2-5-1 Chord Progressions To End Your Favorite Christmas Songs With

In today’s lesson, we’ll be learning 2-5-1 chord progressions that you can end your favorite Christmas songs with.

The classic 2-5-1 chord progression has its common place in gospel and jazz music – especially at the end of most songs. As a result, we’re dedicating this lesson to showing you some 2-5-1 chord progressions that can be used to end some of your favorite Christmas songs.

However, before we get into all of that, let’s review the classic 2-5-1 chord progression.

A Review Of The Classic 2-5-1 Chord Progression

There are eight degrees in every key (whether major or minor), and in the case of the key of C major:

C is the first

D is the second

E is the third

F is the fourth

G is the fifth

A is the sixth

B is the seventh

C is the eighth

Chords can be formed on these scale-degrees, and the movement from one scale degree chord to another creates a chord progression.

“What Is A 2-5-1 Chord Progression?”

The chord movement from chord 2, to chord 5, then to chord 1 produces a 2-5-1 chord progression. In the key of C major:

…the 2-5-1 chord progression progresses from the D minor triad:

…to the G major triad:

…then to the C major triad:

“The 2-5-1 Chord Progression Using Seventh Chords…”

The 2-5-1 chord progression sounds a lot better if seventh chords are used. Applying scale degree seventh chords in the key of C major:

…this entails a chord movement from the D minor seventh chord:

…to the G dominant seventh chord:

…then to the C major seventh chord:

A Breakdown Of The 2-5-1 Chord Progression

The 2-5-1 chord progression is one of the strongest chord progressions in music because of the fifth interval between its root notes. For example, the 2-5-1 root progression in the key of C major progresses from D (the two):

…to G (the five):

…which is a descent by a fifth interval, then from G (the five):

…to C (the one):

…which is also a descent by a fifth interval.

The main reason why the 2-5-1 chord progression is considered as one of the strongest progressions in music is because of the fifth interval between successive root notes.

“Here’s The Implication Of The Root Progression By A Fifth Interval…”

In tonal music, the strongest progression to chord one (aka – “the tonic chord”) is usually from chord five (aka – “the dominant chord”.) In the key of C major:

…the strongest progression to the tonic chord (which is the C major triad):

…is from the dominant chord (which is the G dominant seventh chord):

…whose root is a fifth above the tonic chord.

“Now Back To The 2-5-1 Chord Progression…”

One of the reasons why the 2-5-1 chord progression is considered as a strong progression is because of this:

In the key of C, where the 2-5-1 root progression moves from D to G, then to C. D is the dominant of G, while G is the dominant of C.

The Importance Of The 2-5-1 Chord Progression

The classic 2-5-1 chord progression is one of the chord progressions every musician must not be without – especially jazz and gospel musicians.

This is largely because most of your favorite gospel songs (like hymns, congregational songs, and so on.) and jazz standards end with a 2-5-1 chord progression 95% of the time.

In the next segment, I’ll be taking you to the next level by showing you step-by-step, the 2-5-1 chord progressions to end your favorite Christmas songs with.

2-5-1 Chord Progressions That End Your Favorite Christmas Songs

#1 – Silent Night

Sle-eping [the D minor eleventh chord]:

…heavenly [the G dominant seventh flat ninth]:

…peace [C 6/9]:

#2 – Oh Come O Ye Faithful

Chri [the D dominant ninth chord]:

…ist the [the Db altered chord]:

…Lord [C 6/9]:

#3 – Hark The Herald Angel Sing

To the [the D minor eleventh chord]:

…new born [the G dominant seventh flat ninth]:

…king [C 6/9]:

#4 – Ding Dong Merrily On High

Sanna [the D dominant ninth chord]:

…in ex [the G9sus4]:

…celsis [C add9]:

#5 – Deck The Halls

Lala [the D minor eleventh chord]:

…lala [the G dominant thirteenth flat ninth]:

…la [C 6/9]:

#6 – Joy To The World

Ea-a-arth and [the D minor eleventh chord]:

…nature [the G dominant thirteenth flat ninth]:

…sing [C 6/9]:

#7 – The First Noel

I [the D altered chord]:

…isra [the G 13 sus4]:

…el [C major ninth]:

Final Words

From the songs we’ve covered in the previous segment, you’ve just learned several ways of approaching the 2-5-1 chord progression.

We’ll be drawing the curtains for now, but before we do that, here are two tasks for you:

Apply the 2-5-1 chord progressions learned in other songs

Transpose the 2-5-1 chord progressions learned to other keys

I’ll see you in another lesson.

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Chuku Onyemachi

Head of Education at HearandPlay Music Group

Onyemachi "Onye" Chuku is a Nigerian musicologist, pianist, and author. Inspired by his role model (Jermaine Griggs) who has become his mentor, what he started off as teaching musicians in his Aba-Nigeria neighborhood in April 2005 eventually morphed into an international career that has helped hundreds of thousands of musicians all around the world. Onye lives in Dubai and is currently the Head of Education at HearandPlay Music Group and the music consultant of the Gospel Music Training Center, all in California, USA.

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