Ragtime progression

For the I–IV–vii°–iii–vi–ii–V–I or I–vi–ii–V–I chord progression, see Circle progression.

The ragtime progression (E⁷-A⁷-D⁷-G⁷-C) often appears in the bridge of jazz standards. ^[1] The III⁷-VI⁷-II⁷-V⁷ (or V⁷/V/V/V–V⁷/V/V–V⁷/V–V⁷) leads back to C major (I) but is itself indefinite in key.

Ragtime progression's origin in voice leading: II itself is the product of a 5–6 replacement over IV in IV–V–I. "Such a replacement originates purely in voice-leading, but" the 6
3  chord above IV (in C, FAD) is a first-inversion II chord. Play

The ragtime progression ^[3] is a chord progression characterized by a chain of secondary dominants following the circle of fifths, named for its popularity in the ragtime genre, despite being much older. ^[4] Also typical of parlour music, its use originated in classical music and later spread to American folk music. ^[5] Growing, "by a process of gradual accretion. First the dominant chord acquired its own dominant...This then acquired its dominant, which in turn acquired yet another dominant, giving": ^[6]

It can be represented in Roman numeral analysis as ^{[7] [8]}

(V7/V/V/V)

V7/V/V

V7/V

V7

I

or ^{[9] [10]}

(III7)

VI7

II7

V7

I

In C major this is

(E7)

A7

D7

G7

C

Most commonly found in its four-chord version (including the chord in parentheses). This may be perceived as a, "harder, bouncier sounding progression," than the diatonic vi–ii–V⁷–I (in C: Am–Dm–G⁷–C). ^{[11] [12]} Play ^ⓘ The three-chord version (II–V–I) is "related to the cadential progression IV–V–I...in which the V is tonicized and stabilized by means of II with a raised third." ^[2]

The progression is an example of centripetal harmony, harmony which leads to the tonic and an example of the circle progression, a progression along the circle of fourths. Though creating or featuring chromaticism, the bass (if the roots of the chords), and often the melody, are pentatonic. ^[6] (major pentatonic on C: C, D, E, G, A) Contrastingly, Averill argues that the progression was used because of the potential it offered for chromatic pitch areas. ^[13]

Variations include the addition of minor seventh chords before the dominant seventh chords, creating overlapping temporary ii–V–I relationships ^[14] through ii–V–I substitution:

Bm7 E7

Em7 A7

Am7 D7

Dm7 G7

C

since Bm⁷–E⁷–A is a ii–V–I progression, as is Em⁷–A⁷–D and so on. Play ^ⓘ

Examples of the use of the ragtime progression include the chorus of Howard & Emerson's "Hello! Ma Baby" (1899), the traditional "Keep On Truckin' Mama," Robert Johnson's "They're Red Hot" (1936), Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" (1967), ^[15] Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby" (1962), Gus Cannon' "Walk Right In" (1929), James P. Johnson's "Charleston" (1923), Ray Henderson's "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" (1925), ^[12] Rev. Gary Davis's "Salty Dog," ^[16] Bernie and Pinkard's "Sweet Georgia Brown" (1925), the "Cujus animam" (mm.9-18) in Rossini's Stabat Mater , the beginning of Liszt's Liebesträume (1850), ^[6] Bob Carleton's "Ja-Da" (1918), ^[17] and Sonny Rollins's "Doxy" (1954). ^[18]

See also

• Diatonic function
• Extended dominant
• Rhythm changes

Sources

1. Boyd, Bill (1997). Jazz Chord Progressions, p.56. ISBN   0-7935-7038-7.
2. Jonas, Oswald (1982) Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker (1934: Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers), p.116. Trans. John Rothgeb. ISBN   0-582-28227-6.
3. Fahey, John (1970). Charley Patton, p.45. London: Studio Vista. Cited in van der Merwe (1989).
4. van der Merwe, Peter (2005). Roots of the Classical, p.496. ISBN   978-0-19-816647-4.
5. van der Merwe, Peter (1989). Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music, p.321. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN   0-19-316121-4.
6. Van der Merwe (2005), p.299.
7. Warnock, Matthew. "Turnarounds: How to Turn One Chord into Four". Music Theory Lesson. jazzguitar.be. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
8. Levine, Mark (1996). The jazz theory book. O'Reilly Media. ISBN   1-883217-04-0 . Retrieved February 27, 2012.
9. Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting, p.162. ISBN   978-0-19-511672-4.
10. Weissman, Dick (2005). Blues: The Basics, p.50. ISBN   978-0-415-97067-9.
11. Scott, Richard J. (2003). Chord Progressions for Songwriters, p.428. ISBN   978-0-595-26384-4.
12. Davis, Kenneth (2006). The Piano Professor Easy Piano Study, p.105. ISBN   978-1-4303-0334-3. Same quote but gives the progression in E instead of C.
13. Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Harmony, p.162. ISBN   978-0-19-511672-4.
14. Boyd (1997), p.60.
15. Scott (2003), p.429
16. Grossman, Stefan (1998). Rev. Gary Davis/Blues Guitar, p.71. ISBN   978-0-8256-0152-1.
17. Weissman, Dick (2001). Songwriting: The Words, the Music and the Money, p.59. ISBN   9780634011603. and Weissman, Dick (1085). Basic Chord Progressions: Handy Guide, p.28. ISBN   9780882844008.
18. Fox, Charles; McCarthy, Albert (1960). Jazz on record: a critical guide to the first 50 years, 1917-1967. Hanover Books. p. 62.

Further reading

• Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting, p. 32. ISBN   978-0-19-511672-4.