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Cinematic and Film chord progressions

7 progressions · 84 keyed pages

Cinematic writing avoids the dominant. Modal mixture and chords a third apart keep the tonality unresolved, so the harmony can rise and fall for minutes without ever telling the audience the scene is over.

Tempo
60–160 BPM
Feel
2 major · 5 minor
Harmony
4 diatonic · 3 borrowed
Form
4 bars · 4/4

The soundin A

i–♭VII–♭VI–VAm · G · F · E
iAm♭VIIG♭VIFVE

Chord tones on the keyboard — the solid key is the root.

Full lesson

Uplifting1

I–iii–vi–IV
A · C♯m · F♯m · D
IAiiiC♯mviF♯mIVD
4 chordsintermediate70120 BPM · 4/4

Melancholic1

vi–IV–I–V
F♯m · D · A · E
viF♯mIVDIAVE
4 chordsbeginner70130 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Apologize - OneRepublic

Epic4

i–♭VII–♭VI–V
Am · G · F · E
iAm♭VIIG♭VIFVE
4 chordsintermediate80140 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles
i–VI–III–VII
Am · F · C · G
iAmVIFIIICVIIG
4 chordsintermediate80160 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Zombie - The Cranberries
iAm♭VIF♭VIIG
4 chordsintermediate80160 BPM · 4/4
As heard in Andalusian Cadence - Traditional
iAm♭VIIG♭VIF
4 chordsintermediate80160 BPM · 4/4

Mysterious1

i–III–iv–VI
Am · C · Dm · F
iAmIIICivDmVIF
4 chordsintermediate60100 BPM · 4/4

Songs built on these changes

Each one links to the progression behind it.