Progression and chords

[sYgMa]

I just started to try to learn about chords, progressions, and all of that... by myself... there are a lot of web sites about the subject.

I already took classes, so I know the basics( really ONLY the basics), but I'm wondering if there is a better way (except getting a teacher and all) to learn about all of this. I know it could improve my melodies and accompaniments, so I'm doing the necessary efforts...

 

[afriquedeluxe]

you coud get a book on it, but theres as many resources on the net if you dont wana take out the cash.
i learnt some new stuff by simply learning songs that are already out there, stuff like virtual insanity, just the two of us, and some bob james stuff. just the progressions and not the crazy runs. it should get your hands comfortable with the big chords and switchin around them.

 

[Dysphuncktional]

books are nice and helpful , but should never be your main way of 'learning'' something new.

the best way to learn is by DOING nuff said

Peace

(just fuck around on your keyboard or guitar or whatever all day long with what little knowledge you have, reading some new shit once in a while then practicing that, you'll be getting very knowledgable on the shit before you even know it , you should basically be fucking around and practicing HELLA more than you should read)

 

[Cold Truth]

well here is a tip.

learn some basic scales, and use this basic formula for starters:

start with any key and build the scale using half steps and whole steps. whole, whole, half, half, half, whole.

from here, you have two options. you can either

A. build chords from each note in the scale. remember that whatever chord you start with, the following chord will be created using the same formula- every note in the chord follows the half step/whole step pattern. Does that make sense?

the second option, which is probably easier to explain and understand, is to use only the notes from the scale to build chords, you would be surprised at how many chords are available within one scale. This way you can use these chords to easily create keychanges (bridge) and use the scale notes as opposed to being stuck with just the chord notes to play melody lines over your basic chords.

bare in mind that this is mostly self taught- the scale technique was taught to me- but the rest i learned alone, so i may not be "technically" sound here but i get good results.

 

[Rhythmikal]

theres 2 sets of people when it comes to this:

1. The people who abide by the laws of music and work their ass off to get all their chordes and scales right and stuff. (mainly RnB dudes)

and

2. The people who sit down at a keyboard and find a dope melody with their ear, and who have absolutely no idea of music theory, but still make dope dope beats. (havoc, alchemist)

.... you probably knew this but i thought id get it down.

 

[Cold Truth]

sorry but them rnb dudes make a lot of the ish that al and hav sample.

and, you have guys firmly in the middle- guys with the education and knowledge with enormous ability and melodic ear and creativity...

ray charles willie hutch george benson the entire fatback band gamble and huff stevie wonder the isleys earth wind and fire i mean countless GREAT artists.

dont knock the educated side of it, because a lot of these dudes arent just sterilized classical players.

 

[Shonsteez]

Word....I think its just a mix.....Its all about how much that musician wants to hieghten their knowledge on music and shit works.....Even if u got a great ear, it can never hurt to learn why those chords sound so good in your head, ya kno?.....

Afrique made a good suggestion too: Try playing a song that u find to be entertaining as well as slightly challenging.....That really helps a good deal.

The one thing ill say that ive learned is that all music is derived by the V-I......Everything else is built around that.......THeres even books out there on jus the theory of how that makes sense, pretty crazy shit.

 

[sYgMa]

nice nice!

Ok, so actually, I'm learning my scales right now... (accidentals and all that...)...

Now, could someone give me songs I can mess with to begin with. The music I listen to is (I think) too complicated and I would even be able to know on what scale they are, since my knowledge right now is really REALLY basics... (but I'm learning, it's actually kind of fun)

Actually I do make nice melodies from time to time, but it's mostly accidental... that's why I want to improve, so I can know what I'm doing and add something to it

 

[Ash Holmz]

im tryin to up my keyboard game too... its tough i always end up playin the same chords it seems when im keystylin.. its a definitve process to get really comfortable... i can do the simple stuff on point but it will take me like 20 - 30 takes to get something something more complex lol.... alot of time ill slow the tempo way down so i have more time to prepare between notes and the ill speed it up after the notes are recorded... ... i bet im not the only one in here who does that either.... lol

 

[sYgMa]

alot of time ill slow the tempo way down so i have more time to prepare between notes and the ill speed it up after the notes are recorded... ... i bet im not the only one in here who does that either.... lol

nice idea...

I'll have to think about that one when I buy my midi controller

 

[Shonsteez]

Yeah, i used to do it like that too Holmz....Im a little better with it nowadays, i think just becuase i always use my keyboard versus back in the day when i just penciled everything in in reason.....I still need to actually practice on a regular basis though becuase the only time i really play is when im making a beat....Thats not a good approach if your really serious though about getting good at keys....Practice makes perfect, it really does.

 

[Rob Kelly]

start out learning the roman numeral system of a scale, i.e.:

in Cmajor

I - Cmajor
ii - Dminor
iii - Eminor
IV - F major
V - G major
vi - A minor
vii - Bb5 (B with a flat fifth)


and then the basic progressions are shit like I - IV - V is the basic blues progression, ii - V - I is the basic jazz progression, I - V - vi - IV is a progression a lot of rock bands use (greenday - when i come around, the cars - just what i needed, etc.). Those are three good ones to start with. Once you understand those three, you'll start to realize half of the music you hear is based on those three progressions, no lie.

then just study your intervals and understand intervals, like C to G is a perfect fifth while C to E is a Major Third. Then when you see that a major chord is made of the i iii and v of a scale you'll know that a C major chord is the three notes C E G.


that's probably a solid enough start for you to get on your way.



to be honest tho, i kno a lot of theory from when i studied jazz and i barely ever use any of that shit producing.

 

[sYgMa]

Thx Rob... I'm not far enough to understand what you wrote there, but I'll get back to that when I'm there...


I'm still studying, but I'm just wondering... is there a difference in style (not in pitch) when playing on a different major scale...
I know that, when I get a melody in my head, I have to know in what scale it is, but besides that... if I know that it's a major or a minor scale, the rest is "transposable"... (I dont know if its the right term... changing the pitch...)

Just to make an exemple...

C E G: in C major is comparable to D F# A in D major

Am I right... or do I have all wrong ?

Acutally, I'm saying to myself that what I really need to learn is the keyboard and the chords, but not to write or read a music sheet, and most sites I found teach how to read and write...

 

[afriquedeluxe]

Thx Rob... I'm not far enough to understand what you wrote there, but I'll get back to that when I'm there...


I'm still studying, but I'm just wondering... is there a difference in style (not in pitch) when playing on a different major scale...
I know that, when I get a melody in my head, I have to know in what scale it is, but besides that... if I know that it's a major or a minor scale, the rest is "transposable"... (I dont know if its the right term... changing the pitch...)

Just to make an exemple...

C E G: in C major is comparable to D F# A in D major

Am I right... or do I have all wrong ?

Acutally, I'm saying to myself that what I really need to learn is the keyboard and the chords, but not to write or read a music sheet, and most sites I found teach how to read and write...

thats a very good technique if you have memorized all your scales on the keyboard (like classical musicians). but an equally powerful technique is to just use your ear, if you got a melody in your head, just use trial and error on the keyboard till it comes out. whatever melody you have in your head, you can transpose it to whatever key, but thats really pointless because you will have the same melody (unless you have a singer who cant sing high enough and they need the melody and progression transposed lower down). so yeah, sing out the melody or whatever and use trial and error to find the right notes, the more of this you do, the quicker you will get at it.

 

[Rob Kelly]

well a D major is going to be composed of the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the d major scale, just like any major chord. An F# major is just the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the F# major scale.


So a D major scale is D, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D right?

How do i know this, because a major scale is just:

the first note of the scale, whole step up, whole step up, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step back to the first note.

but anyways, the first third and fifth notes of the d major scale are D, F# and A, so a dmajor chord is just those three notes.

Its transposable to any key just like that. Music theory is more mathematical than you might expect.

 

[sYgMa]

well a D major is going to be composed of the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the d major scale, just like any major chord. An F# major is just the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the F# major scale.


So a D major scale is D, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D right?

How do i know this, because a major scale is just:

the first note of the scale, whole step up, whole step up, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step back to the first note.

but anyways, the first third and fifth notes of the d major scale are D, F# and A, so a dmajor chord is just those three notes.

Its transposable to any key just like that. Music theory is more mathematical than you might expect.

Yeah.. that, I already know... that's what I'm studying right now...
(you made a mistake though... D major scale is D E F# G A B C#.... only 2#)

but thanz that answered my question...



So, as I said, what songs could I check out (for beginners)

 

[Rob Kelly]

Yeah.. that, I already know... that's what I'm studying right now...
(you made a mistake though... D major scale is D E F# G A B C#.... only 2#)

but thanz that answered my question...



So, as I said, what songs could I check out (for beginners)

haha word, i was just spitting that out, at least someones paying attention. The best shit is study like "The White Album" for chord progressions. The Beatles are the kinGs of making simple pop songs. If you want a simple chord progression and a catchy melody, listen to the beatles. that's why people still talk about them today.

 

[sYgMa]

haha word, i was just spitting that out, at least someones paying attention. The best shit is study like "The White Album" for chord progressions. The Beatles are the kinGs of making simple pop songs. If you want a simple chord progression and a catchy melody, listen to the beatles. that's why people still talk about them today.

The White Album... from the BeatLess... well, for the sake of music...

Anything else.... pleeeeeease!

 

[Rob Kelly]

The White Album... from the BeatLess... well, for the sake of music...

Anything else.... pleeeeeease!

are you kidding?


well they're the best when it comes to what you're looking for. Even if its not your cup of tea, the beatles are studied in basically every single music college because of their unique chord progressions. I mean, maybe Ringo wasn't a good drummer but they did write some of the greatest pop songs of all time.

I guess Simon and Garfunkle or something like that. Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, any of those guys are good for basic chord progressions too.

but seriously, dont diss the beatles....

 

[sYgMa]

but seriously, dont diss the beatles....

I dont like them... that just me... and I think they are bEatLeSs... but that's my opinion, don't get mad

lol