So sayeth the great
Verses and Choruses
Ok. I'm aware of how stupid this sounds but in my writing it seems I us the same progressions for both verse and chorus with slight rhythm changes. I can't seem to get out of this habbit. Are there any guidelines that govern if you have a key and a progression what other progressions work well with it?
# 1
You know, I think it's fine to do that with a song, as long as you're careful not to get boring.
# 2
I do the same thing
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that life is one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead.
Rock stars ... is there anything they don't know?
Rock stars ... is there anything they don't know?
# 3
Nothing wrong with that, blues music does it all the time. If you still want to try something different. There's a hundred different progressions out there, choose one. Chord progressions don't have to mimic each other, change is good.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 4
# 5
There are a bunch of ways to get around that, I know exactly the wall you have hit. Here are a couple:
1) Go look up a ton of old Beatles songs. Figure out the key they are in, notice the pattern of what chords are in the verse (ex: 1 and 4) and what chords are in the chorus (ex 4, 5, and 7). Start with "Let it Be" for a good example of how to use the same chords in a different order. Also check out the Bare Naked Ladies "The Old Apartment".
2) An easy way is to use the 1 and 4 in the verse and the 4, 5 and 6 in the chorus.
3) I sometimes use the second or third chord in a verse as a jumping off to the chorus.
The one thing I have found is the more I learn about music theory the more I can write. It's not so much to more esoteric stuff but the simple structure behind the music you hear everyday. If you find a riff or a chord progression that sounds good to you, go find out how to play it then spend some time figuring out the key and which notes the artist used. Think to yourself "how does that work?" and go from there.
Isn't this great?
Drew
1) Go look up a ton of old Beatles songs. Figure out the key they are in, notice the pattern of what chords are in the verse (ex: 1 and 4) and what chords are in the chorus (ex 4, 5, and 7). Start with "Let it Be" for a good example of how to use the same chords in a different order. Also check out the Bare Naked Ladies "The Old Apartment".
2) An easy way is to use the 1 and 4 in the verse and the 4, 5 and 6 in the chorus.
3) I sometimes use the second or third chord in a verse as a jumping off to the chorus.
The one thing I have found is the more I learn about music theory the more I can write. It's not so much to more esoteric stuff but the simple structure behind the music you hear everyday. If you find a riff or a chord progression that sounds good to you, go find out how to play it then spend some time figuring out the key and which notes the artist used. Think to yourself "how does that work?" and go from there.
Isn't this great?
Drew
# 6
There are no rules for a good/great song. If it sounds good go for it. It doesn't have to be complicated to rock.
# 7
Originally Posted by: zackspazzThere are no rules for a good/great song. If it sounds good go for it. It doesn't have to be complicated to rock.
Oh so true ... The Ramones made a career based off this concept
# 8
# 9
One way to find chords that fit what you are playing is to just write down the chordal scale of whatever key your are in. After you do that just play what you wrote down to see which chords sound good. message me on aim if you have any questions on it
# 10
To the original question...don't forget 'bridges','breakdowns','interludes' and other general 'fills' that can change a song from one tempo/key/felling to nearly anything you want.Choppy rhythms,staccato licks,polyrhythmic shifts...all can blend a verse or chorus to one another.
Try not to forget the drums and bass ALONE can change the feel so that a verse can become a very unique chorus(and vice-versa)with minimal change on the guitars part too.
Try not to forget the drums and bass ALONE can change the feel so that a verse can become a very unique chorus(and vice-versa)with minimal change on the guitars part too.
Try once,fail twice...
# 11
You can't get around it because of this reason:
People like to hear repeating harmonies.
When you build a progression that you like and play it, you get used to it and it starts sound a little cooler each time you play it. You accept it as part of the song. After you hear the harmony enough times going into a different harmonic section isnt going to sound appropriate. It sounds alien. There are ways around this. I would search for music theory on the net man. I would tell you how I get around it but then we would both sound the same. Which wouldn't do you or me any good.
People like to hear repeating harmonies.
When you build a progression that you like and play it, you get used to it and it starts sound a little cooler each time you play it. You accept it as part of the song. After you hear the harmony enough times going into a different harmonic section isnt going to sound appropriate. It sounds alien. There are ways around this. I would search for music theory on the net man. I would tell you how I get around it but then we would both sound the same. Which wouldn't do you or me any good.
Bass guitar is the answer to everything
# 12
