[Smt-talk] I-II-IV as a progression

[Paul Steinbeck]

I agree with Dmitri that I-II-IV is probably "indigenous to rock," and that
it often sounds similar to other progressions that move (rootwise) along the
pentatonic scale (and accordingly sound "bluesy").

However, I think that the indigenous-ness of I-II-IV to the rock idiom can
better be explained by guitar chord shapes and the importance of the guitar
in rock composition. Guitar-influenced tonal practice, of course, also
dominates many styles of classic and contemporary blues, but has not
resulted (as far as I know) in any blues songs featuring I-II-IV (or
transposed versions such as bVII-I-bIII).

Paul Steinbeck
Postdoctoral Fellow in Music Theory
University of Chicago
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