Where do all those chords come from?

Rllink · Jan 13, 2015

For my example, I want to use the song, "Those Were The Days" from my Dailey Ukulele book. So two flats to start means that it is in the key of Bb. I'm good with that. So in the simplest form, the chords for the key of Bb would be Bb, Eb, and F. Not too complicated. Or we could go with a Bb, an Eb, and an F7. OK, or how about a Bb, GM, Eb, and an F?

So I understand the formula for that first progression. The second progression with the F7, well I assume that adding the 7 is just spicing it up, but I might be wrong there. But when we get to my example, we have progressions that have Gm, Gm6, Gm7,G, Cm, A7, D7, F, F7, Bb, and finally, a good old G7. Where did all these chords come from. I have this circular chart that I'm looking at, and some of these chords aren't even on it, so I can't see the relationships. I don't understand the logic I guess.

Down Up Dick · Jan 13, 2015

Hi, Rllink, you're not in the key of Bb; you're in the key if Gm. See if that works on your circular chart. Minor keys sound sad a lot. Can you hear it the song you mentioned. The last note in the song should be G.

Does that help?

ld:

cb56 · Jan 13, 2015

They are all built from notes in the scale.
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

If you harmonize the notes in the scale You get these triads (three note chords)
Bb D F = Bb
C Eb G = Cm
D F A = Dm
Eb G Bb = Eb
FAC = F
G Bb D = Gm
A C Eb = A dim

Sometimes additional note to the triad are added
The V 0r 5th chord of a scales usually has the 7th note of the scale added ( in this case F7) which would make a dominant 7 chord (F7)
Melody notes that are not part of the triad (3 note chord) can be added on top of the chord 6th chords 9th chords etc...
There is alot more to it but this is a simple as I can explain it. Maybe seek out a book on basic music theory if you want to understand further.
Hope this helped.

ALSO
Keep in mind that their is no rule saying you can't throw in any chord you want if you think it sounds good. Even if it doesn't fit into the key of the song.

Catulele · Jan 13, 2015

There are scale based chords which are various combinations of the notes in that Key. However it's really just whatever sounds good to the songwriter. They can use whatever notes they think sounds good and then figure out how to describe the chords.

One mistake I think people make (about music theory) is thinking the music is based on the theory when generally the theory is a description of the music.

Catulele · Jan 13, 2015

Yea. What he said.
cb56 Posted at the same Time!

wrestlingmatt51 · Jan 13, 2015

Yeah sometimes the song temporarily switches keys in the middle of a song, especially in jazz. Sometimes it's just one chord thrown in that sounds good. Someone who knows a lot about theory (like a music professor) could probably give an explanation for each instance of a chord not natural to the scale. But ultimately it just sounds good.

Rllink · Jan 13, 2015

You know, all of these responses have been helpful and added some sense to it. I would like to say that I see the light, but I am still working toward it. But you all have given me a direction, and I appreciate it.

Rllink · Jan 13, 2015

Down Up Dick said:
Hi, Rllink, you're not in the key of Bb; you're in the key if Gm. See if that works on your circular chart. Minor keys sound sad a lot. Can you hear it the song you mentioned. The last note in the song should be G.

Does that help? ld:

Yes it does.

Down Up Dick · Jan 13, 2015

If you don't wanna mess with theory, just play the chords that they give you. I have Theory for Dummies, but it's for people just starting out. I found it somewhat helpful for chords (two chapters), and a few other things.

Onward and upward. Keep on pluggin' away.

ld:

Canada Jim · Jan 13, 2015

cb56 said:
They are all built from notes in the scale.
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

If you harmonize the notes in the scale You get these triads (three note chords)
Bb D F = Bb
C Eb G = Cm
D F A = Dm
Eb G Bb = Eb
FAC = F
G Bb D = Gm
A C Eb = A dim

Sometimes additional note to the triad are added
The V 0r 5th chord of a scales usually has the 7th note of the scale added ( in this case F7) which would make a dominant 7 chord (F7)

To clarify this a bit, you get the F7 by counting up seven notes in the Bb scale at the top of the page, but you start counting at F, not Bb.

wrestlingmatt51 said:
Yeah sometimes the song temporarily switches keys in the middle of a song, especially in jazz. Sometimes it's just one chord thrown in that sounds good. Someone who knows a lot about theory (like a music professor) could probably give an explanation for each instance of a chord not natural to the scale. But ultimately it just sounds good.

Good point Matt. There are examples of modulations (key changes) in folkier tunes as well. Under The Double Eagle, a popular flat-pickin' tune among bluegrassers starts in C and goes to F.

Rllink · Jan 14, 2015

Down Up Dick said:
Hi, Rllink, you're not in the key of Bb; you're in the key if Gm. See if that works on your circular chart. Minor keys sound sad a lot. Can you hear it the song you mentioned. The last note in the song should be G.

Does that help? ld:

So how do you know that it is a Gm instead of Bb? Just by the tone?

seesar · Jan 14, 2015

Rllink said:
So how do you know that it is a Gm instead of Bb? Just by the tone?

Yes. Listen for the center. Almost always it is the last note of the chorus.

cdkrugjr · Jan 14, 2015

You also have the possibility of being in a new key, however temporarily. Look for accidentals in the melody, or for a 7 chord followed by the "right" major chord: If you're in C, and you have a section with a lot of D7-G, you're in G, no matter how short your meander is

ukingNHA · Mar 22, 2015

The Cm is just another way of naming Eb6. The A7, D7 change is part of a circle of fifths and one might have expected the rest to be G7 to C7 to F7 to Bb. I didn't look it up to seeif the melody suffests a key change.

Where do all those chords come from?

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