Chord And Melody Metrics

Chord Complexity

How do we judge a chord to be more or less complex? A good way to understand complexity in chords is to start with the seven most basic chords in any key, the so-called “primary chords.” These are the seven chords that are featured in the Hookpad chord palette and taken together, represent the majority of chords found in popular music.

Colored blocks showing chords in C Major

Each chord above contains 3 notes and is built from degrees of a scale skipping every other note. For example, a C chord has the notes C, E, and G, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the C Major scale.

Notes in C major making C major chord

There are fundamentally two metrics that we consider when judging the complexity of a chord relative to the basic ones above. The first is whether the chords contains additional notes beyond the 3 that form the primary chords described above. Adding notes to a chord increases its complexity because it increases the number and nature of intervals or note interactions that our ear must process. A Cmaj7 chord, for example, is similar to a plain C chord, except it has an additional note: B. In addition to the intervals C — E, E — G, C — G, we now have twice as many when we add C — B, E — B, G — B. The nature of the intervals is changed as well; C — B is called a 7th (as there are 7 notes counting from C to B along the scale), and this interval didn’t exist previously. 7ths are more dissonant than the 3rds and 5ths of the plain C chord, and so our ears perceive this as more complex. Other examples of chords with extra notes are Sus2/Sus4 chords, and add9, 9th chords. Songs that have these chords in them will be judged to have more chord complexity than one that does not.

The second factor we look at is whether a chord contains notes that lie outside of the scale of the song's key. Our ears naturally expect to hear notes in the scale so chords with non-scale tones tend to sound more exotic and complex. Chords that do this are often called borrowed chords because they are using tones they’ve “borrowed” from a different scale. For example, in the key of C major, the 4th chord is normally an F major chord. If instead, we consider the key of C Minor, the 4th chord is an F minor chord. Using an F minor chord in a chord progression that is in the key of C major will sound more complex because our ears simply aren’t expecting it (the same is true for using an F Major chord in a song that is in the key of C Minor). Other examples of chords that contain non-sacle tones are secondary chords, and chords with certain non diatonic alterations (#5, b9, etc.).

Browse songs with above average Chord Complexity

Click on the following songs in to see their chords and melody in the TheoryTab database.

Blanka's Theme
by Capcom
Where Are We Now
by David Bowie
Stairway to Heaven
by Led Zeppelin
The Legend of Zelda Main Theme
by Nintendo
Stars Come Out
by Zedd
Final Fantasy IV World Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Into The Great Wide Open
by Tom Petty
Lovely Rita
by The Beatles
I Saw The Sign
by Barden Bellas - Pitch Perfect
Baby One More Time
by Britney Spears
We Are the Champions
by Queen
Gravity
by Sara Bareilles
Gangnam Style
by Psy
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
by The Beatles
A Saucerful of Secrets
by Pink Floyd
Wonderboy
by Tenacious D
Mas Que Nada
by Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66
Hello
by Lionel Richie
Free Fallin'
by Tom Petty
Michelle
by The Beatles
Ms Jackson
by Outkast
Chrono Trigger - Main Theme
by Yasunori Mitsuda
Seven Days in Sunny June
by Jamiroquai
Never Gonna Give You Up
by Rick Astley
I Believe I Can Fly
by R Kelly
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
by Michael Jackson
Take A Bow
by Madonna
My Way
by Frank Sinatra
Bottle It Up
by Sara Bareilles
You Never Give Me Your Money
by The Beatles
Freedom of '76
by Ween
Unbreak My Heart
by Toni Braxton
Killing Me Softly
by Roberta Flack
Hard To Say I'm Sorry
by Chicago
Don't Talk - Put Your Head On My Shoulder
by The Beach Boys
The Legend Of Zelda Fairy Theme
by Nintendo
Zulf's Theme
by Bastion Soundtrack
Tiny Dancer
by Elton John
Something
by The Beatles
Be My Baby
by The Ronettes
Think For Yourself
by The Beatles
Lovefool
by The Cardigans
Downstream
by Braid Soundtrack
Ken's Theme
by Capcom
Rock Your Body
by Justin Timberlake
If I Ever Feel Better
by Phoenix
Genie
by Girls' Generation
A Day In The Life
by The Beatles
Kick the Rock
by Hunnid-P
Before He Cheats
by Carrie Underwood
Boogie On Reggae Woman
by Stevie Wonder
Beautiful Stranger
by Madonna
Wasted Time
by Skid Row
No Surprises
by Radiohead
What's Going On
by Marvin Gaye
Mega Man 3 - Snake Man's Stage
by Yasuaki Fujita
Smoke on the Water
by Deep Purple
Desperado
by Eagles
Zelda's Lullaby
by The Legend of Zelda
Atma Weapon Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
by Tame Impala
Penny Lane
by The Beatles
Sultans of Swing
by Dire Straits
Black Star
by Radiohead
Live Forever
by Oasis
Canned Heat
by Jamiroquai
Hello Goodbye
by The Beatles
Final Fantasy Prologue
by Nobuo Uematsu
Unfaithful
by Rihanna
Numb
by Linkin Park
Day Tripper
by The Beatles
Jump 'N' Move
by The Brand New Heavies
ET
by Katy Perry
She's Always a Woman
by Billy Joel
Virtual Insanity
by Jamiroquai
Ticket to Ride
by The Beatles
Rocky Raccoon
by The Beatles
Uninvited
by Alanis Morissette
Easy
by Mat Zo and Porter Robinson
This Love
by Maroon 5
Wonderwall
by Oasis
Titanium feat Sia
by David Guetta
Skyfall
by Adele
In The Fields
by Doug Hammer
One Man and His Droid
by Rob Hubbard
You Are Not Alone
by Michael Jackson

Melodic complexity

A melody, at its heart, is a sequence of notes sung or played with specific timings. In “Western” music — a label that describes the bulk of popular music — melodies are based on 7-note scales called “diatonic” scales, like the Major or Minor scales. Whether these scales are simply cultural artifacts stemming from centuries of music doing it this way or rather they are derived from something more fundamental (falling naturally from the laws of nature) is a topic of continued debate.

In either case, it’s almost certain that most of the melodies that you know by heart are based on the 7 notes in one of these scales. For this reason, melodies that use notes outside of the scale create an added complexity. Often these “non-diatonic” notes create dissonance that isn’t available within the normal diatonic notes and require more care in creating a melody that is coherent. In Hooktheory's color notation, non-diatonic notes are labeled with hashed colors.

colored blocks showing a melody in Hooktheory notation

Melodies can also have rhythmic complexity. Notes that are timed with the beats of a song are often perceived as more natural, whereas notes that occur off of a main beat (an “off-beat”) sound more rhythmically complex. Melodies that rely on a large number of off-beat rhythms are called syncopated, and can often give a song a more complex, groovy feel.

colored blocks showing a syncopated rhythm in Hooktheory notation

Browse songs with above average Melodic Complexity

Click on the following songs in to see their chords and melody in the TheoryTab database.

Final Fantasy IV World Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Downstream
by Braid Soundtrack
Flower Power - From C64 Frankie Goes To Hollywood
by Fred Gray
Genie
by Girls' Generation
Hello
by Lionel Richie
One Man and His Droid
by Rob Hubbard
Emerald Sword
by Rhapsody of Fire
Where I End and You Begin
by Radiohead
No Surprises
by Radiohead
Cryin'
by Aerosmith
Leave It Alone
by NOFX
My Grown Up Christmas Wish
by Kelly Clarkson
Money For Nothing
by Dire Straits
Who Knew
by Pink
Domino
by Jessie J
The Great Gig In The Sky
by Pink Floyd
Boyfriend
by Justin Bieber
Django Unchained Theme
by Luis Bacalov
The Legend Of Zelda Fairy Theme
by Nintendo
All Along The Watchtower
by Jimi Hendrix
Final Fantasy VI Boss Battle Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Nigel's 'Top of the Heap' 1959 Gibson Les Paul
by Nigel Tufnel
Be Like That
by 3 Doors Down
Love Song
by Sara Bareilles
Ziggy Stardust
by David Bowie
Time
by Pink Floyd
She's Always a Woman
by Billy Joel
She Will Be Loved
by Maroon 5
Morphogenetic Sorrow - I Am Zero
by Shinji Hosoe
Passion for Exploring
by SoulEye
Your Song
by Elton John
Zulf's Theme
by Bastion Soundtrack
Fantastic Voyage
by David Bowie
Language
by Porter Robinson
November Rain
by Guns N' Roses
Eclipse
by Pink Floyd
Mardy Bum
by Arctic Monkeys
Hey Nineteen
by Steely Dan
Sakuranbo
by Ai Otsuka
Monty On The Run
by Rob Hubbard
The Legend of Zelda Main Theme
by Nintendo
Pushing Onwards
by SoulEye
Nyan Cat - nyanyanya
by PRGuitarMan -Yamaha Vocaloid
Annie's Song
by John Denver
Karkat's Theme
by Homestuck Soundtrack
Easy
by Mat Zo and Porter Robinson
Videotape
by Radiohead
So What
by Pink
The Chain
by Fleetwood Mac
Creep
by Radiohead
That'll Be The Day
by Buddy Holly
Boogie On Reggae Woman
by Stevie Wonder
You Know I'm No Good
by Amy Winehouse
One Of My Turns
by Pink Floyd
The Cave
by Mumford and Sons
Gravity
by Sara Bareilles
Brain Damage
by Pink Floyd
Titanium feat Sia
by David Guetta
Ken's Theme
by Capcom
Last Friday Night TGIF
by Katy Perry
Final Fantasy Prologue
by Nobuo Uematsu
Unfaithful
by Rihanna
Blanka's Theme
by Capcom
I See You - Avatar
by Leona Lewis
Still Alive
by Jonathan Coulton and Ellen McLain
Yakety Sax
by James Rich and Boots Randolph
Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
by Skrillex
Morning Music
by Konami
Ever Ever After
by Carrie Underwood
Karma Police
by Radiohead
Showtime
by Homestuck Soundtrack
Locke Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Don't Speak
by No Doubt
Atma Weapon Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Tiny Dancer
by Elton John
The Rock Theme
by Hans Zimmer
Kick the Rock
by Hunnid-P
Teenage Dream
by Katy Perry
It's My Life
by No Doubt
Final Fantasy IV Battle Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Apache - Jump On It
by Sugarhill Gang
Give Me Everything
by Pitbull
Bohemian Rhapsody
by Queen
Always
by Erasure
Strobe
by deadmau5
Basket Case
by Green Day

Chord-melody tension

When a melody is played over a chord progression, their interaction is one of the most important aspects of a song. When a note in the melody is contained in the chord, (for example, the melody note C over a C Major chord, which contains C, E, and G), it creates a sense of stability. If this note is not contained in the chord (for example, the note D over a C Major chord), it creates a sense of instability and tension. In many examples in using Hooktheory notation, you can show which notes are contained in every chord by clicking the "Guides" button. Shown below is a simple chord progression with stable notes highlighted in the note region.

colored blocks showing a chord progression and stable melody notes

Tension, in moderation, is a good thing in music. Melodies that stick to only stable notes over their chord progressions (think “Twinkle Twinkle”), may sound safe, but they are also not very ambitious. On the other hand, melodies that use only unstable notes will sound dissonant and cacophonous. The middle ground involves crafting melodies that intentionally build and release tension at all the right moments.

Browse songs with above average Chord-Melody Tension

Click on the following songs in to see their chords and melody in the TheoryTab database.

Who says you can't go home
by Bon Jovi
Wonderwall
by Oasis
Hold It Against Me
by Britney Spears
Final Fantasy VI Boss Battle Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Wild Ones
by Flo Rida
Enjoy the Silence
by Depeche Mode
Doctor
by Homestuck Soundtrack
Ass Back Home
by Gym Class Heroes
Haven't Met You Yet
by Michael Buble
I Gotta Feeling
by Black Eyed Peas
Say Yes
by Elliott Smith
Atma Weapon Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Mardy Bum
by Arctic Monkeys
Temple Of Dreams
by Messiah
Kick the Rock
by Hunnid-P
Canned Heat
by Jamiroquai
Animal
by Neon Trees
Super Hexagon Theme 1
by Chipzel
Airplanes
by B o B ft Hayley Williams
Lust For Life
by Girls
Cooler Than Me
by Mike Posner
Karkat's Theme
by Homestuck Soundtrack
Iris
by Goo Goo Dolls
Live Forever
by Oasis
Someone Like You
by Adele
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
by Death Cab for Cutie
In The End
by Linkin Park
Walt Graces Submarine Test January 1967
by John Mayer
Zulf's Theme
by Bastion Soundtrack
Guile's Theme
by Capcom
Epic Sax Guy
by Epic Sax Guy
Payphone
by Maroon 5
Forget You
by Cee Lo Green
When I Was Your Man
by Bruno Mars
Don't Look Back in Anger
by Oasis
Waking Up In Vegas
by Katy Perry
Basket Case
by Green Day
Say
by OneRepublic
Like A Rolling Stone
by Bob Dylan
Don't Speak
by No Doubt
A Long December
by Counting Crows
Say My Name
by Destiny's Child
Super Bass
by Nicki Minaj
Lisztomania
by Phoenix
Last Friday Night TGIF
by Katy Perry
The One That Got Away
by Katy Perry
Smile Smile Smile
by My Little Pony
Realize
by Colbie Caillat
Home
by Daughtry
Firework
by Katy Perry
Turn Me On
by Nicki Minaj
Fantastic Voyage
by David Bowie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme
by Chuck Lorre
Like A Prayer
by Madonna
Come On Get Higher
by Matt Nathanson
Summertime
by Kenny Chesney
Smells Like Teen Spirit
by Nirvana
She Will Be Loved
by Maroon 5
Hello
by Lionel Richie
ET
by Katy Perry
Baby
by Justin Bieber
Katamari on the Rocks
by Katamari Damacy Soundtrack
Whistle
by Flo Rida
Already Gone
by Kelly Clarkson
California Gurls
by Katy Perry
Because Of You
by Kelly Clarkson
Rolling In The Deep
by Adele
Cryin'
by Aerosmith
Malaguena
by Blast
Ghost Of Days Gone By
by Alter Bridge
Turn Around
by Conor Maynard
The Scientist
by Coldplay
Somebody That I Used To Know
by Gotye
Don't Stop Believing
by Journey
Girlfriend
by Avril Lavigne
Hey Ya
by Outkast
The Chain
by Fleetwood Mac
Duele El Amor ft Ana Torroja
by Aleks Syntek
Let's Go
by Calvin Harris
That'll Be The Day
by Buddy Holly
Take Care
by Drake
Breezeblocks
by Alt-J
Uninvited
by Alanis Morissette
Everybody Talks
by Neon Trees
Boyfriend
by Justin Bieber
Dreaming With A Broken Heart
by John Mayer
So In Love
by Cole Porter - Ella Fitzgerald
Before He Cheats
by Carrie Underwood

Chord progression novelty

You’ve probably heard a song somewhere and thought to yourself, “this song sounds just like this other song I know!” With a limited number of chords in the universe, it’s inevitable that the same chord progression is going to be featured in multiple songs. Chord progressions are only one part of a song, and there’s absolutely no reason not to reuse effective ones.

At Hooktheory we keep detailed statistics on the most commonly used chord progressions and chord changes, and we are always impressed to see songs using familiar chords in creative and exciting new ways.

Browse songs with above average Chord Progression Novelty

Click on the following songs in to see their chords and melody in the TheoryTab database.

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay
by Otis Redding
Skyscraper
by Demi Lovato
Like A Prayer
by Madonna
Karkat's Theme
by Homestuck Soundtrack
Mas Que Nada
by Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66
Never Gonna Give You Up
by Rick Astley
Creep
by Radiohead
Blanka's Theme
by Capcom
Strobe
by deadmau5
Killing Me Softly
by Roberta Flack
The Show Goes On
by Lupe Fiasco
I Believe I Can Fly
by R Kelly
Temple Of Dreams
by Messiah
Iris
by Goo Goo Dolls
Titanium feat Sia
by David Guetta
A Day In The Life
by The Beatles
Uninvited
by Alanis Morissette
My Way
by Frank Sinatra
Ken's Theme
by Capcom
Baby One More Time
by Britney Spears
Downstream
by Braid Soundtrack
Thank You
by Led Zeppelin
Wasted Time
by Skid Row
Mary's Song
by Taylor Swift
Hurts Like Heaven
by Coldplay
She's Always a Woman
by Billy Joel
Ziggy Stardust
by David Bowie
The Legend of Zelda Main Theme
by Nintendo
Bottle It Up
by Sara Bareilles
Bohemian Rhapsody
by Queen
Don't Talk - Put Your Head On My Shoulder
by The Beach Boys
Atma Weapon Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Zulf's Theme
by Bastion Soundtrack
November Rain
by Guns N' Roses
If I Ever Feel Better
by Phoenix
The Legend Of Zelda Fairy Theme
by Nintendo
Photograph
by Nickelback
Firework
by Katy Perry
I Get Around
by Beach Boys
Where Are We Now
by David Bowie
Easy
by Mat Zo and Porter Robinson
Big Bang Theory Theme Song
by Bare Naked Ladies
Stairway to Heaven
by Led Zeppelin
Virtual Insanity
by Jamiroquai
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
by Electric Light Orchestra
Have You Ever Seen the Rain
by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Fake Plastic Trees
by Radiohead
Where I End and You Begin
by Radiohead
Wonderwall
by Oasis
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
by Tame Impala
We Are the Champions
by Queen
Beautiful Stranger
by Madonna
Fireflies
by Owl City
Enjoy the Silence
by Depeche Mode
It's My Life
by No Doubt
Locke Theme
by Nobuo Uematsu
Karma Police
by Radiohead
Canned Heat
by Jamiroquai
Love The Way You Lie ft Rihanna
by Eminem
Bad Romance
by Lady Gaga
Super Hexagon Theme 1
by Chipzel
ET
by Katy Perry
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme
by Chuck Lorre
Final Fantasy Prologue
by Nobuo Uematsu
This Love
by Maroon 5
She Will Be Loved
by Maroon 5
Boogie On Reggae Woman
by Stevie Wonder
Seven Days in Sunny June
by Jamiroquai
Wide Awake
by Katy Perry
Take A Bow
by Madonna
Walkaways
by Counting Crows
My Heart Will Go On
by Celine Dion
If I Could Fly
by Joe Satriani
Crazy
by Gnarls Barkley
Genie
by Girls' Generation
You Are Not Alone
by Michael Jackson
Be Like That
by 3 Doors Down
Give Your Heart A Break
by Demi Lovato
Soviet National Anthem
by Alexander Alexandrov
One Man and His Droid
by Rob Hubbard
Dark Side
by Kelly Clarkson
No Surprises
by Radiohead
Home Sweet Home
by Motley Crue
Rock Your Body
by Justin Timberlake
The Scientist
by Coldplay
Black Star
by Radiohead
Videotape
by Radiohead
Clocks
by Coldplay
Domino
by Jessie J

Chord Bass Melody

Every chord has a bass note, which is the lowest note in the chord. When the bass notes defined by a chord progression ascend or descend in a stepwise manner (like C → D → E), it creates an additional layer of continuity in the progression that helps it flow. But creating a chord progression that is effective in its own right, compatible with the melody, strikes a good balance of chord-melody tension, AND has an ascending or descending bassline can be a tall order. Crafting chord progressions that do this is an art, and at Hooktheory we enjoy marveling at the brilliance of some songwriters who manage to put all of these pieces together simultaneously.

In Hooktheory notation, chords are colored by the color of their bass notes, so chord progressions that have stepwise ascending or descending bass melodies will follow a rainbow pattern.

colored blocks showing a chord progression with an ascending bass line

Browse songs with above average Chord-Bass Melody

Click on the following songs in to see their chords and melody in the TheoryTab database.

What a Wonderful World
by Louis Armstrong
Baby One More Time
by Britney Spears
Walt Graces Submarine Test January 1967
by John Mayer
Desperado
by Eagles
Tiny Dancer
by Elton John
Piano Man
by Billy Joel
The Road And The Radio
by Kenny Chesney
Lean on Me
by Bill Withers
Nothing Else Matters
by Metallica
Let's Go
by Calvin Harris
Bring Me To Life
by Evanescence
ET
by Katy Perry
All Along The Watchtower
by Jimi Hendrix
We Are Young
by Fun
My Way
by Frank Sinatra
Out From Under
by Britney Spears
Realize
by Colbie Caillat
You're Beautiful
by James Blunt
Thank You
by Led Zeppelin
When You're Gone
by Avril Lavigne
Dust In The Wind
by Kansas
Ziggy Stardust
by David Bowie
Defying Gravity
by Lea Michele from Glee
Iris
by Goo Goo Dolls
Push
by Matchbox 20
Zulf's Theme
by Bastion Soundtrack
Rimushotto Bungie Jump
by Frog Fractions Soundtrack
Haven't Met You Yet
by Michael Buble
Levon
by Elton John
Can You Feel The Love Tonight
by Disney
I Can't Help Falling In Love
by Elvis Presley
Can't Help Falling In Love
by Elvis Presley
Come On Get Higher
by Matt Nathanson
Somebody That I Used To Know
by Gotye
Take A Bow
by Madonna
My Heart Will Go On
by Celine Dion
Breakaway
by Kelly Clarkson
Rolling In The Deep
by Adele
Say My Name
by Destiny's Child
Your Song
by Elton John
All American Girl
by Carrie Underwood
If We Hold On Together
by Diana Ross
Mardy Bum
by Arctic Monkeys
Stairway to Heaven
by Led Zeppelin
Hard To Say I'm Sorry
by Chicago
California Gurls
by Katy Perry
100 Years
by Five For Fighting
November Rain
by Guns N' Roses
Soviet National Anthem
by Alexander Alexandrov
She's Always a Woman
by Billy Joel
Because Of You
by Kelly Clarkson
Jupiter
by Ayaka Hirahara
Living On A Prayer
by Bon Jovi
Annie's Song
by John Denver
Canned Heat
by Jamiroquai
Someone Like You
by Adele
Whataya Want from Me
by Adam Lambert
Breathe
by Faith Hill
Lights
by Ellie Goulding
You Shook Me All Night Long
by ACDC
Memories
by David Guetta
Say Yes
by Elliott Smith
This Love
by Maroon 5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme
by Chuck Lorre
Still Alive
by Jonathan Coulton and Ellen McLain
Want You Gone
by Jonathan Coulton and Ellen McLain
Ass Back Home
by Gym Class Heroes
All My Life
by K-Ci and Jojo
Tik Tok
by Kesha
I See You - Avatar
by Leona Lewis
Like A Prayer
by Madonna
Teenage Dream
by Katy Perry
Love The Way You Lie ft Rihanna
by Eminem
Where Are We Now
by David Bowie
Before He Cheats
by Carrie Underwood
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
by Aerosmith
Come On Over
by Christina Aguilera
Sultans of Swing
by Dire Straits
The Show Goes On
by Lupe Fiasco
Ever Ever After
by Carrie Underwood