Ever hear a chord loop that should sound simple — but hits way deeper than expected?

That’s exactly what’s happening in “Bad Dreams” by Teddy Swims.
Just four chords. But the combination of voicings, feel, and flow gives it that unmistakable emotional pull.

It’s a groovy pop-soul track, built on nothing more than this 4-chord progression:

Cm7 → Ab(add9) → Bb(add9) → Gm7

My take:

(working on adding some vocals to this version too, stay tuned — for now, let's focus on the instrumental part though)

But here’s what’s really cool:

🎸 It’s actually a guitar part — translated to piano.
And with the right approach, doing that is not only possible — it’s easy (and fun).

Let’s break it down.

At the core, this progression uses just four chords — all from the same key (Eb major / C minor), built on:

• The VI (Cm7)
• The IV (Abadd9)
• The V (Bbadd9)
• The III (Gm7)

In other words:
It’s a classic pop-soul loop dressed up with some tasteful chord choices.

Here’s why it sounds so lush:

1. Seventh chords like Cm7 and Gm7 add depth and richness.
2. The add9 chords (Ab and Bb) give it that modern R&B sparkle — not too jazzy, but just enough color to stand out.
3. The rhythm — mimicking the guitar strum — creates that smooth, laid-back groove that feels signature to the track.

And here’s the key:

You don’t need to overthink it.
If you can identify the basic chords and feel the groove, you can start playing — right away.

This is what I call a Play-First approach:
Start by making music. Learn the “why” as you go.

Try it out:

Use just those four chords — Cm7, Abadd9, Bbadd9, and Gm7 — and loop them in time.
Imitate the rhythm.
Let it feel good before you even start thinking about theory.

Then — once it grooves — start adding your own flavor.
In my version, you’ll hear some juicy extensions and passing tones layered in.
That’s the beauty of the system: you can freely build on the foundation once you understand it.

Here's my take once more:

Why this works (and keeps working)

This all ties into the Chord Piano approach, where you build fluency the same way you learn a language:

No sight-reading required.
No stale sheet music.
Just real songs, real techniques — and a flexible mindset that grows with you.

Hope this gives you something fun to try out.

Talk soon,
— Coen

Want to go deeper?

If this kind of hands-on, feel-based approach clicks with you — that’s what my full system is all about:

🎹 Explore the Chord Piano BluePrint →

You’ll learn to play by chords, by heart, by ear — using real music (like this) as your foundation.