The Shortcut to Songwriting
How the order of chords can help you..
Hey guitar players,
Ever wonder why some chord progressions just sound right together? There’s a hidden framework behind these harmonious combinations, and it’s called the Order of Chords.
Understanding this structure is a powerful songwriting tool, as it opens up a world of possibilities for creating progressions that sound great together.
Give it a try 👇
🎸The Technique
When working within a key, each note has a corresponding chord. For simplicity, let’s stick with the key of C Major, which includes the notes: C - D - E - F - G - A - B.
Here’s where it gets interesting: each note in this scale links to a specific chord type. The order of chords in a major key follows a pattern: Major - Minor - Minor - Major - Major - Minor - Diminished
When we apply this to the key of C Major, here’s what we get:
C Major
D Minor
E Minor
F Major
G Major
A Minor
B Diminished
Each of these chords is built solely from notes in the C Major scale. For example, a C Major chord is made up of C - E - G.
For a D Major chord, we’d normally see D - F# - A, but since F# doesn’t exist in C Major, we replace (flatten) it to F to stay within the key. This then creates our D Minor chord.
The order of chords, remains the same for every major key.
For example - if we moved to a D Major Scale (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#) - we would see the following chords:
D Major
E Minor
F# Minor
G Major
A Major
B Minor
C# Diminished
Why Do the Order of Chords Matter?
Harmonic Flow: This pattern of chords lets you create progressions that feel cohesive, making them sound smooth and satisfying to the ear. Try playing C - Dm - Em - F and you’ll notice the natural flow in the sequence.
Songwriting Shortcut: Once you know this order, creating a progression becomes easy. Pick a few chords from this pattern and experiment. For example, try C - G - Am - F.
Sound familiar? It’s a popular progression used in countless songs, because it works so well.
Exploring the Diminished Chord: The last chord in the order, B Diminished, might seem out of place. It has a flattened third and fifth, giving it a tense sound. But here’s the magic—if you use it as a passing chord, it can create tension that resolves beautifully back to C Major, your home chord.
B Diminished
Try constructing a chord progression from C Major, and as you are close to finishing the last chord in your progression, play a quick B Diminished, before resolving again on C Major.
My latest guitar course, demonstrates this in more detail. Check it for free here.
👌 Try It Out
Start by practicing a basic progression. Let’s go with C - F - G - Am. Then try substituting one of these with a chord from the same key order, like Dm or Em. See how the mood shifts!
Once you’re comfortable, pick a new key, like G Major, and apply the same structure:
G Major
A Minor
B Minor
C Major
D Major
E Minor
F# Diminished
If you keep this chord order in mind, you’ll always have a reliable framework for crafting progressions that resonate.
Want To Take This Further?
Check my latest guitar course - Learn Guitar Chords - where you can master everything from open chords, up to advanced inversions. All with an emphasis on discovering your own, unique, creative abilities.
Explore your creative potential for free, here.
As always, give me a shout if you have any questions or just want to chat guitar and music 🎶
🌍 Links
🎸 Become A Confident & Creative Guitarist - Free Beginner Guitar Course
🎸 Learn Guitar: The Complete Beginners Guide
🎸 Guitar Practice: Improve Finger Strength, Stretch, Speed & Independence
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Speak soon,
Marc
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