Uploaded April 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This is Part 2 of the essential intermediate harmonic (chord) theory that producers need for creating rich and interesting chord progressions. In this video I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence".
NOTE: I strongly recommend that you watch Part 1 first, to ensure you have the basic concepts that this video builds upon. You can find it here: youtu.be/JYiHQrrLHuQ
In Part 2, I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence". After absorbing the simple ideas in Parts 1 and 2, you will know 95% of everything there is to know about writing chord progressions, and you'll be able to -understand- why some neat chord progression you're looking at actually works!
(Big thanks to Robert Crawford for compiling this list of timestamps!)
0:00 - INTRODUCTION
3:17 - Half Cadence Explained
5:18 - Half Cadence Example
7:40 - A Little History
8:41 - Why They Work in EDM
10:39 - Rule 1
11:31 - Rule 2
12:20 - Rule 3
12:53 - Rule 4
15:18 - Rule 4: Modal Interchange & Chord Substitution
18:29 - Extra Example
22:14 - Extra Example 2
25:58 - Extra Example 3
30:15 - Making Longer Progressions w/ Half & Full Cadences *
33:30 - OUTRO
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HARMONIC THEORY IN A NUTSHELL - Part 2 of 2
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Half Cadences:
These are like a comma in the middle of a sentence. They leave you hanging, and make the chord progression so far feel incomplete or suspended, making the listener expect some type of continuation.
IMPORTANT: A progression that ends in a half-cadence almost always must start with a 1 to sound pleasant. This effectively resolves that suspenseful ending by coming back to "home" at the start of the progression.
anything to 5
1 to 4
5 to 4
-----
Rules for Suspenseful/Endless Chord Progressions:
1. Nearly always end with a Half Cadence (anything to 5, 1 to 4, or
5 to 4)
2. Always start with a 1
3. Put literally anything you want in the middle between the starting
1 and the half cadence.
4. Note that a 1 to 5 or 1 to 4 half cadence all by itself with no other
chords at all is a perfectly good suspenseful/endless chord
progression. You can even do these in reverse!
( 5 to 1 or 4 to 1 )
This is Part 2 of the essential intermediate harmonic (chord) theory that producers need for creating rich and interesting chord progressions. In this video I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence".
NOTE: I strongly recommend that you watch Part 1 first, to ensure you have the basic concepts that this video builds upon. You can find it here: youtu.be/JYiHQrrLHuQ
In Part 2, I explain how to build chord progressions that are based on a "Half Cadence". After absorbing the simple ideas in Parts 1 and 2, you will know 95% of everything there is to know about writing chord progressions, and you'll be able to -understand- why some neat chord progression you're looking at actually works!
(Big thanks to Robert Crawford for compiling this list of timestamps!)
0:00 - INTRODUCTION
3:17 - Half Cadence Explained
5:18 - Half Cadence Example
7:40 - A Little History
8:41 - Why They Work in EDM
10:39 - Rule 1
11:31 - Rule 2
12:20 - Rule 3
12:53 - Rule 4
15:18 - Rule 4: Modal Interchange & Chord Substitution
18:29 - Extra Example
22:14 - Extra Example 2
25:58 - Extra Example 3
30:15 - Making Longer Progressions w/ Half & Full Cadences *
33:30 - OUTRO
==============================
HARMONIC THEORY IN A NUTSHELL - Part 2 of 2
-----
Half Cadences:
These are like a comma in the middle of a sentence. They leave you hanging, and make the chord progression so far feel incomplete or suspended, making the listener expect some type of continuation.
IMPORTANT: A progression that ends in a half-cadence almost always must start with a 1 to sound pleasant. This effectively resolves that suspenseful ending by coming back to "home" at the start of the progression.
anything to 5
1 to 4
5 to 4
-----
Rules for Suspenseful/Endless Chord Progressions:
1. Nearly always end with a Half Cadence (anything to 5, 1 to 4, or
5 to 4)
2. Always start with a 1
3. Put literally anything you want in the middle between the starting
1 and the half cadence.
4. Note that a 1 to 5 or 1 to 4 half cadence all by itself with no other
chords at all is a perfectly good suspenseful/endless chord
progression. You can even do these in reverse!
( 5 to 1 or 4 to 1 )
