chord progressions and power chord alternatives

hey guys, I wanna know more about actually writing chord progressions for guitar. I know about writing standard I-IV-V-I kind of major/minor triad chord progressions, but doing this on the guitar sound kind of... how do you put it... gay. The problem is that there's way too much of an aural effect on major minor chords, that is to say that whole thing about major chords sounding happy and minor chords sounding sad. I listen to mainly metal, and I want to write some really 'hard' chord progressions to put solos over, without so much of an emotional effect (but a kind of gloomy/evil/heavy aura would be quite nice).

Also, I'm pretty tired of this whole 'power chord' buisness. Anyone got some good alternatives for this over-used chord? I like the inversion with the fifth on the top, it sounds very 'evil.' Anybody know anything like that?

Thanks alot!

Hmm..Ok I'll give you something to work with since I too went through a phrase where I wanted to play nothing but "hard" as hell sh^t. Just an idea, but you can defintely play some heavy evil sounding stuff like this. First detune your guitar down 3 steps (C# F# B E G# C#). Now write a stardard song in the key of B minor (the dark black key). If you know your theory, C# is a diminshed chord in B minor. So when you play the low C# don't play a power-chord, play a tri-tone. Here's what it looks like.


C#:-----
G#:-----
E:---0-- <~optional
B:---2--
F#:--1--
C#:--0--


Even try playing it as a half-diminished chord (C#7b5). So now that you've seen what that does, when you come to chord progressions. The diminished chord is what I think your looking for. Like the chord above. It's dark and it's heavy. Dominant chord are also good too. Try this chord progression with the chord I showed you above. Bm7 - Gm7b5 - C#m7b5 - F#7. That should be dark and heavy enough, and hopefully you dig it and it helps. :)

[Edited by noticingthemistake on 06-25-2003 at 11:06 PM]

Dude, you are my hero. How do you know so much theory? Did you take classes, or just read a lot?

*bows*

:D

I bow as well... in envy

I read but some of them just don't sink in. Gets annoying, but hopefully my new guitar teacher can show me visually by referring to the fretboard :D

Haha. Whoa! Thanx. Just trying to help. :) I took a few classes, but most of what I learned I figured out myself. It just makes sense to me, I guess I just got lucky. I got one book that helped alot but it's just a journal that has been in my family for years. That and I got absolute pitch and really good relative pitch. That's helps out more than anything.

Yeah it is easier to have someone show you visually, somethings that stumped me made sense once I was shown, or I had a chance to talk to someone personally about it. Even writting posts is kind of hard.

Another thing that is good in writting heavy stuff is to use your blues scales. One example, Black Sabbath, although their music now is kinda boring to more contemporary metal. The idea of utilizing blues scales can add to a metal style of playing. Especially over a major chord, the blues note adds a dark doomier sound. Here's just a simple example.


chord-C#m-----C#M-----C#m-----F#m---------
scale-C#min---C#Mblue-C#min---F#min-blues-
d:----------------*-----------------------
a:----4-6-7-6-4-7-8-7-4-6-7-6-4-33-0-3----
e:----------------------------------------


* Listen how the F makes that particular part darker than if you were to play F# instead. Which would make it major sounding. The major blues note (b3) is a good way to turn what would be a major happy chord into a darker sounding chord. This even works with heavy palm muting sequences. Say you write a song in C# minor, and you didn't detune your guitar. It's still in E. Well E major is the relative key of C# minor, so you could use an open E for palm muting and apply the major blues note like this:


g:----*-blues note----------------
d:--6-5-4-------------------------
a:--6-5-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---------
e:--4-3-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-..cont.-
pm------------|


So instead of an E major sounding sequence, it's sounds alot more minor. A good heavy and simple riff, and you'll probably seen something like it. It's a great way to metalize a major chord. Works great if your coming from C# minor chord (relative minor) too. Just play C# then G#, G, F#... C#minor is a great key for metal. I think of the C# as the "devils note", because it's got a strong sound to it with a darker edge. Hope that helps.

I'm not sure how to put tab on here ,but I'll try and explain and someone will be able to further elaborate on it.I like this chord it's an iversion with the 5th on topand it has a 9th I believe play your index barring the 5th fret(as an example)and whatever fingers feel comfortable at the 7th fret on the 4th and 3rd strings and move it around it sounds evil with heavy dist.

[Edited by Auron on 06-27-2003 at 12:32 AM]

Is this the chord Auron?


e:--5----
b:--5----
g:--7----
d:--7----
a:--5----
e:--5----


That's an Dsus2/A or Asus4. Yeah that can sound pretty evil. Just quote my post and you can see how I wrote the tab.

yep that's the one thanks for showing me how to use tab.

I hate doing this. but

code:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------e:--5----
b:--5----
g:--7----
d:--7----
a:--5----
e:--5----
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's an Dsus2/A or Asus4. Yeah that can sound pretty evil. Just quote my post and you can see how I wrote the tab.
__________________

This is not either or neither. Partly the nature of the change. Partly where and how it's played or written.
Dsus2 must be new writing and added confusion. In traditional writing and notation a sus 2 is a 9th (regardless of octave). Traditionally, a suspended 9th or 2nd, resolves to the root. Most often called a sus9, can resolve upward to maj or min third. Asus4, I am more readily agreeable, depending on where it is going. The assumption is that A is the bass.
The suspension is D. Normally, resolves to A7, (4th D to C#), but quite frankly, can go anywhere. Suspensions or suspended chords are ambiguous. They are an effect chord with an effect resolution. Naming them is a process of harmony. Where are they going?

This is not either or neither. Partly the nature of the change. Partly where and how it's played or written.
Dsus2 must be new writing and added confusion.

To save confusion of getting into advanced theory. Suspension chords usually stay on the same root. A Dsus2 chords' later chord would still be a D chord. A D9 may change to a completely different chord, like E(something). Asus9, I've never heard it called this, but it's the same thing. Like you said it's just a writing thing based on where it's going or where it came from.

Asus4, I am more readily agreeable, depending on where it is going. The assumption is that A is the bass.
The suspension is D.

Well "A" would have to be the bass note, it's not written otherwise. If the bass note was E, it would be written as
Asus4/E. Or if E was the chord it would be also named a E7sus4/A. The range of names of any given chord is almost ridiculous until you understand why they are all named differently.

I guess what I'm actually saying, is the chord could go just about anywhere. Our modern ears are more willing to accept new ideas. Take the same chord and resolve to Eb/Bb.
A real neat sound and color. I think suspensions are really nice for effect and affect.

This is an old thread. I don't think you all are still following it, but someone new may read it and want more information.

GUITAR CHORD PROGRESSIONS AND PLAYING BY NUMBERS
All players, of any style of music, should learn how the major scale is used to build chords. The numbered sequence that emerges is one of the most important things in all of music. Developing an understanding of guitar theory, applying scales, modes, improvising and composing all stem from guitar chord progressions and playing by numbers.

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to get a metally "evil" sound, you might try a lot of flat 5's flat 3's and flat 2's,


here is a flat 5, --0------6---

flat 3, ---0------3---

flat 2 -----0---1---

and im not sure what the chord is called that i use but i like this one the best,
(low 3 strings)


-------7---------
-------3---------
-------5---------


and of course the dissonant chord which is used a ton in metal, especially band like oh, sleeper, and the dillinger escape plan
(low 2 strings)

----------3---------
----------7---------

Originally Posted by: jamesplaysgitar

and im not sure what the chord is called that i use but i like this one the best,
(low 3 strings)


-------7---------
-------3---------
-------5---------


and of course the dissonant chord which is used a ton in metal, especially band like oh, sleeper, and the dillinger escape plan
(low 2 strings)

----------3---------
----------7---------

The first is a minor chord, 5th omitted, doubled at the octave.
So, an Am(No5th)

And the second is a minor 2nd.

Just in case you wanted to know.