All my music sounds the same..help?

[Titovonb24]

I have written three decent songs for my band to play. The first one had a chord scheme of C-G-A-F. That song brewed for a while, then I wrote another with a jam session in our band. This one turned out being C-G-A-E. I had noticed originally how similar they were, and decided I'd leave it be. Now today, I wrote the words and melody to another song, hoping to get down some chords when I got home. These turned out being D-A-B-G. All these chords move in the exact same progression, and to me no other progression I've made sounds right...

Can anyone tell me why every song I write (all with distinct melodies that are clearly different from one another) ends up with the same progression? I wanna rewrite this song somehow but I just have no idea what to do or why all my music sounds the same. I'm a novice in terms of music theory, so forgive me for needing immense amounts of clarification

[Rockman]

Are they all major chords? Thats one thing that could make you not like other progression, not fitting with a classic diatonic scheme.

[plangentmusic]

Works for Springsteen.

[Titovonb24]

The ones I've written? Yes, sadly, they are all major chords...I have other songs that incorporate minors, but these three songs are too closely related to be allowed their progressions, if that makes any sense.

[puddin tame]

i'm guessing you haven't been playing that long.

practice, listen actively to as much different music as possible. experiment. no quick fix

[trthorol]

You should trying playing around with chordmaps:

http://www.chordmaps.com/chartmaps.htm

it could help break you out of your rut.

Also dont forget its not just the chord progression its also how long you hold each chord.

[Titovonb24]

I've been playing for a year and a half, i've just really neglected learning any theory (and that which I have learned I forget quickly)...

[puddin tame]

year and a half isn't that long

[Mark Wilson]

Man, make it about the lyrics.
I don't think Bob Dylan knows more than three chords...

[greenboy]

Melody, countpoint, rhythm, pacing, spacial changes... modes, riffs, hooks, approaching writing from a different starting point... if you listen to a lot of kinds of music and see how the good stuff is realized a lot of different ways and from different "ideas", you can begin to branch out. Also don't discount forcing some quirkiness into what you are doing at first just to shake free of the burdens of convention.

[JimmyM]

learn new chords.

[MattyBass]

2 of your songs are what I call the conspiracy riff.. 1-5-7-4
It's the progression that every band uses as there hit single...
It sounds nice and people always like it.. but it is the most unoriginal chord progression ever, besides for maybe the 1-4-5 blues progression..

when you don't truly understand music and what a diminished or 7chord or augmented5th with a flat7 is, then you only have a basic knowledge of melody, meaning most everything you sing will be in this simpler vein of melody and cooler chord changes wont work with your melody because it is so 1 dimensional even though it might sound different it's very similar..

For example your song G-C-A-F and D-A-B-G are literally the exact same progression just in a different key..

I recommend writing your chord progression first then write your melody based of those chords... and make sure that you don't use the same 1-5-7-4 progression..

Don't worry everyone starts out writing the way yo do, just try a different approach and you will get different results.. I recommend learning some basic theory then you'll know how each note relates to eachother and you can write different sounding material..

I hope this was helpful...

[cire113]

Who cares what the progression is if it sounds good it sounds good...

Most progressions are used over and over again... but the lyrics and change in rhythm make them all sound unique in their own respect

[fenderhutz]

Yes that riff can be heard on every popular radio station for country, rock, etc probably 5 times if not more per hour. Some bands just save it for the chorus, other bands like Blink 182 (and other pop/punk acts) use it for just about everything in some form. Most of the time on the radio you hear it in the DABG, AEF#D, or CGAmF approach. I mean thousands of popular songs use this and could possibly be why you are using it. Instead of focusing on chord structures try focusing on rhythm and timing. Having a creative guitarist helps as well. You get some amazing sounds using that chord structure with a scale walk up or walk down while the guitarists just plays some arpeggiated progression. You can play the same song 6 different ways at a club with different lyrics and chances are no one will notice.

[HeadyVan Halen]

A new progression I invented was the II-V-I..never heard anyone do that before. You should try it. It might be copyrighted however..

Seriously, write in some minor keys and don't be afraid to use the 'black' keys..Sharps and flats..If I hear 1 more guy play open C or G on an acoustic.....it will be alot of times.

[plangentmusic]

Two words -- relative minor.

[Rudreax]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

learn new chords.

+1