Which chord come next? my new song


Abadez
Registered User
Joined: 09/15/11
Posts: 14
Abadez
Registered User
Joined: 09/15/11
Posts: 14
09/17/2016 9:51 pm

Dears,

I have come up with nice chords as i decided to be one of my composed song, i started with (Bm, A, Em),

But i am confused which chord can be next? or is there a chord theory, i actually listened to the bonus I have given when I joined. i heard the whole clip, but still i dont know what is the theory behind ( Minors chord).

Please, i need answer in a simple clarification.

Many thanks
# 1
jarkko.eklund
Full Access
Joined: 09/25/13
Posts: 212
jarkko.eklund
Full Access
Joined: 09/25/13
Posts: 212
09/18/2016 6:44 am
Very interesting question. Here's my thoughts based on a harmonic function theory.

Your chord progression fits in to the key of B-minor.

i - ii° - III - iv - v - VI - VII
Bm-C#°-D-Em-F#m-G-A

First we translate the chord progession to diatonic function scale degrees.
Bm-A-Em is then i-VII-iv.

Scale degrees can be grouped to three harmonic functions
Tonic i, III and VI chords
Subdominant ii and iv chords
Dominant v and VII chords

Your chord progression i-VII-iv translated to harmonic function is
Tonic-Dominant-Subdominant

That is what you have. How to proceed from here?
The subdominant needs to be resolved. For instance you can create a harmony

Tonic-Dominant-Subdominant-Tonic, which in practice leads back to i (Bm) chord.

Another possibility is go from Subdominant to Dominant, and resolve it to Tonic
Tonic-Dominant-Subdominant-Dominant-Tonic
That gives two possible chords to follow Em, the v (F#m) of VII (A) chords.

Sometimes in minor keys the v chord is replaced (or borrowed from a harmonic minor scale) with the V chord, which sounds sometimes better than minor v. In the key of Bm that v->V would be using F# (major) instead of F#m.

Or you can take a look into a voice leading and using a secondary dominants. Whic is discussed on this topic
https://www.guitartricks.com/forum/thread.php?f=3&t=44759

I always think that fuctional harmony theory is only a framework, not the strickt rule.

Let your ears decide what sounds nice in the context.

Good luck for the song writing. Have fun!
# 2

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