv - ♭VII - ♭III (Common Progression) [example]
  • i - ♭VI - v - ♭VII (Common Progression) [example]

• Mellow Fantasy Mood Progressions (Epic, Majestic, Peaceful, Light, Proud)
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if I is the key of the piece:
    • I, ♭III, IV, iv, V, v, ♭VI, ♭VII ← ( I is tonic/root ); [Maj./Ionic Notation]
    • I, II, ii, III, iii, IV, V, VI ← ( ↑♭III = temp. I as tonic/root ); [♭3 Notation]
  • Modes found here and the emotions they provoke:
    • Ionian: Happy/Cinch, Worry-less [6+7]
      • {I, (ii), (iii), IV, V, (vi)}
    • Brief flat 3rd/6th Key Change: Awe [♭3+♭7]/[♭2+6]
      • {I, ♭III }; {I, VI}
    • Mixolydian: Mystery [♭7], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [6+♭7]
      • {I, (ii), IV, v, ♭VII}
    • Mixolydian ♭6: sadness [♭6 + ♭7], bittersweet [(♭6 + 5)+(4+3)]
      • {I, iv, v, ♭VII}
      • (Note: 5th mode of Melodic Minor Scale)
    • Lydian: unease [1+♯4], Mystery [♯4], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [♯4+5]
      • {I, II, iii, V} [♭III Notation]

Note:

• When going to the ♭III chord, a temporary key change takes place. The chords used may actually sound like they are in they key of the ♭III until you move back to the original I chord (which is the VI chord during the temporary key change).
• Also, this list does not use the vi, ii, or the iii as using these often implies a (temporary) modulation to the relative minor; especially when used at the end of a progression or statement. However, when used in between two of the chords listed they act almost like passing tones or chords. They seem most often used for variation and in place of the major chord a major third below:
  • [iii to I, vi to IV, and ii to ♭VII]

Similarly using the i chord implies a mode change to aeolian. But it may also be used similarly with the chord a major third below:

• [i to ♭VI]

• Mellow Mysterious Mood Progressions (Nature, Magical, Tranquil)
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if I is the key of the piece:
    • I, II, ii, iii, IV, V, v, vi, ♭VII, ♭VII ⁺, vii
  • Modes found here and the emotions they provoke:
    • Ionian: Happy/Cinch, Regular [6+7]
      • {I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi}
    • Mixolydian: Mystery [♭7], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [6+♭7]
      • {I, ii, IV, v, vi, ♭VII}
    • Lydian: unease [1+♯4], Mystery [♯4], Play/Adventure/Calm/(nature) [♯4+5]
      • {I, II, iii, V, vi, vii}
    • Lydian Dominant: [Lydian’s ♯4 + Mixo’s ♭7], slight eeriness [♭VII ⁺]
      • {I, II, IV, v, vi, ♭VII ⁺}

• Melancholy Mysterious Mood Progressions (Nature, Magical, Tranquil)
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if i is the key of the piece:
    • i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, ♭VI, ♭VII
  • Modes found here and the emotions they provoke:
    • Aeolian: Seriousness [♭6], sadness [♭6 + ♭7]
      • {i, ♭III, iv, v, ♭VI, ♭VII}
    • Dorian: Mystery [6], (not/less serious) Action/Adventure [6+♭7]
      • {i, ii, ♭III, IV, v, ♭VII}

• Dark Tension Mood Progressions (Mysterious, Magical, [and Haunted])
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if i is the key of the piece:
    • i, ♭ii, ♭II, ♭iii, ♭III, iii, iv, V ⁷, ♭vi, vi, VI, vii,VII
    • ↑ These chords outline the root/tonic chords and define it. Use these to show key changes and changing key centers by outlining the current tonic. [So these are chords you can spend a longer amount of time on without changing the tonic when building a progression]
    • You still can use chromatic minor chords between any 2 minor chords included above as passing tones/chords and still maintain the genre’s feel so long as you use the same voicing (inversion) as you move and land on the next.
  • In their most raw forms they include the root/tonic chord, minor and major chords whose roots are a min 2 or min 3 away from the tonic (interval-wise), minor chords a whose roots are a maj 3, maj 4 away from the tonics, and the Dominant chord (V⁷)
  • However, this list is extended with colors [chords] that can function [best] in place of the V ⁷ chord as they naturally suspend at least 1 note in a triad by a ½ step so as to call for a resolution to i. They can also be used in other circumstances but there is a high risk of obfuscating the root chord or tonic
    • i, i°, I; ♭ii, ♭ii°, ♭II; ♭iii, ♭iii°, ♭III; iii, III ⁺; iv, ♭V°, V ⁷, ♭vi; vi, vi°, VI; vii, VII, VII ⁺
    • Extensions a major or minor third away from the root or fifth may be added at one's own risk at the expense of the feel
  • Note: This mood is very modal in that it does not normally outline a specific mode but uses this specific constant switching between many modes to create an atmosphere of tension.

• Eerie Tension Mood Progressions (Mysterious, Ominous, [Extraterrestrial, and ethereal])
  • Note: This subgenre relies heavily on suspension on the fifth so every major chord has an implied augmented, and Major flat 5 counterpart. Therefore anywhere a major chord is listed in this subgenre, assume that [chord]⁺ and [chord]^♭5 are also listed. (You won’t see them [to save space]).
  • Passages and progressions can be built using any of the following chords if I is the key of the piece:
    • I, ♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii
    • ↑ These chords outline the root/tonic chords and define it. Use these to show key changes and changing key centers by outlining the current tonic. [So these are chords you can spend a longer amount of time on without changing the tonic when building a progression] {Also, there are actually 29 different chords in this first list because all the major chords have the 2 counterparts mentioned above}
    • You still can use chromatic major, augmented, and Major flat 5 chords between any 2 chords of the same type included above as passing tones/chords and still maintain the genre’s feel so long as you use the same voicing (inversion) as you move and land on the next.
  • In these chords’ most raw forms they include the root/tonic chord, minor and major chords whose roots are a min 2 or min 3 away from the tonic (interval-wise), minor chords a whose roots are a maj 3, maj 4 away from the tonics, and the Augmented Dominant chord (V ⁺)
  • However, this list is extended with a couple of colors [chords] that can function [best] in place of the V ⁺ chord as they naturally suspend at least 1 note in a triad by a ½ step so as to call for a resolution to i. They can also be used in other circumstances but there is a high risk of obfuscating the root chord or tonic [there are only 2 (but because of the 2 counterparts to the major there are actually only 4) extra chords that serve this purpose]
    • I, i,♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, ♭V, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii ← ( I is tonic/root )
    • Extensions a major or minor third away from the root or fifth may be added at one's own risk at the expense of the feel.
  • Note: This mood is very modal in that it does not normally outline a specific mode but uses this specific constant switching between many modes to create an atmosphere of tension.

• All Progressions listed
  • Serious Fantasy
    • i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, V, ♭VI, ♭VII
  • Mellow Fantasy
    • I, ♭III, IV, iv, V, v, ♭VI, ♭VII
      • (ii, iii, vi) [risky → relative minor]
  • Mellow Mysterious
    • I, II, ii, iii, IV, V, v, vi, ♭VII, ♭VII ⁺, vii
  • Melancholy Mysterious
    • i, ii, ♭III, iv, IV, v, ♭VI, ♭VII
  • Dark Tension
    • i, ♭ii, ♭II, ♭iii, ♭III, iii, iv, V ⁷, ♭vi, vi, VI, vii,VII ← [safe]
    • i, i°, I; ♭ii, ♭ii°, ♭II; ♭iii, ♭iii°, ♭III; iii, III ⁺; iv, ♭V°, V ⁷, ♭vi; vi, vi°, VI; vii, VII, VII ⁺ ← [risky] ( i is tonic/root )
  • Eerie Tension
    • I, ♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii ← [safe]
    • I, i, ♭II, ♭ii, ♭III, ♭iii, III, IV, ♭V, V ⁺, ♭VI, VI, vi, VII, vii ← [risky] ( I is tonic/root )
    • ( Both include augmented and flat five versions of all major chords)

*[risky] implies that using certain chords in some ways may taint the feel/emotion you originally attempt to convey

← Previous ✥ Next →