The Chord That Changes Everything 

I usually find the cord that changes everything is the one that connects my guitar to the amp....

Saving everybody some time: He played a (IV) chord and made it minor. So, in the key of C, this would be an Fminor

is this the secret chord that david played and pleased the lord?

Instructions unclear; girlfriend now pregnant.

For a semi-begginer, a chord that changes everything is defenetly a diminished chord. I remember how impressed I was when I discovered that you can put a dim between any two neighbour chords from scale.

Ur right... the chord changed my dog into a bird

- clicks Music is Win video - thumbs up it - procedes to watch the video

Be careful with your terminology. An "altered" chord is a very specific thing: a 7(b9b5), 7(b9#5), 7(#9b5), or a 7(#9#5)

This is such a simple way to make boring chords more interesting. Such an awesome lesson dude!

OMG is it triads again?

It's a shame you have to apologize for music theory. If only people would be willing to put in the time to learn it (or realize that they are learning music theory), they would see how much easier life gets for a musician.

I have heard them called "Borrowed chords"...Hotel California's progression shows it off good.

Now the real info: It's not an altered chord as this guy calls it (altered chords are a different thing): it's a borrowed chord. In minor keys the "formula" (actually called diatonic chords) goes "im7 iim7b5 IIIM7 ivm7 vm7 VIM7 VII7". He's borrowing a chord from the parallel minor (C minor): iv of C natural minor is F minor. It has this unique character. It's like you changed tonality to the parallel minor for a bar, and then went back to the major tonality. IMHO he's doing wrong trying to hide the complexity of music theory behind magic names. It makes it harder for students to google for more information and is not simpler in any way. It's also pretty much confusing if the terminology is wrong: if a guy comes to me saying "altered chord" the last thing I'm gonna think of is a borrowed chord.

I am altering the chord. Pray I don't alter it any further.

This is actually a concept called "modal borrowing", "modal mixture", "mode mix", or "modal interchange" (depending on which theorist or music professor you ask). As many have also said, an altered chord is something very different than the concept described above. The reason theorists call it "modal borrowing" is because each substituted chord briefly creates a sound from another mode. In the Lydian mode, the II chord is major. So playing a D major chord in the key of C borrows from the C Lydian tonality. A iv (F minor in the key of C) borrows from the parallel minor (also known as the Aeolian mode). Additionally, you can borrow, for example, an Ab major chord in the key of C (which is built off the 6th scale degree in C minor), and this would be abbreviated as bVI, because its root is a half-step below what it would normally be in the C major mode. Also, one more important clarification: when referring to chords built off scale degrees, it's not kosher to call them "third" or "fourth" chords, et cetera. A chord built off the third scale degree in any key is the "three" chord (abbreviated as iii or III). In music theory, we use the suffixes "-th", "-st", "-rd", and so forth only when referring to intervals. A "major third" is defined concretely as two notes that are exactly 4 half steps apart. A "major three" chord is what he played near the end of the video, also abbreviated as III. Consistent nomenclature is important because music theory is confusing enough without mixing up our terms. My apologies for the "excessive" quotation marks. It was a conscious choice for the purpose of clarity.

That progression reminds me of Beatles' In My Life

Thanks so much for this video, I found it particularly meaningful, as my musical sensibilities are firmly rooted in that 60s British/Beatles sound that makes use of that back to back IV Major/IV minor chord change. Noel Gallagher of Oasis, a primary musical hero and inspiration of mine, has put it to much good use in his classic songs.

Reminds me of green day for some reason. edit: Wake me up when September ends is in Gmajor but uses a Cmaj to Cmin change very often. They might have some other songs with it in.

I'm not a huge theory guy, but altered chords are a huge part of my songwriting process. I always just called them non diatonic, or just "wrong" chords before watching this. Great info as always.

I can remember stumbling upon the "Minor IV" in a Major Scale some years ago and falling in love with it instantly. Now I don't want to sound like a Know-it-all, but here he's actually playing a "Minor IV 7"-Chord, which is IMHO not the typical sound for the chord that changes everything - try a Minor IV Chord with a major 6 or major 7 for that effect. Of Course, in a more "jazzy" context, IV minor 7 combined with the bVII Dom7 makes for a great backdoor-progression!

but I'm a creep I'm a weirdo what the hell I'm i doing here...

click bait makes the world go round

Your guitar tone, and the way you played your chords gives me joy.

Right on! Hey, this sort of thing has been my OBSESSION for years! Nice to find someone else making a fuss about such an important point.

People learning to play guitar now thinking a Dmaj is an altered chord are gonna have a lot of troubles in the future. Other people comment's are right, these are borrowed chords...you can also view them as part of modal interchange, but calling them altered chords... Don't get me wrong, musically speaking, this "lesson" can be very helpful to a beginner, he will find new ways to create new music as well as identifying those chord changes in other songs. I know that the important thing is the music, not the names, but still...for example, for me, calling the VII chord of a major scale a diminished chord is wrong...i know where you are going, but its just a Xmin5b, a diminished chord has a 7bb, and that note (in C it will be a Gb) doesn't even belong to the major scale. Again, i don't want to be an ass (i know i am being one though), but beginners need their facts to be accurate. Sorry

The first song I thought of was Sleep Walk.

I've found adding the minIV like so makes it a much more festive kinda sound. It's one of my favorite things to do, good job spreading it!

You're so good at what you do and I can't thank you enough, since finding you and watching your vids my playing has really started to come along again after a long hiatus. Thankyou!

That's borrowing chords from its parallel minor aye?

Reminds me of No surprises by Radiohead

Dude you just helped me write a song that I've been working on for a few months. Thanks for the inspiration and a visual explanation of chord construction.

Couldn't resist commenting because this chord progression explained has always been my favourite. Before even knowing it theorically, it produced sadness on me no matter what was the song like (even in some fast-tempo ones such as Spanish bombs by The Clash). It started being used in Romantic music (XIX century's classical compositions) so you'll here it often in Chopin or Liszt. Nowadays, supposes an alternative to the standard progression I- IV- V by substituting V with IVminor. Can be heard clearly in songs like Creep, Last Night On Earth by Green Day or Nobody home by Pink Floyd. I repeat, it automatically makes me feel sadness and nostalgia with no reason, and hopefully I'll get to know why. Have a nice Day everyone

you should deff do more theory based stuffff aside from the super system stuff

people who dislike these videos are either deaf or just salty that they can't play as well as you do

I think I recently encountered this chord in Hozier's "Someone New", when he sings, "Honey, there is no right way." The chord falls on the word, "there". I didn't know exactly what was going on until I started learning the chord progression in that song. I remember thinking, "How did he think to use that chord there? I wouldn't have thought of doing that." But it sounds so cool, especially considering that chord is a major every other time in that song. So cool to be learning these little tricks here and there. Gonna be adding this one to the repertoire. Thanks for the vid!

This is great, I saw/heard this done a lot in jazz songs

I find this kind of information to be (A) useful and (B) useless. Play whatever chords you want that way it's not contrived. The best place for the rule book is firmly out the window. Jandek anybody?

Clickbaity. Changing the IV chord to minor, that's all there is.

Well, this is one of those guitar lessons that pretty much upends my brain and blows my mind.

Great stuff! I'm a new subscriber and you are definitely, the man! :) I got so much out this video and thanks for sharing!

An "altered chord"? If your gonna be doing a video containing theory, please use the real terms. Calling a secondary dominant chord an "altered chord" is condescending to your audience and it makes me feel like you think we are stupid. Using simplistic fake names for a concept is like what teacher do when they think you are too stupid to understand the real thing. For everyone watching this video, "altered chord" is a made up fake term. These chords are called secondary dominant chords because they function as the dominant chords to other keys. For example, when the ii chord is major, you would write the Roman numeral as V/V (sounds like "five of five") because a major 2 chord in any key functions as the five chord to the five chord of the key you are in, effectively making the five chord sound like a one chord. If you do this briefly (say for less than a whole verse, so a phrase or measure) it's called tonicization. Please don't condescend your audience.

Thanks. You do hear this a lot. I've always loved the sound. It's good to know what's technically going on.

Simple and great concept. Thanks!

today i learned something thank you

Truly one of my favorite chord structures is changing from a major V and a diminished vii chord to having a minor V with a major VII. So if you have a song in C minor for instance, throwing in the min V and Maj VII adds and beautiful effect. Bands like Red use it as well.

Thanks dude, I'm gonna go write a song using an IV -> iv move, it sounds great! Well presented material, quite enjoyed it.

if you're hanging around in this realm (Using Fm in C) also check out C augmented. Fm has an Ab, Caug has an Ab. fun stuff.

love the video man. this is something that i've added to songs after learning them. never really knowing exactly what i was doing. love music and love music theory, definitely subscribing.

Dude thank you so much for giving such good content. Your lessons have been digging me out of a plateau and I've noticed a lot of progress in myself, that I think I can attribute greatly to your lessons.

AAAAAAND this will now inevitably be included in every one of my songs. Thanks a lot, man ;)

The minor 4 chord is what made "Sleep Walk" such a hit for "Santo & Johnny". I notice you're playing "around" that song, as well as "In My Life" by the Beatles (Lennon). Another good example is a song by Joe Walsh titled "Midnight Man" in which the minor alternate is only used once, but to wonderful effect. It is a really cool alternate when used the right way, cool lesson.

Statement at 2:30 is wrong. Chords outside the major scale are not necessarily "altered" chords. They are simply, NON-DIATONIC. They can be (and often are) simple normal chords. Altered chords are those with alterations to the 5 or 9. There are only two notes that can be called "altered" and only two ways to alter any note. ( sharp or flat) SO, there are only four possible alterations: b5 ( same as sharp 4 or # 11) #5, b9, and #9. The term altered refers to any chord that has b5, #5, b9 or #9. Since it is cumbersome to write more than one or two "alterations. we sometimes see the abbreviation "Alt" for any chord with two or more alterations. Chords built strictly from inside the major scale (or any of its modes) are "diatonic." Chords with notes outside the major scale or its modes are NON-diatonic.

Dude, your vids are amazing. And the reason is because it does what no other video (that i have seen) does, which is show the viewer how to actually use the things that they may or may not already know. Case and point - examples! if you show a cool new concept, you show how to implement it in various ways. This also helps, at least me, to get us thinking in other ways how to use the concept. I always struggle with, gee i wonder how i can make this progression more awesome? this is how! thanks man

That was awesome!!!

thanks man was looking for a new sound, loved the lesson

Thanks helpful, nice tone on your rig!

Nice clear description.Thanks.

Great stuff man! I love watching guitarists like you who explain the theory. You just earned a new sub.

Loving the sound of your rig!

Great lesson and great tone from your guitar/amp/fingers!

Ive first used in on Sleepwalk and Whispering bells. Back in the day. Always loved that minor effect

Ah! This is such a great video. Never really considered just how much a min4 can make a chord progression so much more dynamic. I've used it before, but never really placed an emphasis on it. These kind of songwriting techniques elevate the amateur to the expert. So much soul!

Dude this is crazy helpful. I’m convinced, I’m going to learn and start the journey of mastery.

Hey man, great video. I started learning pedal steel last year and sort of inevitably started learning some theory recently. This really helped me think of voicings differently on steel guitar and definitely freed me up a little creatively. Thanks for the demonstration.

super love the minor 4 chord technique. i kind of derived it from the beatles. they have a ton of those in their catalogue. thanks man!

Thanks for awesome advice!

I love all your chords!

Phenomenal!!!!, checked it out and it's really just fooling around with the harmonic minor but, kudos, I've used it in the past omitting the 4 of that minor scale/chord. which looks like EM in a C scale if you don't play the minor as a minor 7th. I still learned something though.

I love the way your guitar sounds. That's gorgeous

Awesome vid thanks. Will have to try this out

Thanks! Great trick! Already using it! Best

Those are called borrowed chords specifically because they're borrowed from a different scale or mode, typically the minor scale. An altered chord is a more generalized category of borrowed chords. Usually when someone says altered chord, it means that the 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 (or any combination thereof) has been moved up or down a semitone. However, borrowed chords are also a legitimate example of altered chords.

iv was the first chord function my ear could recognize (in the common IV-iv context). i trained my ear to recognize the rest from that starting point

awesome classes. Thank you! I'll follow

Great lesson, easy to follow. Thanks!

great info bro ! props !

Oh! I've been using this for a while, but it's great to know how it works and know what it is

I figured this out by ear pretty recently. Sounds nice

That is one of my favorite tricks to use. I usually use it going IV iv then I. I really like the progression I II IV iv as well.

Excellent lesson!

Not altered, but borrowed. In C, a D major is just the V of V. Altered implies beginning with a regular chord, say a major 11th, but altering it to include a flat 9 or flat 5, or sharp 11, and so on. A minor point (get it?) but terminology is important. Nice tone, by the way.Edit: I guess I should have read the comments first. Looks like this has all been said already many times over.

I always loved the Am in the chorus of "All the Young Dudes" by Mott the Hoople, it really changes everything.

loved it!

Sounds SICK!

nice one, thanks! got me practicing again, cheers.

I have heard it in Super Mario. It's awesome how beautiful the mood changes 😊

Very cool! Thank you so much for this valuable insight ;-)

The final progression you demonstrate, playing the FMaj and Fmin back-to-back reminds me of Hybrid Moments by the misfits. It's a really lovely sound, and thank you for the video - I find music theory very difficult to grasp, but your teaching style seems suitable for a range of learners!

"keep shreddin" nice touch,and great little review :)

thanks for this awesome video, its realky usefull. Keep it up!

It really depends on the genre. The minor iv is an interesting addition to a few genres although I wouldn't want to overuse it. The major II is an interesting alternative during a 6-2-5-1 pattern. My favorite is the dominant 11th chord in Southern Gospel. It's like combining 4-1 and 5-1 cadences at the beginning of a statement. You will often find charts write it this way, In the key of C, for example: F/G where the 7th, 9th, and 11th are emphasized in the chord. In quazi-jazz arrangements of non-jazz pieces, I see a lot of chord substitutions that are a 3rd off. Those tend to produce diminished 5th intervals that resolve nicely in what would otherwise be a circle of 5ths progression.

great explanation! Thank you!

Hey, what do you think is the best place, or site, or book to review and refresh my music theory knowledge. I studied outside the us so to translate that to you, its like I have a minor in music theory(where I'm from we have high schools dedicated to music, music theory, insturments - all that). I like having this knowlegde but in no way do I want it to fade away.

I am so stealing this! Thank you!

The fact that you had the name of the chords you were playing in the screen was a great help! You should do that more often, really makes the lesson click imo.

This reminded me a bit of several ELO songs, and now I see people mentioning The Beatles, who were a big influence on Jeff Lynne. Makes sense.

Awesome lesson man,Thanks.

Man you make learning this stuff so fun and easy! Also I feel muse use a lot of altered chords. Pretty sure the fingerpicking piece in falling away with you has this chord transition! Peace and love!

Great lesson!!!