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Post by B.E. on Feb 14, 2021 18:13:11 GMT
Just first chiming in how cool the intro to the title track is. The chord changes over those utterances "help!" are super simple and generally diatonic (meaning in the key of the song), but have great effect in showing the rising tension and desperation.
The song is in A major, but the first chord is a B minor (the ii chord); it goes to G major (the IV/IV, not a diatonic chord; probably better thought of as a flat seven major chord, bVII); then it goes to E7 (the V7); and then an A7 (the V7 of IV, the tonic but with a dominant 7th). The reason it's so effective in displaying that rising tension is that through those chords, you've got really limited movement that goes chromatically upward while other common tones between chords can stay put. By having that single ascending chromatic line atop a stable base of notes, it really feels like building tension. See it outlined using these voicings:
B minor: B-D-F# G major: B-D-G E7: B-D-G# A7: A-C#-G In the first three chords, you can voice them so that only that one note ascends chromatically. Then while the A7 is a "resolution" (V7-I), it doesn't feel resolved at all because of the 7th in that tonic chord--it makes it feel like IT is the V7 chord and as if the song will move on to D major ... which it does not. It "resolves" to a state of unresolution. The verse then does go into more standard fare (with the exception of that bVII again): I-iii-vi-bVII-V. And the chorus elongates the chords, spending more time on each, but repeating the progression used in the intro, and so implying that same kind of tension. First, I just want to say that I really enjoyed this analysis! "Help" is one of my all-time favorite songs. The elongation of the chord progression (or shortening of it for the intro) is a neat "trick". The first time I recall recognizing it as a songwriting technique was a Beach Boys song. This was around the time I really started to (try to) analyze music. I used it to write a song where the intro/outro elongated the chords (relative to the verses). Anyway, this got me thinking about other songwriting techniques, and a progression I recently came up with. It's really simple, and diatonic, I-vi-ii-IV-V, but what I found interesting about it was that the amount of time I spent on each successive chord was cut in half (well, nearly, the last chord is the same as the one preceding it). This progression started out as an exercise in writing a melody over a single chord. (Most of the songs I've written were written 5-10 years ago, before I had any idea of what I was doing, and for some reason I had it in my head that I needed to change chords regularly in order to serve the melody.) Speaking of, the melody (along with the progression) is probably as basic and generic as it gets, but I find it downright addictive. You could loop around forever; like "Mona". To save further time, I just recorded it really quickly on my cheap, poor-sounding acoustic. I tried to emphasize the melody - not my forte. Why am I sharing this? I don't know. soundcloud.com/b-e-18181486/untitled-1
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 14, 2021 20:20:18 GMT
YES: the looping phenomenon a la Mona (which is on a similar progression for sure, I think probably I-vi-ii-V?) is one of the great things about some of those faster-moving progressions especially. And I know what you mean about how once you're in one, you can go forever on it if you're in the right frame of mind.
I suppose you can do them on slow-moving ones, too, but nobody will notice! (I mean, a full 12-bar blues loops ... it just takes a while. Every progression in theory loops, I suppose!)
By the way I love the thread idea and would love to talk songwriting and/or theory anytime. It's definitely something I enjoy and don't do enough of nowadays.
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Post by B.E. on Jul 16, 2022 18:54:55 GMT
I hadn't written anything since a short burst of inspiration following the release of At My Piano had me tinkering around on my...keyboard. Today I worked out a nice, easy chord progression. And I do believe I rather seamlessly, and consciously, changed keys. Dang, I'm good. E - - - Asus2 - - - (4x) F#m - - - D - - - F#m - - - G#m - - - E - - - Asus2 - - - (2x) F#m - - - D - - - F#m - - - G#m - Am - G - - - D - - - C - - - Am - B - (2x) and back to E.
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Post by B.E. on Jul 16, 2022 18:57:44 GMT
I just realized I don't really know when to use '#' or 'b'. Any suggestions, or is there no harm in everything being sharp?
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 16, 2022 22:00:08 GMT
I just realized I don't really know when to use '#' or 'b'. Any suggestions, or is there no harm in everything being sharp? I can weigh in on that, though I'm sure joshilynhoisington could give a good-or-better answer, too. In short, to begin with you should stick with the one that's in the key.
So for the progression you used, it begins in the key of E major. So in terms of the chords, that's E, F#m, G#m, A, B, C#m, D#half diminished, E. And that's what you used to notate, which is "correct."
When you're going outside of the key, you just have to use your best judgment. If you are modulating (or even implying modulation) to another key, use the # or b that are typical to that key. If it's truly just an oddball chord stuck in there, go with your gut! (But usually it makes sense to pick something, like if that chord is functioning as the V of some other chord, then use the appropriate naming convention.)
Also, I played those chords you came up with and enjoyed them. Nice going, and good modulation! There are few pleasures in this world in my opinion quite like finding progressions, melodies, or harmonies, and just rolling with them ... over and over and over. (Feels, if you will.)
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Post by B.E. on Jul 17, 2022 0:20:15 GMT
Thanks, Kapitan. Makes sense. If you know the key, then just go in order without using the same letter twice. I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole and learned about Ab minor and the Cb instead B and Fb instead of E. And that there are (theoretical) keys with double flats or double sharps. Fun stuff.
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Post by Kapitan on Jul 17, 2022 10:59:48 GMT
Thanks, Kapitan. Makes sense. If you know the key, then just go in order without using the same letter twice. I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole and learned about Ab minor and the Cb instead B and Fb instead of E. And that there are (theoretical) keys with double flats or double sharps. Fun stuff. Exactly. I remember finding out about those things in college. (I was in HS band and choir but we didn't have any theory classes, and it didn't come up.) C# major, for example, the 7th has to be a half step below C#, which is C ... but we already have a C, so it has to be a B. B#. It never felt natural to me, but it does make sense: one letter at a time, in order, no skipping and no doubling. But from a practical perspective, I never thought in those terms.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 5, 2022 18:08:44 GMT
Not quite songwriting, but music-making related: I am very, very much thinking by this time tomorrow I might have a new guitar. While I love and have no intention of getting rid of my Strat, since I've begun recording again over the past 18 months, I also want an electric guitar with humbuckers to get different sounds than what the Strat can get.
I'm not some kind of collector, I don't need everything. As a rule, I more or less make do with what I've got, instruments-wise. But having nothing but single-coil pickups is really limiting sonically.
So I'm pretty sure I'll head to Twin Town Guitars tomorrow to buy one. (Or two. I've been looking at their selection and am really being tempted. Though seriously, that's absurd, right? I mean, I know it is. But I am pretty damn thrifty with my money, and I also just got a bonus...)
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Post by B.E. on Aug 6, 2022 0:06:48 GMT
I've been tossing around the idea of treating myself to a new acoustic guitar for a year or two. A nice one. I've only ever owned the same cheap, beginner acoustic - a Jasmine. I think I got it my junior or senior year of High School. But, I haven't been very active, musically, so I'm sort of waiting until I'm back into it.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 6, 2022 18:07:26 GMT
Well, I did it. And yes, I went overboard and bought two guitars. BUT, to argue on my own behalf, I've been kicking this around for well over a year and have been saving up. And I spent within the range I had set for myself for a guitar--but got two. So I am not feeling bad about it.
One is a gorgeous, black with gold hardware, used Gretsch Electromatic 12-string electric guitar. The other is a new "ocean turquoise" Gretsch 6-string electric, a lower-midrange kind of model but that I thought felt great and didn't see the need to move up to the higher end models for that. Both have the Gibson 335-style body, semi-hollow body dual cutaway, etc.
I'm looking forward to the new sounds these two are going to help me get in songs.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2022 19:01:58 GMT
I've been messing around with a new song that has a little wrinkle. It's kind of a midtempo Motown tune, but the bassline keeps playing its basic little ostinato as if it were the root chord (in Gb, it's just Gb-E-Db) while the chords above it actually run through a basic little progression (I-ii7-IVadd6-V7). I'm liking it because it brings a bit of tension to an otherwise pretty vanilla verse, but I didn't want to do anything too weird with the chords there because they do meander a bit in the second half of the verse or pre-chorus or whatever you might want to call it, with a handful off weird little suspensions and stuff.
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Post by Kapitan on Sept 4, 2022 16:51:34 GMT
This morning I was working on the aforementioned song, and for the first time I recorded my electric 12-string.
Holy hell, I remember what a pain in the ass 12-strings are (and learned electrics are especially so)! The tuning...
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