A chord progression is a sequence of chords that forms the harmony of a song or piece of music. So here are useful piano chord progressions and their notation.
I - IV - V
Probably the simplest chord progression is the combination I - IV - V
In the major scale, this progression consists of major chords. The progression sounds quite classical, so it may not always be suitable for modern compositions. In minor, i - iv - v are minor chords:
As mentioned above, in a minor progression, we can use a major chord instead of a minor chord as V. In this case, the sound will be more dynamic and we will feel the instability of the last chord:
I - VI - IV
An interesting option would be to go down with a steady step. For example, in the progression I - VI - IV, we will go down a note. You can finish the progression with another step down a note or end with a V chord.
Or
I - VII - VI
You can also use the same descent, but with a successive move down one note. Such a progression can start with any chord, but let's look at the example from I.
It's better to use a similar sequence in the minor to avoid the diminished chord, which in the major is on the VII step. You can also end with a major V to add a special sound.
I - V - VI - III
The chord and this movement step are successfully combined:
This progression is just as common in the major, and this logic can be continued:
You can see this progression in Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D!
Tips For Playing Chord Progressions
As you may have noticed in the various note examples above, triads are not necessarily used exclusively in the form of a note-by-note consonance. The sound of such a chord will be somewhat primitive and not always interesting. To improve your performance of chords, follow a few tips:
Add Bass
Bass is the lower sound of a chord, often played by the left hand in the lower octaves. The bass note adds fullness and space to the chord, making it sound more full. We usually use the bottom sound of the triad as the bass note, but you can experiment and use other triad sounds!
Add a Different Arrangement of Sounds
You can play the same triad in at least three different ways:
The triad doesn't change in any way, because the chord still contains the sounds themselves. However, by using different arrangements of the chord sounds, we can add more variety to the sound.
Look for Close Combinations
If your chords always look too obvious - like structural triads - try adding other arrangements, like with other sound arrangements. And look for arrangements in such a way that the chord sounds make a minimal step when moving to the next chord. To find such successful combinations, look for common sounds between chords.