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Is this a valid chord progression?

casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
edited September 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Or is it a crime against all theory (of which I know absolutely nothing!)


A C#m G D


it's the C#m to G that worries me...
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    who cares about theory if it sounds cool to you. that's all that matters.
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by exhausted
    who cares about theory if it sounds cool to you. that's all that matters.

    I'm not really sure if I like it. In power chords it sounds cool, but that's just power chords. Otherwise, I don't know. If you play the top 4 strings and only play the D in it's open form, it has this pretty neat descending sound, and then switching to power chords is a whole new and more explosive sound. Oh well, I suck anyway...

    and exhausted, are you a ghost or something. I never see your name on the top of the board, yet you post? Or are you just damn' quick?
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i think it's valid. again, if it works for you, it's all good.

    as for the ghost thing, i hate that 'users browsing this forum thing' so i've hidden myself.
  • dan_alivedan_alive Posts: 123
    It's like a weird wave.. I just tried it, pearl... weird though, i can't decide if it sits well... if you've got some effects there give it some chorus or something trippy.. (??)..

    let us know how you go :)
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    "It is I, with the empty bladder!"

    www.nowalletevolution.com
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by dan_alive
    It's like a weird wave.. I just tried it, pearl... weird though, i can't decide if it sits well... if you've got some effects there give it some chorus or something trippy.. (??)..

    let us know how you go :)

    Don't have any effects. :( and don't know if it sits well either. To hell, I like it well enough.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Its as valid as any of those ADTI chord progressions.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • dan_alivedan_alive Posts: 123
    hey don't misread me, i meant the sound didn't sit well with me.. as opposed to it being outright shitty.. ugh, i dig holes for myself..

    it's nearly boutique punk ;) hehe
    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
    "It is I, with the empty bladder!"

    www.nowalletevolution.com
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by dan_alive
    hey don't misread me, i meant the sound didn't sit well with me.. as opposed to it being outright shitty.. ugh, i dig holes for myself..

    it's nearly boutique punk ;) hehe

    Boutique punk :D

    I didn't misread you. I meant that it has a weird feeling about it, which could be good ofcourse.

    And euh... what is ADTI?
  • dan_alivedan_alive Posts: 123
    exactly my feelings too.

    have fun won't ya

    i gotta do this goddamn boring-as-hell-wondering-why-the-fuck-I-ever-chose-to-do-this-course kinda assignment.. only 900 words to go

    night :)
    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
    "It is I, with the empty bladder!"

    www.nowalletevolution.com
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Sorry ATDI. At the Drive In
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • robrob Posts: 142
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    Or is it a crime against all theory (of which I know absolutely nothing!)


    A C#m G D


    it's the C#m to G that worries me...

    It's only music "theory". Nobody's proven anything!
    So no crime has taken place.
    It sounds like a progression that should have a lot of wind in the background and a ship pitching in the high seas.
    ( I know, I've been sniffing the superglue again )
    How,,,,,did I GET here?!

  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by rob

    ( I know, I've been sniffing the superglue again )

    As long as you don't glue yourself to any bodyparts...
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    I always mess around with non-traditional chord changes...you have to in order to keep things interesting.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • matsmbmatsmb Posts: 6
    A and C# have the same notes (A major scale)
    a D in a G major scale is the main chord(along with C) I don`t remember what this theory is named in english(sorry)
    But who gives a fuck if it sounds cool, many hendrix songs are not logical and "right" if think music theory and All those yesterdays intro is wierd, but a damn cool song!!

    Just keep writing, and you will come with something really nice!!
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    TECHNICALLY: no, it's wrong. That looks like the key of D-major, in which the chords are:
    D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm, C#dim

    HOWEVER: like everyone else said, play it if it sounds right. Theory is a guide, you don't need to make your songs fit contemporary Western scales. Breaking chord theory was a big part of playing and writing punk music. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is one of the best-known riffs in music, and it's horribly wrong (theory-wise). But it sounds right!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • robrob Posts: 142
    Originally posted by pearlwax

    Or is it a crime against all theory (of which I know absolutely nothing!)

    A C#m G D

    it's the C#m to G that worries me... [/B]



    Ever Hear "Lay Lady Lay" By Bob Dylan? Just replace the D with Bm

    Or Drifting by Jimi Hendrix? Replace the D with G#m

    Or a lot of old live Frank Zappa.

    So you're legal Pearlwax. No hay problema. No cops coming to your house.............................................this time!
    How,,,,,did I GET here?!

  • justamjustam Posts: 21,412
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    Or is it a crime against all theory (of which I know absolutely nothing!)


    A C#m G D


    it's the C#m to G that worries me...

    When you move from A Major, to C# minor, to G major like that, what you really have (from a theoretical point of view) is one really huge chord. Not three different ones. (Because if you stack them up you have the individual notes --a-c#-e-g-b-d--which I think can be considered some kind of jazz chord like an A 11th or somethin'.)

    But certainly, if you like the way it sounds, you're not sinning against nature!! :D
    &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
  • robrob Posts: 142
    That's true, Justam, it is an A11th.

    Hey, maybe if pearlwax just plays an A11th, We could save some him some time, too! And he'd be playing jazz!

    By the way, Pearlwax, this thread is remaining civilized way longer than your "what good is this" one with the superglue!
    How,,,,,did I GET here?!

  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by rob
    By the way, Pearlwax, this thread is remaining civilized way longer than your "what good is this" one with the superglue!

    Jee thanks! And I might actually be learning something here. That is if someone could explain to me where to put the A11th (instead of the G), how to play it (like in tab) and (in plain English) why this would be a good thing?

    Maybe a little theoretical background wouldn't be so bad...
  • robrob Posts: 142
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    Jee thanks! And I might actually be learning something here. That is if someone could explain to me where to put the A11th (instead of the G), how to play it (like in tab) and (in plain English) why this would be a good thing?

    Maybe a little theoretical background wouldn't be so bad...

    I'm not a tabber, but at low E string, fret the 9th ( C# ). let all the other strings ring open. Hard eh!


    0 0 5 4 3 5,,,,,and get someone ELSE to play a C#

    or 5 5 5 6 5 7

    Another way would be to superglue the High E to the 9th fret,,,,oh never mind!

    Of course then you gotta find another jazz chord to play after that!
    How,,,,,did I GET here?!

  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    I think I'll just change the D into an E and the G into and G#m and strum 'Where is my mind' by the Pixies instead. That makes more sense ;)
  • BufaloBufalo Posts: 32
    Technically, D Major would be the root here, G Major Sus4 would be the 4th (major, suspended 4th), A Major7 would be the 5-chord (major, flat 7) and C# minor would be the 7th, so it'd be a minor with a diminished (flat) 2 and diminished 5. The C# scale would be C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. You'd want to play the C# probably at the 4th fret on the A string, G at the 5th fret of the D string (gives the chord its neccessary flat-5), B at the 4th fret of the G string (heheheh... "G-String..."), D at the 3rd fret of the B string (to give it the flat-2), and leave the E string ring open for the minor third.



    At least, if I was a guitarist and not a bassist, that's how I'd play it. :)
  • robrob Posts: 142
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    I think I'll just change the D into an E and the G into and G#m and strum 'Where is my mind' by the Pixies instead. That makes more sense ;)

    No No No, stick by your song! There're no rules. It's just a theory!
    It was Elvis and Miles Davis, the MC-5, Hendrix, Morrison and Zappa and so on breaking the rules in the 60's,
    The Sex Pistols, the Dead in the 70's,

    Well, maybe nobody broke them in the 80's, forget that decade!
    Ok, the hairdressers broke the rules in the 80's!

    Nirvana and Pearl Jam in the 90's,

    Pearlwax in the Oh's.

    Of course that leaves you and Pearl Jam the only ones alive.

    Never mind, Maybe you BETTER stick by the rules.
    How,,,,,did I GET here?!

  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by Bufalo
    Technically, D Major would be the root here, G Major Sus4 would be the 4th (major, suspended 4th), A Major7 would be the 5-chord (major, flat 7) and C# minor would be the 7th, so it'd be a minor with a diminished (flat) 2 and diminished 5. The C# scale would be C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. You'd want to play the C# probably at the 4th fret on the A string, G at the 5th fret of the D string (gives the chord its neccessary flat-5), B at the 4th fret of the G string (heheheh... "G-String..."), D at the 3rd fret of the B string (to give it the flat-2), and leave the E string ring open for the minor third.



    At least, if I was a guitarist and not a bassist, that's how I'd play it. :)

    Wow.... could someone tab this out for me? Here's what I started out with (and what sounded jiggly to me):

    5----4----3----2----
    5----5----3----3----
    6----6----4----2----
    7----6----5----0----

    On the D- and E-string it has a nice decending line, when on the bassnotes (which are not played but you can kinda feel it) you have another rythm.

    Voila, feel free to add or adjust....


    and in a answer to rob: I'd sure like to stick by the rules, if I knew and understood them, that is...

    So, euh, maybe we should just leave this thread alone now...

    Oh! and if I hear this chord progression in the near future, I'm sueing you guys for copyright :D
  • BufaloBufalo Posts: 32
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    Wow.... could someone tab this out for me?



    That chord I was plotting out would look like this


    E----0----
    B----3---- Index
    G----4---- Ring
    D----5---- Pinky
    A----4---- Middle
    E----X----
  • HoorayForHumansHoorayForHumans Posts: 151
    Originally posted by pearlwax
    Or is it a crime against all theory (of which I know absolutely nothing!)


    A C#m G D


    it's the C#m to G that worries me...

    what are you talking about? what theory? why does a chord progression worry you?
    this heart's on fire
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by HoorayForHumans
    what are you talking about? what theory? why does a chord progression worry you?

    For the obvious reason, cause I'm not sure if it sounds good.


    But anyway, I moved on in the meantime... Let this thread dissapear slowly, but surely.... :)
  • terminal velocityterminal velocity Posts: 73
    Originally posted by Bufalo
    Technically, D Major would be the root here, G Major Sus4 would be the 4th (major, suspended 4th), A Major7 would be the 5-chord (major, flat 7) and C# minor would be the 7th, so it'd be a minor with a diminished (flat) 2 and diminished 5.


    OMG. if you're going to wax intellectual about it, you need to know your shit.

    playing a 4th note on a IV chord would be a flat 7 to the tonic. out of scale. the V chord, you say AMaj7, then flat 7 in your parenthetical. flat 7 would be correct.




    anyway, I think the progression is fine. I actually like it more as full chords than powerchords. especially playing the first 3 as barred, then playing D open, with the low A. very cool sound
    wind howls through our new haircuts
    the water rushes 'round
    heaven knows there's not one thing left to say
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by terminal velocity
    I think the progression is fine. I actually like it more as full chords than powerchords. especially playing the first 3 as barred, then playing D open, with the low A. very cool sound

    Thanks, that's the way I also like it best. But it's strange that if you play an open G, it doesn't sound right.

    The rest of the post might as well have been in Chinese....
  • terminal velocityterminal velocity Posts: 73
    how are you playing your open G? with your B string open or fretted on 3? try using the opposite
    wind howls through our new haircuts
    the water rushes 'round
    heaven knows there's not one thing left to say
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