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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The chord progression of the given segment from Muse’s “Apocalypse Please” reflects the band’s signature blend of rock, electronic, and classical music. The progression is in the key of F# minor and features some chromaticism and modal mixture, which is quite common in their style of music. The harmonic rhythm is mostly consistent, and the chords utilized provide a strong sense of direction and resolution throughout the verse.

The chord progression in the verse of “Knights of Cydonia” by Muse features a mix of diatonic and borrowed chords, primarily from the G# minor and E major keys. The progression features an interesting blend of major and minor chords, chromatic movement, and modulation, contributing to the epic and powerful sound of the track.

The song “Something” by The Beatles has a key center in C major. However, it modulates from time to time using a variety of techniques including secondary dominance and borrowed chords. It is a fine example of George Harrison’s complex songwriting and his adroitness at seamlessly weaving together uncommon chord progressions. Harrison employs an array of chords to inject a rich, nuanced musical quality to the song.

“Disarm” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a piece that showcases a rather common chord progression structure in pop music, but with added embellishments and variations. The featured chords include Dsus, Em7, Cadd9, G, and Dsus/F# with a key signature suggesting that the song is in the key of G major or E minor. The prominent chord in the outro is Dsus which suggests that the song might be interpreted in the D Mixolydian mode. The use of the slash chord (D/F#) diversifies the sound of the progression and adds harmonic richness. This chord progression uses both diatonic and borrowed chords creating a familiar but interesting sound.

This chord progression from Radiohead’s “You And Whose Army” is in the key of C# minor, and the chords are predominantly composed of diatonic chords from the C# natural minor scale with some borrowed chords from the parallel major scale. The progression follows a looped pattern, creating a hypnotic and catchy quality which is characteristic of Radiohead’s music.

Muse – Apocalypse Please – Outro

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Chord Progression

C#5, F#m/C#, C#5, F#m, D5, B5, C#5, F#5

Chord Progression Analysis

C#5 (‘I5’), F#m/C# (‘ii2’), C#5 (‘I5’), F#m (‘ii’), D5 (‘bIV5’), B5 (‘bvi5’), C#5 (‘I5’), F#5 (‘IV5’)

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Radiohead – Karma Police:
Am (‘I’), G (‘bVII’), D (‘IV’), G (‘bVII’), C (‘bIII’), Bm (‘ii’), E (‘V’)

2. The Beatles – Let It Be:
C (‘I’), G (‘V’), Am (‘vi’), F (‘IV’), C (‘I’), G (‘V’), F (‘IV’), C (‘IV’)

3. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under The Bridge:
Dmaj7 (‘IVmaj7’), F#m7 (‘vi7’), Gmaj7 (‘bVII7’), Am7 (‘i7’)

Note that these chord progressions are not exactly the same but do share similar elements with the progression in Muse’s “Apocalypse Please,” such as the use of power chords, diatonic chords with occasional chromatic movement, and rock/pop influences.

Musical Analysis

The chord progression starts with C#5, a power chord rooted in the home key of C# minor, which then moves to F#m/C#, the iim7 of the key, with the same C# root note. This creates a sense of tension and movement, despite the shared root note. The progression then continues with C#5 and F#m again, maintaining this tension and resolution dynamic.

The next chord, D5, contains a chromatic note (D natural) as it is the flattened 4th scale degree, acting as a bIV5 chord. This creates more tension and a sense of dissonance in the music. Following D5, we have B5, a power chord version of the vi7 chord in C# minor (instead of Bm as it would be borrowed from the parallel major). The chord progression concludes with the familiar C#5 and F#5, making the connection with the previous repetitions and resolving to the IV5 chord to finish.

Overall Analysis

The outro of Muse’s “Apocalypse Please” features a mix of power chords and triadic chords, with predominant iim7 and IV triads along with some embellishing chords. The piece has a rock-based style, with the emphasis on power chords, a driving rhythm, and intense dynamics. The chord progression borrows elements from different genres, such as pop and classical, with some interesting chromatic movement.

Style Analysis

The inclusion of power chords (5 chords) and the driving rhythm make this progression distinctly rock-based. Muse is known for blending rock elements with other genres like classical and pop, and this is evident in the chord progression. The use of mostly diatonic chords with some chromatic movement is a common occurrence in Muse’s music, creating moments of tension and resolution.

Chords in the Outro section of Apocalypse Please by Muse are:

C#5, F#m/C#, C#5, F#m, D5, B5, C#5, F#5