31–40 of 49 posts
Though a bit more on the "actual implementation" side of things, there's an Australian group called "Axis Of Awesome" who did an interesting song called "Four Chords". It shows the use of a set of four common chords in a lot of different songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ
10/10, not least because MIDI export has been added to the editor sine the last time I looked. Now if only there were some way to redirect the MIDI under Windows 7 to something other than the Microsoft Wavetable synth, like an external MIDI port so I don't have to hear everything on that bad piano... One minor thing is that there could be a better way to browse by songs than just the top 10 and 10 most recent. Most o…
You can see the more recent and most popular analyses at www.hooktheory.com/analysis
Very relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I
Though a bit more on the "actual implementation" side of things, there's an Australian group called "Axis Of Awesome" who did an interesting song called "Four Chords". It shows the use of a set of four common chords in a lot of different songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ
This is exactly what I thought about when I saw the article :)
1. Start with any key. 2. Look up the relative minor. 3. Go one step to the right and/or one step to the left in the Circle of Fifths. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_fifths There, you have the most popular and pleasant-sounding chord progressions in any key. If you want funkier progressions, go further in the circle. Edit: The chords sound more jazzy when you go counter-clockwise (it is the circle-of-fourths)…
As a side note, movement by fourths sounds more jazzy or "warm" because the interval of a 4th is itself a "warm" sounding interval. So if you want a warm sounding chord, slap a 4th in there.
In practice this often means adding an 11th (an octave above). So let's say you have a standard C7 chord (C E G Bb), if you want to make it sound jazzy/warm then add the F above.
If you want to demonstrate how warm a 4th is (or to get the feel for any interval) stack them up and play them together - C F Bb Eb
Very relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I
It's my belief this is an oversimplification - many of these songs are written in different keys, which can create different sounds and feelings of songs. Sure, you can transpose them to a common key (as they've done here), but at that point, it's not really the same song anymore. Also, I've found that chord progressions can be quite flexible if only 'snip-its' of certain songs are being used, namely the standard chorus or verse. Much of the genius of songwriting comes in transitions or bridges.
I'm not denying this is not entertaining, and it works to an extent, but I would say that there is a degree to which this hinges on the widespread renown of these songs. It's not so easy to say they would have become so popular if they were all written in the same key, and not the one of the original artist.
Pop music is frequently spoken down upon, that it's 'talent-less' or 'garbage', but it really is like any other expert discipline - if it were so easy, there wouldn't be such a saturation of experts dominating the field. My opinion most of the talent is in production - Dr. Luke, Red One, Max Martin, etc.
Very relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I
It bothers me a bit when people link this to 'explain away' pop music. It's my belief this is an oversimplification - many of these songs are written in different keys, which can create different sounds and feelings of songs. Sure, you can transpose them to a common key (as they've done here), but at that point, it's not really the same song anymore. Also, I've found that chord progressions can be quite flexible if o…
Pop music and folk songs use common chord progressions with variations for the simple reason that such songs are easy to pick up and play. To that end, pop music is the opposite of an expert discipline, it is a form that is accessible to people who want to play music. That doesn't mean that a pop song can't be complicated or have lots of technical finesse, but that wouldn't be the typical kind of pop song people play.