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ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > Do you know a good resource for learning this? |
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| Do you know a good resource for learning this? - Beginner Questions - Ukulele - Ukulele - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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ezmember Approved
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I have a question about the best (and easiest) way to learn how to add chords to a song that makes the song sound better. For example, in "Amazing Grace", you can play C for the first two words, Amazing grace....or...you can play C for "Amazing" and C7 for "grace", which makes it a lot prettier. Fake books are great, but don't always include those chords that make the song sound prettier. And I have trouble finding just what chord I need at a certain time in the song. You can play "Amazing Grace" with just three chords (C-F-C7) if you want, but it's boring and not very pretty sounding. But if you add a few other chords, it can sound so much better. So I guess what I'm asking is, when I'm playing the chords given in the Fake book, and the song needs those extra chords, I want to know HOW to form those extra chords I can hear in my head but don't know how to form? Is there any special resource that you have used that stands out in your mind for teaching this? The resource below appeared on another forum but I don't know if it does what I need it to do. I hope I've made myself somewhat clear about what I need to learn....finding chords that don't appear in the Fake book. Al's 'How to play ukulele chord progressions' e-book (http://howtoplayukulele.com/how-to-play-ukulele-chord-progressions/ Edit... There are many resource books and e-books that teach music theory, but can some of you give what you believe in your own opinion to be the best resource for learning the particular concept I described above? Last edited on Thu Mar 6th, 2008 07:08 pm by ezmember |
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Will Approved 
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Here's what I've learned entirely by ear, and not by any formal theory: 1. The definition of a chord is a blend of 3 or more notes. Chords played as song accompaniment are supposed to support the melody; therefore the melody note is usually part of the chord selected. Unfortunately, many fake books have "lazy" arrangements that do not always display the correct chord(s) to support the melody. 2. Learn to play the equivalent minor chords that match up to their respective major chords, and experiment with substituting Dm for F, Am for C, Em for G, etc. Sometimes it works and sounds good; sometimes it doesn't, but the way the melody is sung may give you a clue. In other words, try picking each string of the major chord and the equivalent minor chord and see if you can hear the melody note inside one of those chords. The chord that contains the melody chord is usually the correct chord. 3. Many pop songs, especially if the melody is sung with "flattened" notes, will use a 7th chord for the V chord. For example, a song in C may sound better if you play a G7 instead of a G chord. 4. You've already discovered this: sometimes a 7th chord following a I chord sounds good before changing into the IV chord; i.e. C - C7 - F 5. The diminished chord harmonizes with flattened notes, and can sometimes be the magic chord that works for that note. I made use of the diminished chord is this by-ear arrangement that I wrote for Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Bali Hai" from the musical South Pacific: http://servercc.oakton.edu/~billtong/chord-lyrics/Bali_Hai_in_C.pdf Last edited on Fri Mar 7th, 2008 06:07 am by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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ezmember Approved
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Your Bali Hai is a good representation of just what I'm talking about. I just printed it out....thanks  The Cdim is perfect where you put it. Can you imagine using a major chord there.... Thanks for all the suggestions, which I shall study out!
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neilg Approved
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I'd just like to add that the note you sing can be part of the chord and not necessarily represented in the played chord. For example, if you sing a Bb and play a C chord, you have a C7 chord. This opens up even more possibilites for harmonization, and the possibilities are indeed endless.
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| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > Do you know a good resource for learning this? | |
