Members jake2004 Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 when i first started playing guitar, it seems i was more creative and could think of a melody to song when i wanted, i just couldnt always play it. ive been playing for 2 1/2 years and am very pleased where i am lead-wise, chord-wise i know alot of chords but its hard to piece some of them together to form a nice song. Im kinda more focused right now on the whole song, rather than jamming to songs all the time, b/c i realize the aspect of the song being the most important thing, not that lead isnt important, but im wanting to get into song-writing. I play by ear, but i think im pretty knowledgable on what note feels right. I cant tell you why its supposed to be there, theory wise, but i can just tell if it sounds right. Anyways, i was curious if someone could throw some ideas out on chord progressions, or a website telling you kinda what each chord does, mood wise. HOw to build up tension etc. thanks
Members red|dragon Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 Song Writing? What does song writing have to do with guitar? What is your song about? Once you know what it will be about, I think you might have an easier time expressing those feelings on guitar. Is your song about cheese?Is your song about fat girls?Is your song about water?Is your song about airplanes?Is your song about war?Is your song about your mommy?Is your song about Lawanda?Is your song about slipper things?Is your song about death?Is your song about taking a crap?Is your song about a town?Is your song about a person?Is your song about a color?Is your song about hotdogs?Is your song about sex?Is your song about the stock market?Is your song about money?Is your song about drugs?Is your song about cats?Is your song about fish?Is your song about Propel fitness water?Is your song about Light?Is your song about you?Is your song about her?Is your song about nothing?Is your song about an irate pirate?Is your song about me?Is your song about nightmares? What if your just a guitar player and not a song writer? Is it easy to write songs? Can anybody write songs? How does Elton John write songs?How does 50cent write songs?How does Yngwie Malmsteen write songs?How does Jewel write songs? Do you think they all went to an internet forum and asked how to write a song? They just do it. It's what they feel. If they sucked at writing songs, nobody would listen to them. Were they born with this talet? Or did they have to practice? Or did they jsut develop this connection with their instrument? What is their reason for writing songs? Will they explode because they can't let their feelings out? Are they trying to make money? Or is it what they enjoy doing?
Members jake2004 Posted March 3, 2006 Author Members Posted March 3, 2006 i was asking more about progressions really, didnt really give much thought to the title. not really the songwriting aspect of it sorry
Members red|dragon Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 -_- Do a search for basic/popular chord progessions.
Members jake2004 Posted March 3, 2006 Author Members Posted March 3, 2006 i know basic progressions, i would like to really know what each type of chord does
Members Knottyhed Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 Originally posted by jake2004 i know basic progressions, i would like to really know what each type of chord does That sorta thing is fairly subjective, listen to the chord/chord progession, decide what it does for you. Personally i come up with chord progressions/tunes a number of ways, but usually I'll just noodle round searching for a particular sound/mood, get a basic idea going and expand it. Often I'll pick up my classical guitar to write - simply because my ability to play that, is below my ability to play my electric and it stops me falling into the trap of playing the same old licks and ideas that follow naturally without me thinking and actually makes me think about the melody. Once I have the melody I can move on to my electic and embelish it (or not). Everyone thinks completely differently though, you just have to do what works for you.
Members Slave_New_Wurld Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 Hey Jake, In regards to chord tensions, here are a few ideas: To make a major chord "unstable" you can modify it to the following... - dominant 7 (e.g. G major becomes an unstable G7)- augment (e.g. G major becomes Gaug and creates the feeling of a grand resolution)- flattened 6th (e.g. Dm7 G7b6 Cmaj7 used religiously in jazz, again creates tension away from the tonic)- diminished or dim7 (e.g. G major followed by Abdim(7) as a half-step rise from G which gives the feeling of instability tons more to mention - take a look at the chord charts at the bottom of http://www.audio-guitar-lessons.com/guitar-barre-chords.html for some interesting chords in E A C and D barre shapes. I'm definately going to do a lesson on creating tension and songwriting, but time is not my friend at the moment.
Members jake2004 Posted March 3, 2006 Author Members Posted March 3, 2006 thank you, this is exactly what i was looking for
Members gennation Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 Nice site Slave. One book that opened up everything for me was Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene. He shows you how to play chords EVERYWHERE on the fretboard, and he shows a lot of some of the most used chord progression concepts. He shows a lot of examples for each to...giving you they real meaning of chord voices. It's a real easy bok to get around, but it's got A LOT of chords. I can't say enough about this book.
Members zookie Posted March 3, 2006 Members Posted March 3, 2006 It's helpful to always keep in mind that chords are just a group of notes. To say that such and such a chord progression can produce a mood is too subjective to have any measurability. It is possible to create a progression of chord voicings that support the themes of your song, however. For example, G - D - C - G as a progression played on an acoustic with all the usual chord shapes will support a lyric/melody. Now play that same progression, but hammer on the notes G - F# - E - D and you can convey a sense of finality, or inevitability, to your melody.
Members raggety Posted March 5, 2006 Members Posted March 5, 2006 WWW.CHORDMAPS.COM might help some ?
Members jake2004 Posted March 5, 2006 Author Members Posted March 5, 2006 thanks alot, that helps out
Members gennation Posted March 5, 2006 Members Posted March 5, 2006 Originally posted by raggety WWW.CHORDMAPS.COM might help some ? I've been there a few times. That's a killer site! Those "Big Maps" are wonderful.
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