“Tonight, Tonight” by The Smashing Pumpkins draws from the band’s unique style of alternative rock influenced by a distinct palette of harmonic choices. Particularly in the songwriting of Billy Corgan (the band’s primary songwriter), the band tends to use a mix of common and uncommon chords, together with a tendency of exploring different tonalities. Often, the chord changes are driven by guitar inversions, suspensions, or additions.
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“Landslide” by The Smashing Pumpkins, originally by Fleetwood Mac, is written in the key of G major. The song features simple, but effective, chord progressions that are common in the folk and rock genres. The progression utilizes primary chords in the key (G, D, and C), along with some modal mixture via the borrowing of the minor iv chord (C) and minor vi chord (Am) from the parallel minor key (G minor). The secondary dominant D/F# creates tension and movement towards the Em chord. There is also the use of a G6 chord which adds color to the piece.
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“Perfect” by The Smashing Pumpkins is written in the key of D major. The song takes a relatively standard and common approach in chord progression, particularly with the cyclical variations that have the onset within a classic pop/rock realm. The tonality and mid-tempo pacing give the song a melancholic and nostalgic tone.
The chord progression in the chorus of “Breathe” by Pink Floyd is a non-diatonic progression, meaning it does not strictly follow a specific key. The progression features some borrowed chords and a dominant seventh alteration. The style is influenced by blues and jazz, with a relaxed and reflective mood.
Chorus 1
The song “1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins has a chord progression that can be considered experimental for Pop and Rock music, which typically tend to use simple and easily predictable progressions. In this song, the progression is notably more complex and unpredictable, shifting between ‘E’ and ‘Emaj7’ gives this track a moody feel, and the Amaj7 gives it another color. This progression is in the key of E major.
“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins employs a variety of chords throughout the song, including major, major 7th, and minor 7th chords. The chord progression varies between sections but is based mostly on a mid-tempo groove in the key of E Major. The song utilizes common pop/rock conventions to create a dreamy and nostalgic soundscape, with the juxtaposition of the major and minor 7th chords adding complexity.
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The piece, ‘1979’ by The Smashing Pumpkins follows an overarching structure with a mix of major and minor chords, what stand out are the rich extended chords, ‘Emaj7’ and ‘Amaj7’. The piece displays a balance between tonic chords and dominant chords, expressing a classic pop-rock style whilst frequent usage of maj7 chords adding a distinctive jazziness to the tune.
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“The Smashing Pumpkins” in the song ‘1979’ has used a somewhat unconventional yet memorable chord progression, particularly in the bridge section. This progression creates a certain mood and melodic texture befitting the song’s laid-back yet emotionally resonant feel.
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“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins is a classic alternative rock song that cleverly uses uncommon, sophisticated chords to evoke an emotional, melancholic atmosphere.
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“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins is written in the A major key and showcases various examples of modal interchange, also known as borrowed chords. The song switches often between the major and minor modes, providing a dynamic interplay of moods. The outro particularly stands out due to its use of both major and maj7th chords, a somewhat unusual combination. Emaj7 adds color and complexity to the progression, as a borrowed chord from the E major scale.
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