Music Theory Alchemy

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The modality of the song “Yet Again” by Grizzly Bear is primarily in A minor, which makes it a piece in the minor modality. This song uses several traditional progression elements, but intermixes them with unexpected changes, especially the shift from E minor to F major, and the chromatic shift from G major to B flat major.

“Yet Again” by Grizzly Bear uses a repetitive verse structure that has a fairly common, major-oriented progression, but develops interest by alternating the exact sequence of chords that it employs. This gives the song a haunting but familiar atmosphere. The mixture of minor and major chords, along with the presence of a borrowed chord, creates tension and release within each verse.

“Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles incorporates chords commonly associated with the genre of folk or country music. It is primarily built on a repetitive chord progression which consists of Am7, D7sus4, D7, G7, C, and C/B. There’s also a use of plenty of sevenths and suspensions to create a slightly jazzy feel. It’s also worth noting The Beatles’ penchant for chords that provide a mix of major and minor tonalities.

The chord progression in the verse 2 of “House of The Rising Sun” by The Animals is an iconic progression in popular music. The song is in the key of A minor, and is built using diatonic and borrowed chords with some chromaticism. The progression features a strong sense of movement and resolution, with the mix of major and minor chords creating an emotional and dramatic atmosphere.

The given chord progression is from Beck’s song “Sexx Laws” and runs as follows: B, G#, B, G#, B, G#, A, F#. This progression features chords mainly from the B Major key, but includes borrowed chords from the parallel minor key as well. The harmonic movement showcases Beck’s interesting approach to songwriting and shows some influence from the soul and funk genres.

Grizzly Bear – Yet Again – VERSE 2

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Chord Progression

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`markdown
A Minor (‘i’), G Major (‘VII’), C Major (‘III’), F Major (‘VI’), F Major (‘VI’), E Minor (‘v’), C Major (‘III’), D Minor (‘iv’)
“`

This is a smooth and coherent progression, primarily because it follows a recognizable pattern. The shift between the I chord (Am), the VII chord (G), the III chord (C), the VI chord (F), and the iv chord (Dm) offers a common movement in music theory.

Similar Chord Progressions

Here are equivalent examples by other artists:
1. Radiohead’s “Exit Music” (for a film): [‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Dm’]
2. Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon”: [‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘B’, ‘Dm’]
These songs show similar modulatory schemes and thematic structures, adopting a similar compositional approach to Grizzly Bear.

Musical Analysis

The repeated sequence tread between two predominant modalities: A minor and C major. This repetitive progression creates a kind of textural layering, engaging listeners through an ethereal sound as chords alternate between the relative major and minor keys. The two F major chords in a row add a slight twist to the expectation, intensifying the overall progression before resolving back to the tonic.

Overall Analysis

Verse 2 of Grizzly Bear’s “Yet Again” presents a straightforward harmonic progression that is common in pop and indie rock music. This series of chords is mainly built around the key of A minor, and uses diatonic chords (those that naturally occur within the key) of this key. The recurring sequence (Am, G, C, F, F, Em, C, Dm) indicates a strong sense of familiarity and predictability, characteristic of many pop/rock anthologies.

Style Analysis

Grizzly Bear’s harmonic progression in “Yet Again” signifies a common trend in indie rock where songwriters exploit a more complex harmonic language, rotating between standardised major-minor tonalities. The verse embraces a style that emphasizes repetitive progressions, establishing a hypnotic, reflective, and somewhat introverted atmosphere typical of indie bands.

Chords in the Verse 2 section of Yet Again by Grizzly Bear are:

[‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’, ‘Am’, ‘G’, ‘C’, ‘F’, ‘F’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘Dm’]