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

[Walt Everett]

On Aug 30, 2009, at 6:18 PM, Paul Steinbeck wrote:

> [. . .]  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).

A few thoughts on this . . . Guitar voicing sometimes plays a role in  
these progressions, and sometimes the ear guides the hand.   
"Yesterday" (the refrain of which concludes I - II - IV - I) has been  
mentioned in this thread.  This song was composed at the piano but  
recorded on guitar.  The song's opening sounds are a thirdless tonic  
sonority moving down a half step to a thirdless ii of vi.  It's an  
easy hand motion on guitar (played in G major on an instrument tuned a  
whole step low), but it was created on the piano.  It lies equally  
well on either instrument, but I know of no other pre-metal rock song  
that moves from a thirdless I to a thirdless VII, even in a power- 
chord context, so it's hard to say whether this progression is  
"idiomatic" on guitar.  No other chord succession in "Yesterday,"  
including the germane II - IV motion, takes advantage of parallel  
guitar voicing.  "She's Leaving Home" is another McCartney use of II- 
IV, and I would speculate that this was written at the piano as well.

The guitar voicing in "Proud Mary," which I mentioned in my previous  
post, likewise dispenses with parallel chording in the bVII - V and  
bIII - I motions, thus emphasizing the modal scale-degree respellings  
through the changing hand positions. I do play the intro riff with  
parallel voicings in moving from IV to bIII (barring G to F)--can any  
other guitarists comment on this?  --walt everett

>
>

Walter Everett
Professor of Music
Chair, Department of Theory
The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
1100 Baits Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-2085

weverett at umich.edu
voice: 734-763-2039
fax: 734-763-5097

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