Hey friends,

I got a little crazy with some song analysis. I rarely get to have this much fun with a pop tune, and I usually keep things simple. But sometimes you just have to nerd out (Maybe someone will enjoy it!) For sure, reply to this email and let me know if this was fun for you as well. 

Today’s newsletter is a bit longer than usual, but for good reason. We received a beautiful submission from Jess in the Life Long Guitarist community—a song called What I Miss—and it’s full of thoughtful harmonic choices worth studying. It shows just how much you can learn from one song. 

I’ll take you through it step by step, pointing out the moves that make it work and showing how you can use them in your own writing.

 First Things First: What Key Are We In?

The song opens in E major, so that’s our starting palette:

E – F#min – G#min – A – B – C#min – D#dim,
plus the corresponding 7th chords if we want more color.

That’s the expected terrain. But this piece quickly steps outside of it—and that’s where things start to get interesting.

Idea #1: Borrowing from the Parallel Minor

Early in the progression, we move from:

E → F#min → A min

That A minor doesn’t belong in E major. But it does come from E minor, the parallel minor key. This is a very common device—pulling one or two chords from the parallel minor to create a slight shift in emotion or color.

You’ve probably heard this trick before, even if you didn’t realize it. Radiohead’s "Creep" uses the same move—a minor iv chord inside a major key progression.

You can do this in any key:

• In C major, try using F minor instead of F major

• In G major, replace C major with C minor

It adds a sense of melancholy or introspection without being heavy-handed.

 Application: Try This

Start with a simple major key progression like:

G – D – C – G

Then try replacing the C with C minor:

G – D – Cm – G

That single chord change adds depth—like a passing shadow on a sunny day.

 Idea #2: Sus to Dominant 7 to Minor iv

One of the most expressive sequences in What I Miss goes like this:

F#7sus4 → F#7 → A minor → B → E

Let’s break it down:

• F#7sus4 holds back the third, which creates a suspended, unresolved sound.

• It resolves to F#7, restoring that missing third and giving us a clear direction.

• But instead of resolving directly to B (which would be expected), the progression detours to A minor—again borrowed from E minor.

• After that emotional detour, we get the actual dominant B, and finally return to E major.

This is a useful tool:

1. Set up a sus4 chord on the V-of-V

2. Resolve to its dominant form

3. Insert a borrowed minor iv

4. Land on the actual V → I

It creates space, drama, and movement—all without overcomplicating the harmony.

Idea #3: Swapping Relative Majors and Minors

Another moment worth noticing is the use of B/G#.

This chord functions both as a B major with a G# in the bass, and—harmonically—as a G#min7, depending on how you hear it.

This works because B major and G# minor are relative chords—they share the same notes.

What this means for you:

• You can often swap A minor for C major

• Or E minor for G major

It’s a quick way to explore alternatives when writing or reharmonizing.

Idea #4: Implied Movement via Chord Voicing

Later in the song, the chords go:

E → Emaj7 → E7

This isn’t a modulation. It’s a voice-leading move.

Each chord is still built from E, but a single note in the chord is shifting each time—giving the sense that something is developing underneath the surface.

It’s an understated way to build movement when you want to stay anchored to the tonic.

Idea #5: Secondary Dominants

Another device used in this song is the secondary dominant. For example:

C#7 → F#min

C#7 isn’t in E major. But it’s the V7 of F# minor—which is in E major.

So this is a momentary pivot: a dominant chord that leads you to a new target inside the larger key.

This is a very common trick in jazz and film music.

You can apply it by asking:

• Where am I going next?

• Can I approach that chord with its own dominant?

If so, try inserting the dominant chord one bar before the target. It often adds a sense of propulsion and intent.

Idea #6: Minor 7 Flat 5 for Tension

At one point, we hear F#min7♭5, briefly replacing the standard F#min.

This adds tension without completely leaving the key.

You don’t have to overthink it:

• Use min7♭5 as a substitute when you want to create a darker mood

• It works especially well on the ii chord

Try this:
F#min → F#min7♭5 → G#min

It’s a subtle shade difference, but it changes the emotional contour of the phrase.

Idea #7: Chromatic Motion Between Key Centers

One of the most unexpected moves in the song is:

B7 → C → F

Technically, we’re leaving E major entirely. But it still feels smooth.

That’s because:

• C → F is a standard V–I in the key of F

• And B7 → C is just a half-step chromatic motion

Even without a theoretical explanation, the ear accepts this because of how close the chords are to one another in pitch space.

Sometimes all you need is proximity—not logic.

Idea #8: Repeating a Device in a New Key

Later in the bridge, the song mirrors an earlier idea:

It uses B♭min7 as the iv chord in F major—just like it used A minor as the iv in E major.

This kind of repetition across key centers gives a song a feeling of cohesion. The same emotional tool, recycled in a new light.

It's a subtle touch that deepens the narrative without calling attention to itself.

Summary: Tools You Can Use

Here’s a short list of compositional ideas you can try in your own work:

• Borrow chords from the parallel minor

• Use sus → dom7 → iv minor → V → I progressions

• Swap relative majors and minors

• Try minor7♭5 in place of plain minor chords

• Use secondary dominants to lead into new diatonic chords

• Allow chromatic motion between chords a half step apart

• Reuse familiar progressions in new keys for variation and unity

🎓 Life Long Guitarist Program Update

Today’s song was a bit more advanced—but in the Life Long Guitarist Program, we work on material at all levels.

The program is currently full, and we’ll likely open new spots in mid to late July.

If you’d like to be notified when it opens again, you can join the waitlist. 

Andre
Life Long Guitarist