The infamous 4 chords...

[KockAnders]

So, I learned about the infamous

, and naturally the question posed itself: Has Muse used these chords in one of their songs! And if they have, which!

 

I don't have too much of an ear for chords, so I can't easily offhand recognise the chords. The only real bid I had was "Hyper Music", and looking for tabs, I turned out to be completely wrong.

 

So now, Muse fanboards! Do you suspect Muse have used this magic formula for one of their already excellent songs? And can you find out which ones, if they have?

[Cyndris]

The chorus of Hysteria has kinda the same chord progression as these 4. Only difference is that the A and the D are in minor

[Enemy]

Well Starlight would be the closest, with its I, II, vi, V progression. Though I think that the famous chord progression you're on about is itself I, V, vi, IV?

[c0nor]

Well Starlight would be the closest, with its I, II, vi, V progression. Though I think that the famous chord progression you're on about is itself I, V, vi, IV?

 

For the I-V-vi-IV progression, Map of Your Head and the chorus of Resistance I believe.

[MUSEirik]

I love this video! It's so true

 

I can't really say I've noticed it in any Muse songs

[yettiman]

For the I-V-vi-IV progression, Map of Your Head and the chorus of Resistance I believe.

 

I think you're right there, you can definitely sing Map of Your Head along to that video.

 

What's with these chords though, what makes them so perfect for pop songs? Do they fit the average human vocal range or something, for singalong fun tiems?

[dekza]

Doesnt Plug in Baby fit this?

[initialdylan]

I think OP is talking about the C-Am-F-G progression depending on the key. It could be G-Em-C-D in the key of G.

 

From the top of my mind, I can't recall any Muse song having this progression.

 

WAIT WAIT maybe Guiding Light, ahh damn I need to go listen to it again

[haze015]

I think you're right there, you can definitely sing Map of Your Head along to that video.

 

What's with these chords though, what makes them so perfect for pop songs? Do they fit the average human vocal range or something, for singalong fun tiems?

 

I hope you don't have any dreams of being a singer

 

MOTP isn't those chords, although it does use four, it's the same used in Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode and it's a progression in Cminor, which isn't typical pop.

 

The progression in the video is basically the white keys on a piano.

[dekza]

I hope you don't have any dreams of being a singer

 

MOTP isn't those chords, although it does use four, it's the same used in Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode and it's a progression in Cminor, which isn't typical pop.

 

The progression in the video is basically the white keys on a piano.

 

He was talking about MAP OF YOUR HEAD.

[dekza]

I think OP is talking about the C-Am-F-G progression depending on the key. It could be G-Em-C-D in the key of G.

 

From the top of my mind, I can't recall any Muse song having this progression.

 

WAIT WAIT maybe Guiding Light, ahh damn I need to go listen to it again

 

Oh and what about NSC?

[Grace_Bliss]

Well Starlight would be the closest, with its I, II, vi, V progression. Though I think that the famous chord progression you're on about is itself I, V, vi, IV?

 

Starlight and Resistance are the closest i think ... not too good with chords though

[FearAndPanic]

MotP is built around 4 chords, I think, but with all the effects around the guitar playing, I don't think it really counts.

[yettiman]

I hope you don't have any dreams of being a singer

 

[a-museing]

MotP is built around 4 chords, I think, but with all the effects around the guitar playing, I don't think it really counts.

 

It doesn't count as it doesn't follow the chord progression that the OP was talking about.. He wasn't talking about the number of chords the song is built around.

[xbroken_ideals]

I reckon Starlight would fit in that song...

[rainingradioheads]

I reckon Starlight would fit in that song...

 

Starlight's off a little bit I think...

[xbroken_ideals]

Starlight's off a little bit I think...

 

Hm, it probably is. I'm don't know much about music, it just sounded to me like it could fit in. I've actually seen that song on TV a while ago and from the very second I heard it I was trying to weave other songs into it in my head

[xuwang]

I heard a version of that song by a youtube band called Tetrastar and they sang one line of TIRO

[fuzz8000]

Citizen Erased has Am G F C, same chords, just a different order then the usual C Am F G

[fuzz8000]

And also yes Guiding light is probably as close as it comes with a "C Am F Gsus G", its pretty much the same and for all purposes could be put into a melody and mix right in

[Hopix]

Citizen Erased has Am G F C, same chords, just a different order then the usual C Am F G

 

CE is Am, G, F, E.

[Tofu]

TIRO is F, G, Am, C... not the same progression, but same chords.

as is Bad Romance.

 

hence that mashup that's been posted way too many times.

[spark_]

Citizen Erased has Am G F C, same chords, just a different order then the usual C Am F G

 

That does make a gigantic difference.

[Levus]

Citizen Erased has Am G F C, same chords, just a different order then the usual C Am F G

 

That doesn't really count. Firstly, Citizen Erased is Am, G, F, E. The chord progression we're thinking of here is a I, V, VI, IV chord progression. I'm not exactly sure if I'm right here because I'm self-taught in the music theory but Citizen Erased is I, VI, V, IV. It also goes down in scale with chords EXACTLY like Resistance.

 

A Muse song that IS guilty of using these four chords is Map of Your Head. The section where the chord progression goes, A, E, F#m, D, yeah that's the infamous 4.

 

 

Oh and what about NSC?

NSC's verse is C#, Fm, F#, G#. Which is I, III, IV, V. It's not the infamous 4 but it's still pretty cliche regardless. The rest of the chords aren't very cliche at all.