CREATE “ADVANCED” CHORDS, PROGRESSIONS  

& REHARMONIZATIONS 
 
 
This video series was created as an analysis & demonstration of how to 
create interesting chords, progressions, and reharmonizations. Check out 
our video version of this study guide: https://youtu.be/TxC6usbB70c 
 
 
 
Version 00 - MELODY LINE 
Find a popular tune, then rearrange and shorten it where it is almost 
undetectable. Next, create your melody line, then finally add the harmony, 
based on the diatonic (major) scale. 

 
Version 01 - BASIC MAJOR 
Experiment with various bass notes, based on the diatonic (major) scale. In 
this instance, we created an upwards motion - from the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 
Using you ear, decide what notes you’d like to add to create nice, full chords. 

 
 
 
 
 
 

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Version 02 - CHROMATIC 
Create dissonance by experimenting with the bass notes in a downward 
motion 

 
Version 03 - PROGRESSIONS 
Create a sense of space and texture using the ii-V-I (2-5-1) Chord progression 
or this can also be seen as a Circle of Fourths movement. This is an 
expanded version of our previously released 72 Chord Progressions video 
(https://youtu.be/1gqoeK1l5oE). This version is based on the key of Eb. 
(7-3-6-2-5-1-4-b7). 

 
Version 04 - MODES (BORROWED CHORDS) 
This modal version deserves to be a completely separate video series. You 
are borrowing chords based on the melody line (the top note). Stay tuned 
for a more in-depth analysis and presentation of this creative technique. 

All Rights Deserved | www.PrettySimpleMusic.com