Composition

Compositional traits and harmonic characteristics – richness, tonal choices, and structural harmony features

values

1620

total uses

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7 Beatles tracks use a true modulation – the same chord-degree progression replayed in a different key, distinct from a generic key change.

Sectional modulation

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All Values(67)

#	Value	Songs	% of total
1	Tonic verse The verse begins on the tonic chord.	187	11.5%
2	Verse in I The verse begins on the tonic chord.	172	10.6%
3	Tonic opening The song opens on the tonic chord.	162	10.0%
4	Tonic ending The song ends on the tonic chord.	147	9.1%
5	Non-tonic chorus The chorus begins on a chord other than the tonic.	101	6.2%
6	Tonic chorus The chorus begins on the tonic chord.	85	5.2%
7	Chorus in I The chorus begins on the tonic chord.	73	4.5%
8	Non-tonic opening The song opens on a chord other than the tonic.	55	3.4%
9	All major chords Song uses only major-quality chords (no minor, diminished, or augmented)	54	3.3%
10	Non-tonic ending The song ends on a chord other than the tonic.	52	3.2%
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11	Non-tonic bridge The bridge begins on a chord other than the tonic.	46	2.8%
12	Minimal harmony The song's harmony remains essentially on a single chord throughout.	35	2.2%
13	Only basic triads The song's harmony uses only plain major and minor triads, no extensions.	31	1.9%
14	Chorus in IV The chorus begins on the IV chord rather than the tonic.	30	1.9%
15	Rich harmony Multiple simultaneous vocal harmonies forming a dense, lush harmonic texture	29	1.8%
16	Non-tonic verse The verse begins on a chord other than the tonic.	29	1.8%
17	Shared chords Two or more sections of the song are built on the same chord vocabulary; the note names which.	27	1.7%
18	No subdominant The song never sounds the IV chord (the subdominant) of its home key.	24	1.5%
19	No dominant The song never sounds the V chord (the dominant) of its home key.	22	1.4%
20	Tonic bridge The bridge begins on the tonic chord.	20	1.2%
21	Chorus in vi The chorus begins on the vi chord rather than the tonic.	19	1.2%
22	Bridge in I The bridge begins on the tonic chord.	16	1.0%
23	Verse in i The verse begins on the tonic chord.	15	0.9%
24	All natural roots Every chord root in the song is a natural (non-altered) scale degree.	15	0.9%
25	Bridge in IV The bridge begins on the IV chord rather than the tonic.	14	0.9%
26	Chorus in i The chorus begins on the tonic chord.	12	0.7%
27	Chorus in ii The chorus begins on the ii chord rather than the tonic.	10	0.6%
28	Chorus in V The chorus begins on the V chord rather than the tonic.	10	0.6%
29	Sectional modulation A whole section replayed in a new key – the same passage transposed. Distinct from a general Key change.	7	0.4%
30	Bridge in vi The bridge begins on the vi chord rather than the tonic.	9	0.6%
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31	Minor to major The song modulates from a minor key into a major key.	8	0.5%
32	All diatonic roots Every chord root is drawn from the prevailing diatonic scale.	8	0.5%
33	Chorus in iii The chorus begins on the iii chord rather than the tonic.	7	0.4%
34	Chorus in v The chorus begins on the v chord rather than the tonic.	6	0.4%
35	Verse in ii The verse begins on the ii chord rather than the tonic.	6	0.4%
36	Chorus in ♭VII The chorus begins on the ♭VII chord rather than the tonic.	6	0.4%
37	Bridge in ♭III The bridge begins on the ♭III chord rather than the tonic.	5	0.3%
38	Verse in vi The verse begins on the vi chord rather than the tonic.	5	0.3%
39	Major to minor The song modulates from a major key into a minor key.	5	0.3%
40	Bridge in V The bridge begins on the V chord rather than the tonic.	5	0.3%
41	Bridge in i The bridge begins on the tonic chord.	4	0.2%
42	Chorus in ♭III The chorus begins on the ♭III chord rather than the tonic.	4	0.2%
43	Verse in IV The verse begins on the IV chord rather than the tonic.	4	0.2%
44	Chorus in II The chorus begins on the II chord rather than the tonic.	4	0.2%
45	Bridge in ii The bridge begins on the ii chord rather than the tonic.	3	0.2%
46	Bridge in VI The bridge begins on the VI chord rather than the tonic.	3	0.2%
47	Verse in V The verse begins on the V chord rather than the tonic.	3	0.2%
48	Chorus in vii The chorus begins on the vii chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
49	Verse in II The verse begins on the II chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
50	Verse in ♭VII The verse begins on the ♭VII chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
51	Verse in iii The verse begins on the iii chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
52	Verse in v The verse begins on the v chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
53	Bridge in II The bridge begins on the II chord rather than the tonic.	2	0.1%
54	Verse in ♭II The verse begins on the ♭II chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
55	Verse in VII The verse begins on the VII chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
56	Chorus in III The chorus begins on the III chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
57	Bridge in iii The bridge begins on the iii chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
58	Bridge in ♭II The bridge begins on the ♭II chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
59	Verse in ♭iii The verse begins on the ♭iii chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
60	Chorus in ♭vii The chorus begins on the ♭vii chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
61	Verse in ♭III The verse begins on the ♭III chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
62	Chorus in ♭VI The chorus begins on the ♭VI chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
63	Bridge in III The bridge begins on the III chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
64	Bridge in iv The bridge begins on the iv chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
65	Chorus in ♭II The chorus begins on the ♭II chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
66	Bridge in vii The bridge begins on the vii chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%
67	Chorus in VII The chorus begins on the VII chord rather than the tonic.	1	0.1%

Composition

Values Over Time

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All Values(67)