How to recognise chord progressions by ear 

This video looks like a drop everything I'm doing situation

I love the whole "and the world lives as 1" thing, that was too perfect!

Note for viewers, it took me a few *years* to go from recognizing IV and V reliably to all the chromatics here. You can absolutely do it, but you've gotta learn and play songs and get those chords in your fingers and associated with the Roman numeral in your head while playing them. Great overview of the common major/minor here!

Hello David. As a musician who never really properly learned about music in the formal sense, I've been following many RU-vid teachers, and you're way out in front and my absolute favourite. I have to compliment you on your relaxed style of presenting music theory in a way that keeps me engaged. I've learned so much already and will continue to follow you, so please keep it going, keep it relaxed and thank you for taking the time to assist oldies like myself who never had the music education we should have had. Although I was theoretically a professional musician, I really only played at a very basic level and watching your videos has made me realise how much better I would have been had I taken the music classes at school that were available. But now through your easy-to-understand and step-by-step approach, I'm gradually catching up. Thank you and I'll see you in the next one!!!

DBP tries not to reference Radiohead challenge (impossible)

i love how you tailor almost every video on beginners. i admire you. it's so humble and wise. and generous, really.

Other songs that use the VII chord like Karma Police are: "Sexy Sadie" by The Beatles "Mr Sandman" by The Chordettes" "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" by the Mamas and the Papas And minor version of the vii is found in the Beatles' "Yesterday", the second chord right after the tonic!

I've been waiting for this video since I was 13, now I'm 27. So thanks a lot. Best teacher ever.

I loved a little quiz at the end. it definitely encouraged me to be a more active participant. Often times I find myself just listening, but never applying.

Oh, man... the "and the world would live as the I chord" was amazingly genius. The world would live as complete, at rest, in peace... as the I chord. That captures the whole ethics of "Imagine". Brilliant.

Strangely did a lot better on the harder levels of the quiz haha! Stuff like the IV iv I or bVI bVII I have such distinctive sounds it's hard to confuse them for anything else. I always have issues with distinguishing IV I, because it feels like a strong resolution to me so I always think it must be V

I earned a music degree in college. This video reminded me of my music theory classes. I graduated 50 years ago! You are a great teacher!

This is awesome! Working out chords by ear is a skill I've been trying to develop lately and this will help a lot. Think you could do a similar video focused on minor keys?

Playing the chords on the piano as they came up in the songs was such a nice touch! As a piano player, identifying the chords where there is no piano or keyboard accompaniment is always an added challenge, so it was nice not having to worry about them in this instance. It gets even more difficult when the song does not start on tonic (it usually doesn't I think) and chords are never explicitly played but implied or just played in an unusual or complex way. One thing I'd add is that for most genres, identifying the bass helps immensely, as it's almost always the root if there is a bass player. Even for inversions and slash chords it helps to figure out the rest, I'd say. Otherwise I guess it mostly comes down to familiarity or if that doesn't work, fiddling on your main instrument. Either way, this video is a very good play to start.👍

At 12:52 I immediately heard Shirley Bassey in my head singing "Goldfinger!" 😄

Love it as always. If you ever get a chance, and its totally cool if not, but I'd love to see a video of songs that dont "resolve" in a traditional sense. One of my favorites its Flowers Never Bend by Simon & Garfunkel and even when I've heard it a billion times, that last chord is always so unsettling and I love it. I dont know of any more songs that do that. Further more I'd love to hear your take on why a song would end like that. I'm sure at that point its more artistic stylistic choice than anything. But yeah, I dont believe ive ever seen a video that covers something like that.

David there is something incredibly soothing about the way your videos make so many abstract concepts concrete enough to where I feel I can finally make good use of them in my songwriting!! Many thanks!

This is my favourite youtube channel by far. Thanks for all the hard work!

Man so grateful to stumble upon your channel. How clear your explanations are, the way you play while you talking about the chord and how you play the chord over the example song really helps to a novice like me. Thank you sir!

Loved tha! Thank you sooo much David for sharing all your insight.and knowledge. I always look forward to your amazing videos. 👍

you should just only give us radiohead and beatles examples at this point lmao, great video david btw: i want u to make videos on exotic scales and modes (like pentatonic or melodic minor modes)

You keep outdoing yourself! This is one of the best easily-accessable music theory resources out in the world now. Very excited for your overview of minor progressions.

David, every video I watch of yours makes me a better musician. Thank you

Before I even finished watching this video I already learned a ton from it and already used one of the ideas on a piece of music I'm writing that I was stuck on. This video really got me thinking differently about chord progressions and I thank you immensely.

This was great! Love the illustrations

Been waiting for this for awhile - thank you David!

Thank you for this video! Enjoyable watch and it really helped me to study non-tonic chords. The examples of songs really help and the descriptions of the different sounds and functions of the chorsds. Enjoyed the small exercise at the end aswell.

I'm currently teaching on of my students how to recognize chord progressions by ear so this video couldn't have come out at a better time! Very well put together. I will have to send this to them as another thing to learn from!

This is the best interval training video I've found. Thank you mate.

Thanks for the Great lesson David, it was inspiring to see/hear all of those chord substitutions!

Your videos are fantastic David. Thank you

Your channel has been a game-changer for me! Thanks to your effective teaching. Because of your videos, I've gotten really good at identifying intervals with ease. My ears, once struggling, now confidently pick up on musical nuances. Excited to delve into this video and implement it into my practice routine - your guidance has made learning relative pitch a step by step process that even I can follow and making playing songs by ear a reality for me! Please keep doing what you're doing! Your videos are extremely invaluable!

really great stuff man. Thank you for putting names to these sounds and including so many clear examples and explanations! So helpful for ear training and so fun to jam along to ^^

Looking forward the next part, thanks a lot.

Absolutely superb David. Thank you. I look forward to your exploration of minor key chords. Alan ❤

Excellent tutorials David, thank you. I remember having a light bulb moment with music theory when I went to a particular tutor in my 30’s when suddenly everything just made sense. He taught in a similar way to you and I’d imagine many people out there are now having this light bulb moment too. Good work!

Amazing video!! Thank you so much for this!! Keep on doing the great work! Give us more! Cheers from Brazil!

Wowow half hour video???? Incredible. You’re amazing David!!!

David, THANK YOU for doing exactly this! Ear training is so important, but so also is understanding how these chord progression choices affect us W/R/T mood and emotion. It's something that probably doesn't get taught enough in formal music studies. And using examples from popular songs that (most) everybody recognizes really firmly takes the ideas from theoretical to real-world.

I got them all ! NOT to brag, but I did surprise myself, as it would ordinarily take me a few minutes with an instrument. They must have just all been fresh enough in my head. I'd agree that such ear training practices are quite beneficial . BTW, there is this REAL nifty little tune in "G" by the Solo Acoustic Guitar Instrumental Virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel called "Only Elliot". That I'd like to hear your(or anyone's) take on. Here are the Chords: G - C - F#m7 - "G#m7" - Em7 - C - D/F# - G. & In your prefered notation ?: I - IV - iiv7(#5) - "bii7" - vi - IV - V/7 - I. I'm not sure how this particular notation ought to deal with everything. Like for instance, is the #5 necessary in the 3rd chord(of the progression) F#m7, where the 7th chord of a key is normally half diminished ? & for the slash chords(my preference bc they just contain more info) should the bass note after the / be what degree of the key or the chord itself ? For the D/F#, which is 7th chord(in the progression), I put V/7 bc F# is the 7th note of the key of G. But should it be V/#4 where the F# is relative to the V/C Chord in question ? IMO ALL such notations face some issues so I just prefer to write them out & transpose when necessary. Anyway, here is my MAIN question. The 3rd chord, F#m7 is pretty common, I suppose it would just temporarily suggest Dorion or Lydian. & I can think of many songs in C that use Bm or Bm7 for instance. BUT the 4th Chord(of the song) G#m7 the bii is what I'd call the "money chord" here. Off hand, I can't say I've EVER seen it used before, even after giving it some thought. & it sounds ENTIRELY natural here ! Any thoughts ? ANY & ALL analyzations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ! Great chan BTW.

Thank you David 🎵🎵🙏

thankyou for this excellent lesson. while listening and absorbimg your tutorial one thought came to my mind, actually a quote by Giorgio Moroder: "Once you free your mind about the concept of harmony and of music being correct, you can do whatever you want" and i think he was right about that. you are doing an awesome job here!

This is a real treat! Thanks David!

More of these quizzes please! I’m improving a lot but it’s hard to find good practice

Wow thank you so much, as a sec taught piano player trying to dip into songwriting I have watched DOZENS of videos to try and piece together this information. Supremely helpful

Excellent as always. In addition to your explanation there are also chord inversions (major, minor, 7ths), diminished/augmented chords and other mixes (like IV on V). When I analyze a new song I listen to the chord progression like you explained but I also listen to the bass line at the same time. Once I nail down the correct bass note, I usually have only a couple of options for building the right chord on top of the bass. This is usually a 1-3-5 (basic chord) but it could be a chord inversion like 1-3-6 or 1-4-6. For example, when starting with C major, you'll notice the bass jumps to E and then to F. The 2nd chord may sound like a iii (Em) but in this case it's actually the same C chord, played using the 2nd inversion (E-G-C or 1-3-6). The only difference from the iii chord is the C note instead of B. These are subtle differences that require some practice in order to identify correctly.

Thank you, love this kind of content!

Wonderful video David 👍😁

This video is my turning point of playing music and composing, simply change my life. Thank you !

Only progressions that seemed to get me were the final two but I still really liked how they sounded, I’m definitely going to use those in my own music because they sounded really cool

Flat 7 to 1 -- reminds me of part of the beginning of Genesis "Put another record on". In a different key.

A couple cool examples of the bV are "Humming" by Portishead and "Don't Be Light" by Air.

One of the best videos I’ve ever seen on RU-vid Dave, you’re really without an equal around here my friend

You really open my ears, thank you very much.

That I-iii-vi-ii progression sounded familiar, and now i know why: its the chorus of now and then

I am happy to See that someone finally made a Video that gives the Knowledge that is really relevant.

Thanks for this amazing video!

This was fantastic!! Coming up with chord progressions, it’s so easy to get stuck in ruts. This gives me some great ideas on ways to mix things up

You did a great job on all the chords with this tutorial

These videos are so helpful. I learnt metal guitar from tabs as a youth so never connected any of the theory. This is filling in all the gaps for me. I proclaim thee Mister Chords and salute you , sir!

I'll always recognise I-III-IV-iv and bVI-bVII-I and picardy thirds. These are the best. Honorable mention to I-IV-I-iv-i-V-I

Sooo useful!! Thank you!

Thank you for such a insightful video on music progressions on ear training, thank you...✔️😌🌟

I actually got the last one with ease due to understanding the 3rd value and hearing the bass note. Its actually the 4 major/ minor in F that I slipped on. Nice lesson!

This video is phenomenal & perfectly produced in every way. I am over here ripping up these progs on my Jazzmaster, through my dreamy-sounding pedalboard, then to my HRD IV + HRD Ext Cab, and into the world. . . OMGGG DUDEEE! 🙌🏻 Your approach is straightforward & results-driven, and you possess expert-level knowledge while being humble & cool AF - ALL THRILLER, NO FILLER! You are a superstar, David Bennett. I have never told anyone that but myself, so believe the hype. The other RU-vidrs should take lessons from YOU, good sir. Then, they might learn how to become a legend. Thank you for sharing - Have a new subscriber, won't you? Finally, somebody on RU-vid gets it. Keep crushin' it, David Bennett. YOLT. 😎🤜🏼💥🤛🏼🔮

14:23 - The flat-II chord is also known, in Common-Practice Theory, as “Neapolitan.” Usually it’s in first inversion, thus it’s called “Neapolitan 6” (“6” being the figured bass for first-inversion).

I do mashups for fun on soundcloud because I discovered I have a natural tendency to recognize chord progressions. I'd be listening to music in a pub, or at work, and something clicks in my head: "Hey, that sounds like (X) song". I write them down, on paper or phone, and mix them when I get home.

Really useful post David. Looking forward to the minor one, thanks

You're such a brilliant man!

Thanks man. That is super helpful.

Very useful video, thank you very much

This was a super masterclass! Thxu u🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

Thank you, it was fun refreshing my college theory classes. You stumped me on the thord from last and the last chord progression. I'm rusty but still mostly have it. Cheers.

Thank you, really helpful! Best regards from Argentina

Outstanding video!

Wow, fantastic video!

Thank you alot. You are amazing teacher👌🏻

Who else got 0 points on the quiz? 😢

@David Bennett Piano - Your videos are so good, dude

thanks so much, it's so very helpful!

I am kinda surprised that I got them all right. The last example was the easiest, but only because I recognized it immediately as the same exact progression in an instrumental song that I wrote. As a singer-songwriter-guitarist, I am always thinking about ways to write unique chord progressions that are catchy, compelling, interesting, and most importantly, they not only match the mood and feeling, but also add a new dimension that takes the listener on a journey, but ultimately, if it's not authentically original, then it's never going to be a song that I will be happy with, and that is what is most important to me!!! Thank you for your fascinating and informative videos!!!

Excellent video 👍. The iii always sounds to me like it's the first step on a journey; appropriate for Space Oddity both thematically and for the chords that follow.

Thank you for this! I've been struggling to learn this

Good stuff as always. I would love to see a similar video where you focus on chords in inversions. e.g. How Tonic in first inversion differs from second inversion, etc. That would be a fun ear training challenge!

Very helpful!

impressive teaching. great content

Bro having found your channel is one of greatest God’s Grace

TYSM UR VIDS R SOO VERY MOTIVATING

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHATEVER MORE THOUGHTS U HAVE ON MICROTONALITY

Thank you. Learned a lot. Extremely helpful!

Love your videos! Greetings😊

great video. thank you very much.

Fantastic as always! I’d like to watch a video about song structure some day. Love from Japan☀️

This is brilliant ❤

4:43 - Songs that go between the relative major and minor chords are fun, particularly when you can't be quite sure whether the "home" key is major or minor. A great example of this is Talking Heads's "Road To Nowhere".

Exactly this type of videos are the very Best. About chord progressions and kind of from the practical and theorytical point of view at the same time,many thanks😊😊😊

thank you very much for doing these videos!!

Really interesting about that last one: the I to bII is obvious if you can associate it with the pyramid song. I then guessed that it ended with IV to V recognizing it as the subdominant to dominant progression. The obvious issue, however is that these belong to the key of Eb, not C. It’s as if my brain got disoriented after the bII chord and latched onto a different tonic altogether.

The moment i heard you play the A chord from stand by me, i paused and ran through the song in my head, figured out it was I-vi-IV-V, and went "...wait... How did i know how to do that?" You, sir, are a wonderful teacher.

Best video about ear traning, as a self taught musician who enjoys theory i really struggled with finding good information on chord recognition