It's all in the chords .. or is it?

[Hugh-AR]

Chords in music are very much like paint used by artists. Yes, you could paint a picture just using the colours of the rainbow .. red. orange, yellow, green, blue, purple (?). But you know as well as I do that an artist will mix colours to get shades that blend well together and create a 'work of art' that truly rouses the emotions. Music is the same for a 'musician' and the true musician will be listening to the harmonies behind a melody. Most people will recognise a 'melody' but will they hear the harmonies that give richness to the piece they are listening to? Whenever I listen to music I am not really listening to the melody (even though the melody is the basis of the song) as it is the chord harmonies that tug at the heart strings. I never listen to the words .. just the music.

The videos below go into 'harmonies' created by playing notes and chords, and what better instrument to look at harmonies than the guitar? Understanding how chords sound on a guitar gives an insight into how we can try different chord structures on the keyboard and not just stick to the basics.

How Paul Simon wrote the PERFECT chord progression



BEAUTIFUL SPICY CHORDS (everyone should know!)

[Hugh-AR]

So what chords do we use when playing a song?

Listen to JohnT's recording of Que Sera Sera.

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https://app.box.com/s/4tmtxwhyxjyx1vupza6w2mne4hk8peim

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) was first published in 1956, which surprised me as I thought it was much earlier than that. The song was introduced in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), starring Doris Day and James Stewart in the lead roles.

In this clip from the film it would seem that this was still from an era when households had a piano, and guests would be 'entertained' by the ladies.



Any piece you play has chords to accompany the melody. So what chords should you play? If we have the sheet music up in front of us we can get the chords off that. Or maybe we play the notes 'as written', in which case we may not get specific recognisable chords. Or if we have a good understanding of chord harmony we can just listen to the piece and put in some suitable chords we know and recognise as the ones used. And we can go a step further and put in some harmonies of our own. But to my mind, all this has to be within reason. Some music has too many chord changes for me, and I think I would draw the line at eg. Big Band or Frank Sinatra arrangements where the order of the day seems to be to have a different chord on every beat of the bar.

For "Que Sera Sera" I have come across four pieces of sheet music, all 'Busker' type (ie. showing only melody line and chords). Three were showing what I call a 'basic' version; and one seemed to follow the chord changes as in the video clip with Doris Day and James Stewart.

Basic Version



Version with more chords








So I now have two different versions of Que Sera Sera as sheet music, but don't like either of them as they are. Don't like the 'plain C chords' in the first. I much prefer the 'changing' chords in the first part of the tune from the second. That sounds more like the video clip. But also, I don't like the Fs in the second. Much prefer Dm7, which is the chord they use in the first. But I think the most important chord (and the one not to leave out!) is the C#dim7 which is in the second version.

So here now is my take on Que Sera Sera, which is a mix of both sheets of music.

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https://app.box.com/s/syzxxgro9evkd2twcm7vf0pppq2qswlu

Listen in particular to that C#dim7 chord.

Here is Den playing this on his Tyros 4, following very largely the tempo and harmonies in the film. He says:

Just my version of the song. Others are too slow. It's a happy song. D.

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https://app.box.com/s/jhmqi3qc0p2aid6nbica8amk63vas6ae

"It's all in the chords .. or is it?" In Den's version it is definitely the TEMPO and 'brightness' of Den's playing that makes this song.

[Brian007]

Hi Hugh,

Very interesting and informative video, Chord progressions have always fascinated me and if your using an arranger keyboard they are basically the bread and butter of the piece your going to play and the melody is I suppose the filling in the sandwich ?

Thanks for posting this,

All the best, Brian007

[Hugh-AR]

A simple chord progression that forms the basis of many 'pop' songs is C - Am - Dm - G7. Of course you can play a chord progression in any key .. just 'transpose' the chords. Eg. In F it would be F - Dm - Gm - C7.

I have found Blue Moon played by Jacko (jackoj) on his Korg PA3X. Jacko says:

When I play this song I use the chords / C / Am / F / G7 / C / - nearly the same as you have suggested.

Listen to him playing Blue Moon using those basic chords:

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https://app.box.com/s/kpk0gz3z9o6x5awkmlhb

Looking for a version of Blue Moon on YouTube I have found this one.

Blue moon-By: Bobby Vinton



This follows that same chord progression, but if you listen very carefully he throws in an E7 followed by an Am at 0:47 and 0:48 .. and then continues with the original F and G7.

Now here is a version of this song that I have played choosing a piano to play the first part, and then I have switched to a 'polysynth' voice. At this point I have changed the Am in the chord progression to Gdim7, which gives the tune a sort of an 'uplift'. So I am playing this for two bars, C - Gdim7 - Dm - G7 .. and then I revert back to the Am for the tune to sound right.

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https://app.box.com/s/ybmhmvqloaimwc02yhco3a2hgud31120

Now listen to what a friend of mine, Clive Bishop (sadly no longer with us) has done with this song. He was a 'Jazz' player so has used chords to suit his style of playing.

Click the LINK below to listen. then click the 'back arrow' to get back to this page.
Clive Bishop playing Blue Moon

"It's all in the chords .. or is it?"

[barwonfan]

A big thank you, Hugh for posting this wonderful essay "It's all in the Chords...or is it?" I'm sure that it must have taken a lot of your time to collate. Although much of it is still well over my head I think that you have made the subject of chord progressions very palatable for a beginner like me, and I will certainly be referring to your post in the next week or so. I also like your title especially " or is it" J.T.

[Hugh-AR]

Thanks JT. Chords and harmony have always been my main love when listening to music. So 'blues' type music where the chords are just C, F and G have never held much interest for me. Here's an example of chords and harmony that is tops for me. Under the video the comments are:

This is truly one of the most satisfying musical numbers in the history of musical theater. I've heard it 500 times and I never tire of it. You cannot top this harmony. It cannot be done.

Lida Rose - Will I Ever Tell You -- Music Man 1962

[Hugh-AR]

Another striking combination of harmony is when you mix Minor and Major in a song. Here's one played by Brian007.

What makes this song is that walk-down with the changing chords. And then the change of key from minor to major. Have always really liked that one from The Kinks and you have certainly done this song justice. A good example of "It's all in the chords .. or is it?"

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https://app.box.com/s/r3tlm0jot4jquvk5lmdm759k8fu792dk

[lesh]

Hi Hugh,

Very interesting and informative section of the forum, will definitely follow, it is “All in the Chords” but understanding has always alluded me, best I can add to a song is Dm7 to G7.


Excellent topic

Les

[Hugh-AR]

Thanks Les.

I was playing a couple of chord with a Foxtrot rhythm, one after the other and got really hooked on the sound. The chords were Gm7 followed by C7 (and repeated); and then C7 followed by Gm7 (and repeated). This is what these two chords sounded like played one after the other.

Click the below to listen.
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Chord progression DEMO

I just sat there, mesmerised, playing these two chords. My wife was listening and said, "That sounds like Frank Sinatra's New York, New York". But as I was playing those chords another tune came to mind .. For Me And My Gal. As I 'play by ear' and know this tune well, I was able to start playing it ... and was able to play it right through with those two chords forming the basis of the song. Below is a recording of this song.

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Me And My Gal

So for me, this song is definitely a case of "It's all in the chords" .. or rather, "It's all in the constant switching of two chords one after the other" that makes it for me.

[mikeg]

Hi Hugh The Chords worked well for both tunes sounded great but the first song that came to me was Tea For Two Best Regards mikeG.

[Hugh-AR]

When we play something I'm sure we are all aware that the chords (ie. harmony) are not set in stone, and experimenting with chords can create a different 'feel' to a piece. Here is a very good example showing how to put different chords to a melody.

[Hugh-AR]

I have come across another YouTube video on putting different chords to the same melody .. Eleanor Rigby. Done by David Bennett. I wasn't going to include this .. but have because this is a very good example of how changing the chords can completely ruin a great song!

7 levels of reharmonising Eleanor Rigby



Hugh