# The Sixth Sense 'Main Title' chord progression?



## rickymackie (Jul 4, 2014)

Hey guys,

Quick question about music theory. Theres a chord progression in the Main Title sequence of The Sixth Sense by JNH I can't quite put my finger on for some reason. Can anyone tell me if I am wrong or not?

Heres a link to the song the progression starts at 2:20, http://grooveshark.com/#!/search/song?q=James+Newton+Howard+The+Sixth+Sense+Title+Theme

Im pretty sure its A minor to E Major to A minor to C# minor to C major. The A minor to E major is what I am having trouble with. Im trying to incorporate a similar progression in my composition Im writing but it just doesn't have the same 'pull' 'eeriness' to it. Can someone maybe explain what I might be doing wrong here. Maybe i'm just not hearing things right. Is it a different chord change? A minor to G# major? A minor to G# minor?

Thanks!


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## FriFlo (Jul 5, 2014)

It goes to g# minor after the C major, but your chordal progression is basically right. During the E major chord the Lydian scale is uses (you hear the high strings play b a# b). Maybe that is the reason for your trouble? I am not sure ...


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## FriFlo (Jul 5, 2014)

The piano ostinato figure during a minor goes ... a e a b g d e a ... With the e major it goes b e b c a# e g# b ...
So the scale is actually Lydian 6b 7b or melodic minor from the 5th #4 or however you might call that ...


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## Rob (Jul 5, 2014)

I think the weirdness comes from the E/G# measures, when in addition of the raised fourth A# as FriFlo says, the piano touches the C natural in its arpeggio, creating a certain vagueness around the B... here's a rough transcription, not exact by any means, but maybe clearer than words...


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## FriFlo (Jul 5, 2014)

It is E mixolydian #4, how this scale is usually called. Right, Rob! The bass is actually on g#! Listening on iPad speakers, the bass is always a little harder to hear ...


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## Rob (Jul 5, 2014)

FriFlo @ 5th July 2014 said:


> It is E mixolydian #4, how this scale is usually called. Right, Rob! The bass is actually on g#! Listening on iPad speakers, the bass is always a little harder to hear ...



or "Lydian Dominant" too... pretty impossible to hear what's going on in the bass on ipad :D
on a side note, the violins' line B A# G# doesn't sound too good to me... I mean the decision to have the A#, which has a strong tendency to resolve going up to B again, go to G# instead.


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## FriFlo (Jul 5, 2014)

Yeah, but it sits nicely on my piano sheet music stand!


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## rickymackie (Jul 7, 2014)

Rob @ Sat Jul 05 said:


> I think the weirdness comes from the E/G# measures, when in addition of the raised fourth A# as FriFlo says, the piano touches the C natural in its arpeggio, creating a certain vagueness around the B... here's a rough transcription, not exact by any means, but maybe clearer than words...



Thanks for this sheet music! I could actually see what I was doing wrong. It was all in my voice leading within certain string parts. I just inverted a couple chords and now it works nicely!

Thanks for the help guys!

-Ricky


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