Original Message 1/6                 Date: 30-Mar-00  @  03:07 AM   -   same ol same ol

s.edwards

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Hi all,

I've had no theory lessons or anything, just taught myself a bit mainly from stuff on the net. I kinda know the basic concepts of scales. I know that there are basically 4 major chords and 3 minors or something like that that go in a scale (something like that). I have read about the circle of fifths and can see how some some chords naturally progress to others...

The problem I've got, and I'm hoping some of you learn-ed types out there might give me some advice on a coupla things....

All the chord progressions I write tend to sound very "same-y", though I try using different keys/scales or whatever. Very vanilla sounding. I think this could be cause I've (mainly) only been using major & minor chords (and inversions) with the odd 7th thrown in there. Should I look into more freaky chords to get more interesting stuff..?

Whats modulation all about.. are there any rules? If I have a chord sequence that repeats... is there any way to "work out" what chords would go good after that? Transpose it all up someing similar?

Nutha question... if a song/riff/whatever is sposed to be in C major... does that mean that all the chords/notes should only contain notes in that scale... or is that not quite right...? :-)

Any good websites on this stuff? Think I've checked most places though. Any book suggestions?

Sorry if thats a bit disjointed. Thanks for any advice.

-Steve

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Message 2/6                 Date: 30-Mar-00  @  03:28 AM   -   RE: same ol same ol

s.edwards

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doh, paragraphs didn't come out, shoulda put a
.. oh well no matter.

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Message 3/6                 Date: 30-Mar-00  @  04:19 PM   -   RE: same ol same ol

p.

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erm. lot there. if yer comfortable with major, minor and 7th chords (dominant as well - that means the 7th is flatted). i'd learn diminished (flat 3rd, flat 5th) and diminished 7ths. then i'd start doing 9ths (flatted as well if you desire), and 13ths. they key to the last few types of chords is not to play the root in the chord. that's what the bass is for. so for example a C7 chord is often made into technically a C13 (very jazzy) would be done by playing E-A-Bb-D (3-6-7b-9 . . . the 6 is actually the 13 - see keys). notice that the root (C) and the fifth (G) are left out. also try a minor 9th (Eb-G-Bb-D). again the root (C) is left out. so go play with that for a while. make diminished chords and added 7, 7b, 9, and 6 (or 13) to chords while leaving out the root or 5th of the chord. also try different inversions (ie. start with different notes - instead of c-e-g play g-c-e). -p.

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Message 4/6                 Date: 30-Mar-00  @  04:22 PM   -   RE: same ol same ol

p.

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oops. what i was going to say is when you get the sound of these types of chords in your head, you'll start making more connections naturally to what chords and sounds lead to others. -p.

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Message 5/6                 Date: 16-Apr-00  @  02:22 AM   -   RE: same ol same ol

gnome

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an easier way is to just play stuff in a key (where all notes played are of the same tonal qualities (i think that's what it's called)) aka certain notes that are flat stay flat and certain notes that are sharped stay sharped... then just play with 4 notes and work some progressions around a note, vanilla sounding usually means u need 4 note chords, like 9ths, 7ths, and all the rest the other person said... then just take them and voice them differently (play them in different orders going up the board) u can get whole progressions out of 1 triad and one note that moves around, for an example just listen to moby's "go" and u'll see what i mean... play along with stuff to get a better idea about what other stuff sounds like and a good idea is to pick up a hammond chord chart or something of the sort... maybe even take some lessons... but if u do that be wary of crappy teachers, but that's a whole other discussion

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Message 6/6                 Date: 16-Apr-00  @  07:10 AM   -   RE: same ol same ol

sitar

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I like to use closed harmonies where the notes in the chord are contained within the same octave range. When you add 13ths and 9ths into the chords you place them instead as 2nds and 6ths for example. Then as you modulate, movement from chord to chord gives a more subtle feeling. Then the base can be playing roots and stuff below and outside the range. The chord changes tend to sound more hidden. It's kind of like using a compressor for chords. Like anything else you can't use it all the time.

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