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“The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is a song from the folk-rock genre. Built on simplicity with few chords used throughout the whole song, the primary focus of the song is on the hauntingly beautiful melody and the profound lyrics. It is written in the key of Am which gives the song a melancholic and somber tone.

“The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is written in the key of Am and follows the Verse-Chorus form common in pop and rock music. The progression consists of a beachfront of common and borrowed chords, showing the use of modal interchange and diatonic chords in creating a memorable and emotive sound.

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The given chord progression is from the verse 3 of the song “The Good Life” by Weezer. The song is in the key of G major and features a mix of diatonic chords from the G major scale and a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (G minor).

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“Sometimes It Snows In April” is a song by Prince in the pop style. It’s characterized by its use of extended and added note chords, as seen in the chord progression for Verse 3. This advanced harmonic content gives the song a distinct, rich, and complex musical texture, typical of Prince’s style.

“Paint It, Black” is in E minor key, with verse 3 having an exciting harmonic progression: Em – B – Em – B – Em – D – G – D – Em – Em – D – G – D – A – B. The chord progression suggests that the Rolling Stones utilise borrowed chords to impose an air of ambiguity that reflects the song’s lyrical themes. Additionally, this song is a blend of rock and raga rock style and exemplifies the Stones’ 1960s exploration into psychedelia and Eastern musical styles.

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence – Verse 3

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Chord Progression

[‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]

Chord Progression Analysis

Here are the chords for this Verse 3:

G Major (bVII)
A minor (i)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
F Major (bVI)
C Major (III)
C/B (III)
A minor (i)
C Major (III)
G Major (bVII)
A minor (i)

Here’s the information within a code block:

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G Major (bVII), A minor (i), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), F Major (bVI), C Major (III), C/B (III), A minor (i), C Major (III), G Major (bVII), A minor (i)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles also has a similar progression. In the key of F, the chords go:

F Major (I)
C Major (V)
Bb Major (IV)
F Major (I)

In the key of G, the song “Wonderwall” by Oasis also has a similar progression:

Em7 (vi)
G (I)
Dsus4 (v)
A7sus4 (II)

Both of these songs use diatonic chords with the addition of suspended chords or 7th chords to add more complexity.

Musical Analysis

This chord progression presents with a cyclic repetition of harmonic sequences, providing a unique sense of coherency to the song. Borrowed chords such as bVII (G Major) and the bVI (F Major) from the parallel major (A major) feature prominently in this progression, imparting further color and depth.

Overall Analysis

The chord progression for “The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is in the key of A minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords. The song reflects a folk and folk rock style, with its roots in the 1960s. The melody and harmony are interwoven to form an integral part of the song, reflecting the introspective and melancholic mood of the lyrics.

Style Analysis

Simon and Garfunkel’s style is characterized by their use of diatonic and borrowed chords, creating a fluid movement that evokes a varying array of emotions. The regular cycling of these chords, with occasional shifts in rhythmic emphasis, allows the progression to maintain a sense of unpredictability while still being familiar, characteristic of their folk and folk rock style.

Chords in the Verse 3 section of The Sound Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel are:

[‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘C’, ‘C/B’, ‘Am’, ‘C’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]