MUSC 101 Music Fundamentals - Spring 2012

Ragtime 1 - Chord Progression

[Overview] [Ragtime Form] [Syllabus]

Ragtime Form

The general ragtime form is sixteen measures long and consists of four, four measure phrases. The diagram shown below represents one commonly used ragtime form.

RagtimeFomr picture

Blank measures can be filled in randomly with your choice of I, IV, or V chords.

Note the following:

The V/V chord

The V/V chord is the "five of five" chord. Ask yourself this question: If I switch to the key of the V chord, what is the V chord in that key?"

For example: in the key of C, the V chord is G. In the key of G, the V chord is D. Therefore, the V/V chord in the key of C is the D chord.

The V7 chord

The V7 chord is the V chord with another third added on top, forming the structure root, third, fifth, seventh.

V and V7 chords

The structure of the V7 chord can be thought of as:

The V chord and the V7 chord are interchangeable.

Ragtime form examples

Here are some possible forms created by filling in the blank measures.

I
I
IV
I
I
I
V/V
V
I
I
IV
I
IV
I
V
I

 

I
IV
V
I
I
I
V/V
V
I
IV
V
I
IV
I
V
I

 

I
IV
I
V
I
I
V/V
V
I
IV
I
V
IV
I
V
I

 

I
V
V
I
I
I
V/V
V
I
V
V
I
IV
I
V
I

The chords I chose for the first line are I    IV    V    I.

Rag chords

Notation

These are chords notated as root position triads in the bass clef.

RagtimeChords picture

Unable to play MP3 PDF

Full Ragtime Form

A typical Scott Joplin ragtime composition usually consists of four, sixteen measure sections.

Full ragtime form

In the full ragtime form, the A and B sections are in the key of the I chord. The C and D sections are often in the key of the IV chord. For example if the A and B sections are in the key of C, then the C and D sections will be in the key of F.

We'll just be working on the A section.

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[Overview] [Ragtime Form] [Syllabus]

Revised by John Ellinger, Spring 2012.