1. Theoretical Foundation & Acoustic Motion
Voice leading and tension-resolution mechanics
A tender journey through the iii minor chord (I - iii - IV - V: C - Em - F - G). Walking into the gentle iii degree adds vulnerable tenderness that prepares a heartfelt major delivery.
Listen to Eternal Love Ballad twice through
- C
- Em
- F
- G
- C
- Em
- F
- G
2. The progression, step by step
| Position | Chord | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | I |
| 2 | Em | iii |
| 3 | F | IV |
| 4 | G | V |
3. Chord tones and interval structure
| Chord | Chord tones | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| C | C – E – G | 1 - 3 - 5 |
| Em | E – G – B | 1 - ♭3 - 5 |
| F | F – A – C | 1 - 3 - 5 |
| G | G – B – D | 1 - 3 - 5 |
Check it with your ear
Two short questions to solidify what you've just read. There's no grade or record, so if you get it wrong, you can listen again and try again.
Which chord does Eternal Love Ballad start on and settle into?
Listen to both orders. Which one is the progression on this page?
Try it on your guitar
Play , , and with four beats per chord, slowly at first and then close to 74 BPM. Once you can play it without stopping, sing one long note over every chord and hear how its color changes even though you do not move it.
Acoustic Chords:
What you can check on the guitar
This reading uses C, Em, F and G, the progression CifraLab proposes for a “Eternal Love Ballad” feel. What follows can be checked by playing.
C and Em keep E and G in common. Also, one hand position stays put. Em and F have no notes in common. From F to G, every note changes. From G to C, G stays, but no fretted position repeats.
“Eternal Love Ballad” runs at 74 beats per minute, so each beat lasts 811 milliseconds. If each chord takes one bar of four beats, the full cycle lasts 13.0 seconds. Read in C major, its degrees are I, iii, IV and V. C holds C, E and G. In Em you hear E, G and B. F holds F, A and C. In G you hear G, B and D.