it's the bridge section of the song "If we hold on Together" by james horner and will jennings.
F (G) Em C
When we are out there in the dark
Dm G C
We'll dream about the sun
D# Dm Bb
In the dark we'll feel the light
G# D G
Warm our hearts, everyone
it just doesn't seem to make any sense, because it doesn't really follow chord leading principles as far as i can tell... and yet, it sounds GOOD. is there a gradual change of key in this or something?
sorry to post something that has nothing to do with jazz :p but im curious and would appreciate responses, thx! btw, i know that not all chord progressions have to adhere to chord leading principles, i just want to see if there's anything i'm missing here. Haven't heard the tune so I'm at a slight disadvantage, however, if you change the D# and G# enharmonics i.e. Eb and Ab, the picture becomes a little clearer.
Nothing unusual with regard to the first two chord patterns.
F-G-Em-C appears to be a rather simple 4-5-3m-1 pattern - appears, in and of itself, to provide a nice resolution to the tonic C with one substiution chord. Dm-G-C, about the same - even more "straight ahead."
Eb-Dm-Bb "break the mold" by almost suggesting a mini key change........Ab-D-G........"hold" the former pattern, but D-G, provide a nice 2-5-1 pattern and set up a nice resoultion to C.
It's hard to tell from an "abstract," but based on these changes, it would appear the tune is in C.
Note what the previous respondent mentioned too.......you can often "toss" many of the fundamental rules of theory,
in the Jazz genre particularly where innovation "trumps" any set of classic musical rules. If it sounds pleasing.......then all is ok. Well, in spite of all the rules ... the one rule that is MOST important is "If it sounds good, it IS good."
Now, a word or two about voice leading with this progression ...
Voice leading usually comes from the notion of tonic-dominant harmony. It is all based around the half steps ad their movement. In this case, however, it SEEMS (and I don't know the song or the melody) to be based loosely around ascending lines. The F rising to G in the Em chord, resolving to C, Then the F in the Dm chord - to G to C again ...
Anyway, the progression is unconventional, but it being a bridge section gives it a little more freedom to break convention and flow to new places without too much trouble to the ear. |
