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“The rules will be broken…”. Learn the rules-so you know how better to demolish them! The following assumes some music knowledge. If you don’t have it- google!
“Diatonic”= Rule One: Everything arrives from the key center!
Consider that this is a “diatonic “composition. Are there exceptions to this rule in the composition? Yes. Exceptions grow out of ear fatigue and boredom, and because of application of another rule.
Rule Two: “Never repeat significant elements in your composition more than three times without deviation”. (Glad that’s over I was feeling sick)
Lets talk notes…
C D E F G A B C The chords come from stacking thirds.
The first guitar part repeats two chords a lot. Let’s agree this is a vamp.
Vamp: C maj7 – Dmin7 Or pitches CEGB and DFAC , repeated as necessary to establish the groove. The first chord is the tonic, or key center, the second is the two chord. A vamp sets the stage for the vocalist or melody, is a great place to set the agenda for your composition. Listen to post one and see how I handled the task of opening the piece on the vamp….
Note: If you hear this vamp as Imaj7 IVmaj7 don’t fret. The D in the bass in the difference, the chords are identical and can be substituted for each other at any time.
Walk Down: There is a section that “walks down” to the tonic, or key center, before the vamp repeats. Also called a “turn around” some “changes” or “shifts”. Everyone uses different words; a white collar musician might call it a “plagal cadence”, we are going to say “walk down”.
FACD + EGBD + DFAC+ GBDF + (diminished walk up) + tonic
IV III II V Dim7 chord re-voiced in succession up the neck
Okay, this walks down the scale from Fmaj7 to Cmaj7. So we have to write:
Fmaj7+ E minor7+ D minor 7+ Gmajor7 +diminished walk up arrives at tonic
The walk up is easy, make the chord BDFA (A flat or natural) right under the familiar grip chord for C and then move it up four frets each time until your ear tells you-“Hey, we are back to C”.
Latin Jazz feel: Vamp until ready: Imaj7 IImin7
Walk: IVmaj7 IIImin7 IImin7 Vmaj7 (Dim7)
All these chords are re-voiced as I play them, I am lazy, so, I change the roots under them like a bass player as I shuffle the order of the notes. So the tonic is voiced CEGB, EGBC, GBCE and BCEG. All are equally good ways to play the chord, play a lot and your voicings and favorite patterns will emerge…. Until that happens change the voice at the bar lines.
We will study some rhythm next. Dig the changes so far. Train your ear to hear the root movement, and the chords without the root movement. This is harder than it seems, and will require you to actively listen all the time, until this becomes second nature.
Every woman’s voice is musical. What notes does that special one use most? What kinda tone does she have? Ladies from Georgia literally sing as they speak. Try to be pitch aware at all times. What pitch does the dog bark at? Notice how the pitch of a jet changes as it flies over the house? Starts as A flat and goes down a whole tone….
Daug
“Diatonic”= Rule One: Everything arrives from the key center!
Consider that this is a “diatonic “composition. Are there exceptions to this rule in the composition? Yes. Exceptions grow out of ear fatigue and boredom, and because of application of another rule.
Rule Two: “Never repeat significant elements in your composition more than three times without deviation”. (Glad that’s over I was feeling sick)
Lets talk notes…
C D E F G A B C The chords come from stacking thirds.
The first guitar part repeats two chords a lot. Let’s agree this is a vamp.
Vamp: C maj7 – Dmin7 Or pitches CEGB and DFAC , repeated as necessary to establish the groove. The first chord is the tonic, or key center, the second is the two chord. A vamp sets the stage for the vocalist or melody, is a great place to set the agenda for your composition. Listen to post one and see how I handled the task of opening the piece on the vamp….
Note: If you hear this vamp as Imaj7 IVmaj7 don’t fret. The D in the bass in the difference, the chords are identical and can be substituted for each other at any time.
Walk Down: There is a section that “walks down” to the tonic, or key center, before the vamp repeats. Also called a “turn around” some “changes” or “shifts”. Everyone uses different words; a white collar musician might call it a “plagal cadence”, we are going to say “walk down”.
FACD + EGBD + DFAC+ GBDF + (diminished walk up) + tonic
IV III II V Dim7 chord re-voiced in succession up the neck
Okay, this walks down the scale from Fmaj7 to Cmaj7. So we have to write:
Fmaj7+ E minor7+ D minor 7+ Gmajor7 +diminished walk up arrives at tonic
The walk up is easy, make the chord BDFA (A flat or natural) right under the familiar grip chord for C and then move it up four frets each time until your ear tells you-“Hey, we are back to C”.
Latin Jazz feel: Vamp until ready: Imaj7 IImin7
Walk: IVmaj7 IIImin7 IImin7 Vmaj7 (Dim7)
All these chords are re-voiced as I play them, I am lazy, so, I change the roots under them like a bass player as I shuffle the order of the notes. So the tonic is voiced CEGB, EGBC, GBCE and BCEG. All are equally good ways to play the chord, play a lot and your voicings and favorite patterns will emerge…. Until that happens change the voice at the bar lines.
We will study some rhythm next. Dig the changes so far. Train your ear to hear the root movement, and the chords without the root movement. This is harder than it seems, and will require you to actively listen all the time, until this becomes second nature.
Every woman’s voice is musical. What notes does that special one use most? What kinda tone does she have? Ladies from Georgia literally sing as they speak. Try to be pitch aware at all times. What pitch does the dog bark at? Notice how the pitch of a jet changes as it flies over the house? Starts as A flat and goes down a whole tone….
Daug
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Mike_Lynn
Your song description is very interesting and even educational. The chording is good but the song is a bit too short for a full comment at the moment. Look forward to your completed version. Cheers / Mike