Chord Progressions by Emotion & Atmosphere

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Joy & Optimism

I - V - vi - IV• ~100 BPM

Transpose Key

Original

Tempo

100 BPM

Sound Style

Copy Progression

Natural · 1/3

Natural · 1/4

Natural · 1/2

Barre 1 · 1/3

Why does this trigger this feeling according to music theory?

A radiant diatonic sequence (I - V - vi - IV). It balances the stability of the tonic and dominant with a brief emotional breath in the relative minor before soaring on the hopeful IV degree.

Real-world hit songs & film soundtracks using this formula:

Don't Stop Believin' (Journey), Let It Be (The Beatles), With Or Without You (U2), No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley).

4/4 Time•Pop & Rock•Acoustic Pop (#5)•View strumming patterns

Learn more (Pedagogy)

“Joy & Optimism”, a CifraLab proposal

C, G, Am and F is the progression CifraLab proposes for a “Joy & Optimism” feel.

“Joy & Optimism” runs at 105 beats per minute, so each beat lasts 571 milliseconds. If each chord takes one bar of four beats, the full cycle lasts 9.1 seconds. Read in C major, its degrees are I, V, vi and IV. In C you hear C, E and G. G holds G, B and D. In Am you hear A, C and E. F holds F, A and C.

C rings with two strings open and three fretted positions, leaving string 6 unplayed. G presses three positions and leaves three strings open. Am rings with two strings open and three fretted positions, leaving string 6 unplayed. F needs a barre at fret 1.

From C to G, G stays, but no fretted position repeats. From G to Am, every note changes. From Am to F, A and C stay, and two hand positions stay put. F and C keep C in common. Also, two hand positions stay put.

Hear it in a CifraLab melody

“Tres en un mismo compás” is a CifraLab melody that plays in chapter 12 of the story. It has the same cycle in the same key, C, G, Am and F. It has 9 bars and runs at 112 beats per minute.