Some ideas on chords and chord function

[Sjonesmusic]

(I'll assume you know the basics of how chords are built...)

The first step would be to learn the Major/minor diatonic chord functions as such:

(Let's think in the key of C, for example)

I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii
C Dm Em F G Am Bm7b5

Then, think of the scale degrees in natural numbers...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B

(a side note about the vii chord: though theoretically correct as a min7b5 chord...for the purposes of popular harmony put in it's place the V chord, but with the 7th degree of the scale in it's place...)

So, it would be written as such: G/B or in numbers: V/7

(if you're familiar, the "Nashville Numbers System" is a little different, but I want to differentiate between "chord" and "scale degrees" for our purposes)

Then, group them in sets of two in every possible combination:

I – ii
I - iii
I - IV
I - V
I - vi
I - vii

ii - I
ii - iii
ii - IV
ii - V
ii - vi
ii - vii

iii - I
iii - ii
iii - IV
iii - V
iii - vi
iii - vii

IV - I
IV - ii
IV - iii
IV - V
IV - vi
IV - vii

V - I
V - ii
V - iii
V - IV
V - vi
V - vii

vi - I
vi - ii
vi - iii
vi - IV
vi - V
vi - vii

vii - I
vii - ii
vii - iii
vii - IV
vii - V
vii - vi

Ok, now what to do next...

Take these sets of two chords and play them on your instrument repeatedly...

So, you would play: I - ii, I - ii, I - ii; over and over again...(the purpose of which, would be to drill the sound of it in your head...)

Do this with each two-chord set...

This will instill an inner sense of the sound of any chord function to any other chord function...

The following would be helpful...

Know that the stronger chord moves are:

I - IV
IV - I
I - V
V - I

Know that a common strong progression is:

I - IV - V

or:

I - vi - IV - V

I - vi - ii - V

Turnarounds:

ii - V - I

IV - V - I

iii - vi - ii - V - I


Ok...?

Now take two, two-chord sets: say, I - IV and vi - V...combine them, play them, become familiar...do this with each set...it will train your ear to hear chords in progression form...without having to "know" deeper theory to begin this process...

Then...

Take every chord in the key and place in the lowest point in the chord, any other scale degree to produce the "slash" chords...

For example:

I/2, I/3, I/4, I/5, I/6, I/7
C/D, C/E, C/F, C/G, C/A, C/B

Do this with every chord and scale degree to find all of the possibilities...

Keep in mind, that so far, I have only given chordal information. MELODY (and a strong one with a hook, at that) is the key to creating a memorable song...

However, if you begin with a good foundation of chord theory, melody can come easier... (also, if you have a melody in your head, you can write chords to it, giving it a harmonic structure)...

I'll stick with the chordal information for now...

Now, the next step is to begin experimenting with those "slash" chords (named for the "/" used in the chord symbol---nothing to do with the
G-n-R guitarist) within your exploration of the chord progressions, built from the two-chord sets...

In other words...

Take the progression:
I - IV - vi - V or C - F - Am - G

and use the slash chord concept as such:

I/3 - IV - vi - V/7 or C/E - F - Am - G/B

Now, we'll look at the minor sound, briefly...

Every Major Key has what is known as a relative minor key...

First fact: it is ALWAYS the 'vi' chord of that Major key...ALWAYS.

For C Major, it's relative minor key is A minor

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

It means simply that within the chords already in place in the Major key, there exists an entirely different minor key...

You change nothing except the FUNCTION of each chord...

In other words, you'll simply shift the Roman Numeral functions to make the Am, the first chord, etc...

As such,

Am - G/B - C - Dm - Em - F - G

i - VII/2 - III - iv - v - VI - VII

Now, something CAN change slightly with the 'v' chord...

Generally, a fifth degree chord is a dominant 7th chord (I'll get into 7th chords another time...just nod and smile...)

So, the fifth degree chord in Am would be a better approach as E7, instead of Em...

This will lead into the next concept so stay alert...

Ok?

So, really there are many combinations already, to choose from, just by playing through these relatively simple exercises...

All diatonic two-chord combinations, four-chord combinations, and the use of "slash" chords...and now the relative minor key...

Now let's look at using non-diatonic chords (chords not in the key)...

Look first, briefly, back to the key of 'C' :

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

(---remember we're substituting the V/7 chord for the theoretically correct m7b5, because for popular music, it's a cleaner sound, serving the same purpose...)

Ok, the the thing to look at is the V chord...

The V of 'C' is G...

Now look at each chord in the key of 'C'

Just consider that EVERY chord, apart from any function in any key, is it's very own 'I' chord (Major) or 'i' chord (minor) in it's very own key somewhere...

For example, though Dm is the 'ii' chord of C Major, it is also the 'vi' chord of F Major...

I'll take a huge leap here and just jump to what you can use...

So, with that in mind...

Think these chord relationships (typically referred to as secondary dominants):

*note that the slash chords are that chord with it's 3rd degree in it's root.

V of C is G or G/B

V of Dm is A or A/C#

V of Em is B or B/D#

V of F is C or C/E

V of G is D or D/F#

V of Am is E or E/G#

So, how this can be used is this:

Say you are playing from these chords to chords:

C to Dm

try approaching the chord as you ascend with it's V chord:

C to A/C# to Dm

Do the whole key:

C (A/C#) Dm (B/D#) Em (C/E) F (D/F#) G (E/G#) Am (*) G/B

(*there is no approach to the seventh chord because it is already derived from a 'V' chord)

Ok?

This is the first step in finding non-diatonic chords...

Next, we'll look at substituting chords in the place of
the 6th and 7th degree chords...

A simple way to do this is to first look at the original chords:

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

And look at these substitutions:

...in place of Am, drop it down a half-step and make it an Ab Major chord

...in place of G/B, drop it down a half-step and make it an Bb Major chord

Some possible progressions:

C - F - Bb - C

C - F - Ab - Bb - C

Ok?

Now, look at the other minor chords and do the same...

...in place of Em, drop it down a half-step and make it an Eb Major chord

...in place of Dm, drop it down a half-step and make it an Db Major chord

Some possible progressions:

(utilizing the others as well)

C - F - Eb - Bb - C

C - Bb- Eb - F - C - Bb - Ab - Db - C

Use slash chords by simply putting the 3rd of each chord in the root:

C - Bb/D - Eb - F/A - C - Bb - Ab/C - Db/F - C/E

Just a random progression really, but it gives you an idea of how it might sound to experiment with this exercise...

Obviously, this information isn't going to guarantee anything...but it should help your process...

Hope it helps,

Scott

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Originally posted by Sjonesmusic
(I'll assume you know the basics of how chords are built...)



I'll bite, how are chords built?

[Sjonesmusic]

Originally posted by SomeGuyNamedRob
I'll bite, how are chords built?

All chords are built from the notes in the major scale as such:

Say in C major...

I ii iii IV V vi vii(dim)...these represent the chords, their place in the scale, and their type (Major, Minor or diminished; M, m, or dim)

large case Roman Numeral=Major fundamental triad
small case Roman Numeral=Minor fundamental triad

Each chord is built by simply beginning with a note in the scale and skipping to every other note as such:

C D E F G A B

C= C E G
Dm= D F A
Em= E G B
F= F A C
G= G B D
Am= A C E
Bdim= B D F

Adding the other consecutive notes, creates first, the 7th chords; and next, extensions...

CMaj7= C E G B (D/9) (F/11) (A/13 same as 6)
Dm7= D F A C (E/9) (G/11) (B/13 same as 6)
Em7= E G B D (F/b9-not used) (A/11) (C/b13-not used)
FMaj7= F A C E (G/9) (B/#11) (D/13 same as 6)
G7= G B D F (A/9) (C/11) (E/13)
Am7= A C E G (B/9) (D/11) (F/b13 not used)
Bm7b5= B D F A (C/b9-not used) (E/11-not used) (G/b13-not used)

I hope this was helpful,

Peace,

Scott

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Originally posted by Sjonesmusic



I hope this was helpful,

Peace,

Scott

Very much so. Thanks.

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Ok, one last chord related question :

Ok, a couple. First is the dreded "How do I figure out what key I'm playing in?"

Next, if I wanted to change key in mid song, should I be going toward the relative minor of the original key, or is there no real set method - ie : Anything goes.

[Sjonesmusic]

Originally posted by SomeGuyNamedRob
Ok, one last chord related question :

Ok, a couple. First is the dreded "How do I figure out what key I'm playing in?"

Next, if I wanted to change key in mid song, should I be going toward the relative minor of the original key, or is there no real set method - ie : Anything goes.

Well, first, to analyze a chord:

Look first at the lowest note...then, the following combination of notes...

If the root is obscured:

Look for the alphabetic layout, and if it is a voicing not in alphabetic order, place it in alphabetic order:

Am7:

(A)-C-E-G
(1)-b3-5-b7

C6:

(C)-E-G-A
(1)-3-5-6

You can analyze both of the chord types, independant of any surrounding harmonic structure...but if you want to find their function, then you need to look at the surrounding harmonic content...

Am7 could be:

The vi of C
The ii of G
The iii of F
The minor v of D
The minor iv of E
The minor i of A

etc...

C6 could be:

The I6 of C
The V6 of F
The IV6 of G
The bVII6 of D
The bVI6 of E

etc...

Analyzing a chord's function by it's surroundings helps especially when improvising in jazz, as the tonal center may keep shifting throughout the piece...

So,

...if you were to see an Am...by itself:

Am

...you may make the assumption that it's the ii of G, when in fact, if you would have looked after it:

Am Bbmaj7 C11 Fmaj7 (iii IV V I)

...you would have seen that Bbmaj7 to C11 to Fmaj7 and realized it was a progression ascending from the iii of F to it's V chord...before resolving to the I chord...

So, it would benefit you greatly to learn all of the chords in every key, or at least the most common keys you would use...and then begin to train your ear and mind to know what follows what in each key...

So then, context is everything...

Here are a few keys and the corresponding chords:

C: C Dm Em F G Am Bm7b5
D: D Em F#m G A Bm C#m7b5
E: E F#m G#m A B C#m D#m7b5
F: F Gm Am Bbmaj7 C Dm Em7b5
G: G Am Bm C D Em F#m7b5
A: A Bm C#m D E F#m G#m7b5

...and listen to the common note to all, the tonic...if you can play this note against each chord in the song, then you can find the key this way also...but be careful, this is not necessarily THE way to do it...

CHANGING KEYS:

It is clearest to support a key change with a modulation using some form of the 5 chord of the new key, just before the key change...

Example: the chord progression for a song could go as such, for a while..

C G/B Am F C G/B Am F
C G/B Am F (then to the key change)
C G/B Asus A (to the key of D)
D A/C# Bm G etc...

The Asus to A being the V chord variation of D...

Not the ONLY way, but a way...many others to use, but this is an example of one...

Hope it helped,

Scott

[thelonius74]

Great stuff Scott.

[Brian Marshall]

I have read too many books on music theory to even want to read this. Theory i learned was classical though. All I can say is listen to your ear. Anyone here who knows how to read what you wrote up there probably already has the ear to figure this out. If you want an easier exersize that will pay off a lot faster pick 3 or 4 chords out of that scale, and try to play them in an order that sounds good. Hey you didnt even go in to chord substitutuions. Any ways I didnt get good at song writing until i started concentrating on melody. Once you have a pelody the chords almost write themselves.

Brian

[145]

Originally posted by Sjonesmusic
(I'll assume you know the basics of how chords are built...)

The first step would be to learn the Major/minor diatonic chord functions as such:

(Let's think in the key of C, for example)

I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii
C Dm Em F G Am Bm7b5

Then, think of the scale degrees in natural numbers...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B

(a side note about the vii chord: though theoretically correct as a min7b5 chord...for the purposes of popular harmony put in it's place the V chord, but with the 7th degree of the scale in it's place...)

So, it would be written as such: G/B or in numbers: V/7

(if you're familiar, the "Nashville Numbers System" is a little different, but I want to differentiate between "chord" and "scale degrees" for our purposes)

Then, group them in sets of two in every possible combination:

I – ii
I - iii
I - IV
I - V
I - vi
I - vii

ii - I
ii - iii
ii - IV
ii - V
ii - vi
ii - vii

iii - I
iii - ii
iii - IV
iii - V
iii - vi
iii - vii

IV - I
IV - ii
IV - iii
IV - V
IV - vi
IV - vii

V - I
V - ii
V - iii
V - IV
V - vi
V - vii

vi - I
vi - ii
vi - iii
vi - IV
vi - V
vi - vii

vii - I
vii - ii
vii - iii
vii - IV
vii - V
vii - vi

Ok, now what to do next...

Take these sets of two chords and play them on your instrument repeatedly...

So, you would play: I - ii, I - ii, I - ii; over and over again...(the purpose of which, would be to drill the sound of it in your head...)

Do this with each two-chord set...

This will instill an inner sense of the sound of any chord function to any other chord function...

The following would be helpful...

Know that the stronger chord moves are:

I - IV
IV - I
I - V
V - I

Know that a common strong progression is:

I - IV - V

or:

I - vi - IV - V

I - vi - ii - V

Turnarounds:

ii - V - I

IV - V - I

iii - vi - ii - V - I


Ok...?

Now take two, two-chord sets: say, I - IV and vi - V...combine them, play them, become familiar...do this with each set...it will train your ear to hear chords in progression form...without having to "know" deeper theory to begin this process...

Then...

Take every chord in the key and place in the lowest point in the chord, any other scale degree to produce the "slash" chords...

For example:

I/2, I/3, I/4, I/5, I/6, I/7
C/D, C/E, C/F, C/G, C/A, C/B

Do this with every chord and scale degree to find all of the possibilities...

Keep in mind, that so far, I have only given chordal information. MELODY (and a strong one with a hook, at that) is the key to creating a memorable song...

However, if you begin with a good foundation of chord theory, melody can come easier... (also, if you have a melody in your head, you can write chords to it, giving it a harmonic structure)...

I'll stick with the chordal information for now...

Now, the next step is to begin experimenting with those "slash" chords (named for the "/" used in the chord symbol---nothing to do with the
G-n-R guitarist) within your exploration of the chord progressions, built from the two-chord sets...

In other words...

Take the progression:
I - IV - vi - V or C - F - Am - G

and use the slash chord concept as such:

I/3 - IV - vi - V/7 or C/E - F - Am - G/B

Now, we'll look at the minor sound, briefly...

Every Major Key has what is known as a relative minor key...

First fact: it is ALWAYS the 'vi' chord of that Major key...ALWAYS.

For C Major, it's relative minor key is A minor

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

It means simply that within the chords already in place in the Major key, there exists an entirely different minor key...

You change nothing except the FUNCTION of each chord...

In other words, you'll simply shift the Roman Numeral functions to make the Am, the first chord, etc...

As such,

Am - G/B - C - Dm - Em - F - G

i - VII/2 - III - iv - v - VI - VII

Now, something CAN change slightly with the 'v' chord...

Generally, a fifth degree chord is a dominant 7th chord (I'll get into 7th chords another time...just nod and smile...)

So, the fifth degree chord in Am would be a better approach as E7, instead of Em...

This will lead into the next concept so stay alert...

Ok?

So, really there are many combinations already, to choose from, just by playing through these relatively simple exercises...

All diatonic two-chord combinations, four-chord combinations, and the use of "slash" chords...and now the relative minor key...

Now let's look at using non-diatonic chords (chords not in the key)...

Look first, briefly, back to the key of 'C' :

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

(---remember we're substituting the V/7 chord for the theoretically correct m7b5, because for popular music, it's a cleaner sound, serving the same purpose...)

Ok, the the thing to look at is the V chord...

The V of 'C' is G...

Now look at each chord in the key of 'C'

Just consider that EVERY chord, apart from any function in any key, is it's very own 'I' chord (Major) or 'i' chord (minor) in it's very own key somewhere...

For example, though Dm is the 'ii' chord of C Major, it is also the 'vi' chord of F Major...

I'll take a huge leap here and just jump to what you can use...

So, with that in mind...

Think these chord relationships (typically referred to as secondary dominants):

*note that the slash chords are that chord with it's 3rd degree in it's root.

V of C is G or G/B

V of Dm is A or A/C#

V of Em is B or B/D#

V of F is C or C/E

V of G is D or D/F#

V of Am is E or E/G#

So, how this can be used is this:

Say you are playing from these chords to chords:

C to Dm

try approaching the chord as you ascend with it's V chord:

C to A/C# to Dm

Do the whole key:

C (A/C#) Dm (B/D#) Em (C/E) F (D/F#) G (E/G#) Am (*) G/B

(*there is no approach to the seventh chord because it is already derived from a 'V' chord)

Ok?

This is the first step in finding non-diatonic chords...

Next, we'll look at substituting chords in the place of
the 6th and 7th degree chords...

A simple way to do this is to first look at the original chords:

C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am - (G/B)

I - ii - iii -IV- V - vi - (V/7)

And look at these substitutions:

...in place of Am, drop it down a half-step and make it an Ab Major chord

...in place of G/B, drop it down a half-step and make it an Bb Major chord

Some possible progressions:

C - F - Bb - C

C - F - Ab - Bb - C

Ok?

Now, look at the other minor chords and do the same...

...in place of Em, drop it down a half-step and make it an Eb Major chord

...in place of Dm, drop it down a half-step and make it an Db Major chord

Some possible progressions:

(utilizing the others as well)

C - F - Eb - Bb - C

C - Bb- Eb - F - C - Bb - Ab - Db - C

Use slash chords by simply putting the 3rd of each chord in the root:

C - Bb/D - Eb - F/A - C - Bb - Ab/C - Db/F - C/E

Just a random progression really, but it gives you an idea of how it might sound to experiment with this exercise...

Obviously, this information isn't going to guarantee anything...but it should help your process...

Hope it helps,

Scott

Thanks!

[Headbanger]

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