Markus Captain Kaarlonen

Requiem for My Harlequin is based on a chord progression that has a pretty cool name: The Andalusian cadence. I think we have used this progression in only two of our songs (so far), the other being False Kings. 🎼 The Andalusian cadence is a series of four descending chords: i–VII–VI–V (for example RFMH is in the key of A minor, so the basic chords would be Am-G-F-E). RFMH embellishes the basic formula a bit by adding some extra notes and chord variations. Describing how chord progressions "feel" is always somewhat subjective, but to me, this one always feels foreboding, dramatic and unstoppable, like it's inevitably stepping further and further down towards something sad or bittersweet, only to rise back up and start the descent again. (Note: The chord names can be written in different ways, but the ones in the video are how I like to think of them, with my zero days of music education... 🤓)