# The Epic Chord Progression or TECP



## J.Joby (Aug 18, 2013)

Hi!

It all started for me with John Murphy and his Adagio in D-minor from the movie Sunshine. A beautiful piece of music (the next Chariots of fire?) Then I listened to the Battle L.A soundtrack by Brian Tyler and found the more mellow "Casualty of War" which has some striking similarities with Adagio... and "Battle L.A Hymn" , which starts off almost as a homage to that song. Both of them really, really beautiful. My brother later gave me a copy of the game World of goo, which includes a fantastic soundtrack signed Kyle Gabler. One of the songs, "Red carpet extend-o-matic" sounds like if Adagio in D-minor had a baby (and named it Red carpet extend-o-matic) But it's a little masterpiece I think, something with that melody and the beat that gets to me. I pass on the eurodisco part though...

Adagio in D-Minor
http://youtu.be/NQXVzg2PiZw

Battle L.A Hymn
http://youtu.be/is0V3jnLZ3g

Casualty of War
http://youtu.be/Eo6-7fJnF0Q

Red Carpet...
http://youtu.be/Ku4eLhgsEE0



I'm not accusing anyone for stealing anything, instead I want more stuff like this!
Roughly speaking it's a Dm-Bb-F-C (6-4-1-5) chord progression, thats being repeated with some variations. A very common chord progression, but one of my favourites. It's has a seriousness over it, I mostly treat this progression as if playing in major , but it has a minor feel...(makes sense??)

My examples from above has some similar stuff going on in the string section which makes them sound related, and Adagio ...and ...Hymn also have that kick drum playing 16ths. Well would be cool to find more variations of this "theme" but mainly i'm just looking for more of this chord progression!

Other songs I can think of right now: "I Can Carry You" from Blood Diamond, not only is it based around these chords - it's in 6/8 with a howlin' lady on top! Thank you James Newton Howard!!

"The Bridge of Khazad Dum", in the end...the vocal part...it's like the saddest and most beautiful lullaby of all times! Wasn't that used in a Man of Steel teaser btw? Made some Lord of the ring fans angry...well, well...

Then we have the mother : "Woad To Ruin", the part at 1:20...i'm not kidding when I say I listen to that part ten times a day...been doing so for the last couple of years...

There should be at least 200.000 more where these came from...please help


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## Walid F. (Aug 18, 2013)

These are the famous 4-chords. Or a variation of it. It's even called the "sensitive-female chord progression." o/~ 

Another variation of these same chords are if you cast them around a bit is also extremely overused and very weirdly enough sounds awesome all the time.

Here's a little article about it (listing tons of songs featuring variations of it): http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... hordsOfPop

Walid


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## Walid F. (Aug 18, 2013)

Here's a really nice version of it, with the markings a bit skewed (2:20). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHQCeR8-FoQ&feature=youtu.be&t=2m14s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHQCeR8- ... be&amp;t=2m14s)

Walid


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## RiffWraith (Aug 18, 2013)

Hans uses this and variations quite a bit. 'TDK', I think. 'King Arthur'. 'POTC'. He does this alot. Quite effectively I might add.



> There should be at least 200.000 more where these came from



At least.

Cheers.


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## J.Joby (Aug 19, 2013)

> It's even called the "sensitive-female chord progression."



That falls under the category fun facts  perfect to have up your sleeve Friday nights.
There are many variations indeed, you can make wonders just fooling around with different bass notes. 



> Hans uses this and variations quite a bit. 'TDK', I think. 'King Arthur'. 'POTC'. He does this alot. Quite effectively I might add.



I can only agree! My favourite HZ "style" though is when his Nino Rota influences really shines thru , like in the themes from The Rock and MW2. His minor chords themes often has this blue quality over them...

Thank you both for your inputs, must listen to Woad to Ruin now
Skål!


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## Tatu (Aug 19, 2013)

Yeah, that progression and all the small variations just work whenever there's need for a good doze of emotions.

One of my favorites from "The Grey" OST by Marc Streitenfeld.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHnlpJ-0rO0


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## Jetzer (Aug 19, 2013)

I like it, although I always try to avoid it while writing.


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## gsilbers (Aug 19, 2013)

maybe these guys should do the film version of the 4 pop chords in music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I


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## Ed (Aug 19, 2013)

Everyone uses this chord progression I try not to as it can work well for so many things  Sometimes it seems more obvious than others though.


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## Ed (Aug 19, 2013)

Tatu @ Mon Aug 19 said:


> Yeah, that progression and all the small variations just work whenever there's need for a good doze of emotions.
> 
> One of my favorites from "The Grey" OST by Marc Streitenfeld.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHnlpJ-0rO0



I found out that cue was licensed from a low budget film called Ink, composed by Jordan Chetelat (or at least it is according to IMDB)

Much too much of a rip off of Sunshine for me, but it works in The Gray very well. Someone even tried to tell me this was a "remix" of Sunshine and all these soundtracks with the same 4 chords were all part of a musical "genre" lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8W44OvV8mQ


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## Tatu (Aug 27, 2013)

Ed @ Mon Aug 19 said:


> I found out that cue was licensed from a low budget film called Ink, composed by Jordan Chetelat (or at least it is according to IMDB)
> 
> Much too much of a rip off of Sunshine for me, but it works in The Gray very well. Someone even tried to tell me this was a "remix" of Sunshine and all these soundtracks with the same 4 chords were all part of a musical "genre" lol.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8W44OvV8mQ



Oh, that's interesting. and LOL.


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## Greg (Aug 28, 2013)

This is great, the songs that use this progression all feel so unique to their respective films. The compositions each give off such a sense of epicness, originality, emotional purity.

Understanding that it is simply an overused device really kills any sense of the initial assumptions of being an artistic masterpiece.


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## korgscrew (Aug 28, 2013)

Tatu @ Mon Aug 19 said:


> Yeah, that progression and all the small variations just work whenever there's need for a good doze of emotions.
> 
> One of my favorites from "The Grey" OST by Marc Streitenfeld.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHnlpJ-0rO0



I feel a bit cheated by this. The ending, yes (but thats another topic all together).

I bought the whole OST off iTunes and this track isnt even on there!!

I dont understand that a track was licensed for the film when Marc is such a established composer! Im sure he could have done something similar. I wonder what his thoughts were when its the highlight of the film, eveything has been building up to this, the emotions high, people hiding behind sofas and.....Sorry Marc, but we want to use this chaps music for the climax of the film...


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## wanmingyan (Aug 28, 2013)

I bet it can't be as EPIC as this! tadaaaaaaaa (Minion Voice)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8XsjF_QUNw&list=PL63147FAA573EC732

Hehehehe

Enjoy,
WMY


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## Greg (Aug 28, 2013)

korgscrew @ Wed Aug 28 said:


> Tatu @ Mon Aug 19 said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, that progression and all the small variations just work whenever there's need for a good doze of emotions.
> ...



I had the same thought! The ending theme is the composers chance to shine, especially with such a climax like that. It's almost cringe-worthy to find out it wasn't even the same composer.. Its like conducting a symphony, then being kicked off the stage and replaced with another conductor that steals the show and gets the applause.


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## synthetic (Aug 28, 2013)

korgscrew @ Wed Aug 28 said:


> I bought the whole OST off iTunes and this track isnt even on there!!



Download it from his Soundcloud page: 
https://soundcloud.com/jordanchetelat/t ... e-complete



> I dont understand that a track was licensed for the film when Marc is such a established composer!



Temp love.

Also, I remember when it was called "The Media Ventures chord progression."


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## Kejero (Sep 5, 2013)

The same idea was the basis for one of the themes in Kick Ass (which features a few John Murphy tracks -- including Adagio in D Minor itself, renamed as "Strobe")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQnbQ_40zGE&list=PL18210C5750CEE784 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQnbQ_40 ... 5750CEE784)


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## paulmatthew (Sep 5, 2013)

> I'm not accusing anyone for stealing anything, instead I want more stuff like this!



I agree, I want more too. I think the soundtrack to Sunshine made the movie better. But then again , it was John Murphy and Underworld. Murphy's Adagio made me feel the same way I did when heard The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance when used in the film Baraka. They take you someplace else when you hear them. Goose bumps.


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## RiffWraith (Sep 5, 2013)

J.Joby @ Mon Aug 19 said:


> I'm not accusing anyone for stealing anything, instead I want more stuff like this!



Here:

http://www.jeffreyhayat.com/SolidLiquidTension.mp3

That qualify? :D


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## J.Joby (Sep 18, 2013)

Saw this on TV last night o[]) 

http://youtu.be/zNPrZx5FLYg

Works quite well I must say


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## Walid F. (Sep 18, 2013)

i did a commercial track a while back with similar feel to that chord progression but different chords towards the ending of each bar. 

you might like it!


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## midi_controller (Sep 19, 2013)

Sine you liked Brian Tyler's take on it for Battle: Los Angeles, you might like his version of it for Bubba Ho-Tep:



Or perhaps his version of it for Children of Dune:



I wonder how many scores he has used it on? :D


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## iaink (Sep 19, 2013)

http://youtu.be/49QhC12njR4?t=4m18s

Filmscoremonthly had (part of) a podcast about this topic a few years ago... they cited Deep Blue Sea as starting that trend in film music.


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## midi_controller (Sep 19, 2013)

iaink @ Thu Sep 19 said:


> http://youtu.be/49QhC12njR4?t=4m18s
> 
> Filmscoremonthly had (part of) a podcast about this topic a few years ago... they cited Deep Blue Sea as starting that trend in film music.



I'm not hearing it in the linked clip, that one goes vi-V-vi-V, I think you meant this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yNjFZNxD5A&feature=player_detailpage#t=39


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## ed buller (Sep 20, 2013)

iaink @ Thu Sep 19 said:


> http://youtu.be/49QhC12njR4?t=4m18s
> 
> Filmscoremonthly had (part of) a podcast about this topic a few years ago... they cited Deep Blue Sea as starting that trend in film music.



Yes that was a very good episode . I thought it was quite revealing how they pointed out the different version. They pretty much decided ( if memory serves ) that in Hans's hands it works but elsewhere seems lame. I think it's a bit like a stones song. Everyone uses those chords but somehow with the stones it still sounded exciting ... 

E


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## iaink (Sep 20, 2013)

midi_controller @ Thu Sep 19 said:


> I'm not hearing it in the linked clip, that one goes vi-V-vi-V, I think you meant this one:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yNjFZNxD5A&feature=player_detailpage#t=39



Yeah, that is it exactly. It is at 4:18 in the clip I posted... this version you posted is the big statement of the theme I was trying to find. vi-IV-I-V (Em-C-G-D)

Cheers,


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## Ed (Sep 20, 2013)

Its amazing how much the Deep Blue Sea tune has been ripped off, I swear many times note for note. Maybe its not even original to that.


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## J.Joby (Sep 24, 2013)

> Sine you liked Brian Tyler's take on it for Battle: Los Angeles, you might like his version of it for Bubba Ho-Tep



I really enjoyed that one! =)


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## J.Joby (Sep 24, 2013)

> i did a commercial track a while back with similar feel to that chord progression but different chords towards the ending of each bar.
> 
> you might like it!



Impressive!


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## Walid F. (Sep 24, 2013)

thanks!

Oh, here's a useful article by the way on "epic" chord progressions (some examples with this I-VI-III-VII progression too):

http://www.danielran.com/blog/epic-chord-progressions

W


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