Nathaniel School of Music

How to Compose Epic Cinematic Piano Chord Progressions (5 Techniques)

To write cinematic, movie-like chord progressions on piano, move chords symmetrically by minor or major thirds, add a minor sixth or tritone to a triad, link chords through a shared note (chord trees) and voice triads spread out in the bass.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 26 min

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Key points

This lesson by Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music shows five approaches he uses to write thematic, film-like chord progressions. They suit surreal or mysterious settings such as aliens, zombies or superheroes, unusual lyrics, or any time you want harmony that does not sound cliched. It suits pianists and composers who already know basic triads and intervals.

1. Move chords by thirds (non-diatonic progressions)

To leave the scale but still sound organised, move each chord by an equal interval. Thirds work well because they sound symmetric and lead the ear forward.

Minor chords a minor third apart

Start on E minor and keep climbing by minor thirds: E minor, G minor, Bb minor, C# minor. These chords do not belong to one scale, so the result sounds mysterious or even horror-like. The roots E, G, Bb and C# spell a diminished seventh chord, which is symmetric. On the Circle of Fifths these four roots form a square or diamond shape.

Major thirds

Moving by major thirds from E gives E, G# and C, the notes of an augmented chord. Building minor chords on these roots (E minor, G# minor, C minor) creates a lonely, dreamy sound.

Major chords on the same roots

You can also build major chords on the diminished seventh family: E major, G major, Bb major, C# major. This has an adventurous, explorer-like feel. Because the steps are equal, listeners hear a pattern even though the chords are outside the key.

2. Add the mysterious minor sixth

Take a triad and stack its minor sixth on top. On C minor (C Eb G) the minor sixth is Ab. The sound is detective-like and suspenseful, in the spirit of spy and sci-fi TV themes. You can do the same over C major (C E G plus Ab). Over a major chord you might think of that note as an augmented fifth (G#) rather than a flat sixth. Combine these chords with others of the same flavour, or move them using the thirds idea above.

3. Chord trees

Pick a note and list every major and minor triad that contains it. For C there are six:

C major to A minor to F major is very conventional. To break the convention, link chords on the tree that are not in the usual major scale family, such as C major to F minor, or C major to Ab major. Any two chords on the tree can connect because they share C, so Ab major to A minor works too. An example chain: C major, Ab major, A minor, F minor, C major. You can then hop to another tree: C major also sits on the tree of E, which leads to E major.

4. Add a tritone

The tritone is a perfect fifth lowered by a semitone, or a perfect fourth raised by one: in C, that is F#. It is called an augmented fourth or diminished fifth. Stack it on a major or minor triad (C E G plus F#). The result sounds otherworldly and dreamy, almost raga-like, and works well for riffs and themes.

5. Spread triads in the bass

A close triad such as C E G played low in the left hand sounds muddy. Low pitches are harder to tell apart, much like dark colours. Spread the chord instead: root, fifth, third (C G E) stays clear even near the bottom of the piano. Try other spread orders too:

Then experiment by moving one finger, for example shifting the top note up a semitone, to turn the chord into a new sound. Bach's cello suites are a great source for this kind of spread harmony.

How to practise

  1. Learn the Circle of Fifths well so you can see the shapes behind these chords.
  2. Play each technique slowly from the example keys, then start from other notes.
  3. Improvise a melody over each progression to hear its mood.
  4. Combine techniques, for example spread voicings with the chord-tree movements.

Questions about this lesson

What makes a chord progression sound cinematic rather than pop?

Leaving the usual scale in a structured way, for example moving chords by equal thirds or linking chords through a common note. The symmetry keeps it understandable while the non-diatonic chords sound surreal.

Which chords contain the note C?

Six major and minor triads contain C: C major, C minor, F major, F minor, Ab major and A minor. This group is what the lesson calls the chord tree of C.

Why does a triad sound muddy low on the piano?

Low pitches are harder for the ear to separate, so a close triad in the bass blurs. Spreading it as root, fifth and third, such as C G E, keeps it clear.

Is the added note over C major a minor sixth or an augmented fifth?

Ab is a minor sixth above C, while G# is an augmented fifth. They are the same key on the piano, and over a major chord you may hear it as a raised fifth.

Practise it

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