Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Pre-Chorus 1
Closer < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
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C minor 7 (i7)
Please note that these chords are not borrowed, they are simply part of the song’s tonality which is primarily based on the C Natural Minor scale.
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Similar Chord Progressions
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While it’s rare to find popular songs that rely solely on a single chord, such songs do exist. For a similar approach, one might look at
– “In the Morning of the Magicians” by The Flaming Lips which is written in E minor. It holds the Em chord for long periods of time, similar to “Closer”. The Em serves as the i chord.
Like “Closer”, the aforementioned song also utilizes a minimalistic and repetitive structure, relying on the timbral changes and the lyrics to keep the listener engaged.
Chord Progression for “In the Morning of the Magicians”: Em(i),Em(i),Em(i),Em(i)… and so on.
In conclusion, “Closer” exemplifies the power of simplicity and how a song can achieve a deep emotional impact without a complex harmonic structure. The key is understanding and exploiting the essence and characteristics of the chosen chords, which Nine Inch Nails masterfully achieves in this piece.
Musical Analysis
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In terms of harmonic function, the main function of this chord progression seems to be a prolonged tonic effect. Since there aren’t other chords in the progression, it doesn’t really move, it rather “stays in place,” generating the dark, brooding and hypnotic effect that defines the song.
The Cm7 chord is the tonic of the C Natural Minor scale, and as such it provides a home base or point of resolution. In “Closer”, this point of resolution is emphasized through heavy repetition.
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Overall Analysis
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“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is a repetitive, hypnotic song that relies on a dark tonality and electronic elements to create its unique sound. This is achieved with the use of only two chords: Cm7 and F. Notably, a distinctive feature of this song is the lack of chordal diversity which aids in creating a minimal, industrial vibe.
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Style Analysis
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Nine Inch Nails, led by Trent Reznor, helped define a new era of industrial rock with this song. The minimalistic use of repetitive chord sequences and reliance on electronic sounds give the song a mechanical, relentless quality, a hallmark of the industrial genre.
Melodically, Reznor often uses pentatonic and bluesy inflections, which lend the song some of its dark, unsettling character.
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What are the chords in: Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Pre-Chorus 1?
[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]
