(This is in reference to the first two videos that I created: The first video explains that all Major chords have 1-3-5 notes in them, and the second video explains that the most popular chord progression in rock & roll is a 1 4 5 chord progression.)

The difference between notes in a chord and a chord/song progression confuses some people when they first discover the “Number System”.

I’ve created a handy chart below to help explain. Here’s the deal:

All Major CHORDS have 1-3-5 notes in them. (C chord is C-E-G notes, F chord is F-A-C notes, G chord is G-B-D notes)

A simple SONG progression (like Twist & Shout, Johnny B. Goode) might use the 1 4 5 CHORDS in the key of the song. But each of those CHORDS is made up of their own 1-3-5 notes.
I’ve color-coded the related 1-3-5 NOTES for the three chords in a 1 4 5 chord progression song:

In this example even though F is the “4” chord in the key of C, you think of F as the “1” note of its own Major chord.  F is simultaneously the “4” chord in the key of C, and also the “1”of its own F-Major chord.

Similarly, even though G is the “5” note in the key of C, you also think of G as the “1” note of its own G-Major chord.

That’s the difference between building chords (1-3-5) and using those chords to build a song/chord progression.

Is this helpful? Or is it confusing? If you have any questions about it please post them below.

-Tim