Is this a mode?

[dogbluedrummer]

So most songs are written in a 1 4 5 progression, right?
I am playing a song that goes D D C D, D C G D.
It's in the key of D.

Would this be a mode of G, or just a funky chord progression?

[bassybill]

I think you should look up some online resources on basic theory about scales and their modes to help understand this sort of stuff. Try Wikipedia and start easy.

[dogbluedrummer]

So basically you don't know the answer, or this forum only serves as a means to redirect questions.
Just cracking on you a little. I DO need to know more theory, hence the question.

Perhaps I wasn't clear on my question. Let's Try again.
A song has a baseline that goes D C G D.
These are the chord notes written over the words on a chord sheet.

Is it possible the song is written in a key other than D?
Could it be in D and have a unique chord progression, other than 1 4 5?

[semajniwdoog]

It sounds like your in the key of G, provided all the chords are of major quality: G=I, C=IV, D=V. If you were in the key of D, the C would be C#. If D is minor, then your most likely in the key of C with a I ii V progression - two chords are often substituted for IV chords because of the similar nature.

[Lurker79]

The answer is yes. To everything. 8 million songs feature your chord progression. Whatever note the song ends with is your key.

[bassybill]

Okay, I'll bite.

No, not all songs have a "1 4 5" chord progression.
D D C D, D C G D is not "a mode of G".
From what you've written, it does sound like your song is in the key of D.
I don't think the word "unique" applies in this case.

My redirection of your question was meant to be helpful, and I still think it was.

[mambo4]

the keys of D or G are the safest bets.

the chords are all G major chords but the sequence doesn't Start on the I

D-D-C-D , D-C-G-D
in the Key of G would be:
V-V-IV-V, V-IV-I-V

But since it starts and ends on D it might be better to think of it as a D mixolydian based chord progression (which is a mode of G as you thought):

D D C D , D C G D
in the Key of D would be:
I-I-bVII-I , I-bVII-IV-I

If it were strictly diatonic to the key of D major, the C would have to be a C#(dim), but that would completely change the sound.

in short, I would call it a mode of G : D mixolydian.

That said, your note choices should be more dependent on the chord of the moment than what key or mode the overall progression is. I personally wouldn't think to hard about the specific mode of the piece unless explicitly called for.

[dogbluedrummer]

Originally Posted by bassybill

My redirection of your question was meant to be helpful, and I still think it was.

Yes, it was helpful. Truly, thank you.

[bobknowsbass]

Originally Posted by mambo4

the keys of D or G are the safest bets.

the chords are all G major chords but the sequence doesn't Start on the I

D-D-C-D , D-C-G-D
in the Key of G would be:
V-V-IV-V, V-IV-I-V

But since it starts and ends on D it might be better to think of it as a D mixolydian based chord progression (which is a mode of G as you thought):

D D C D , D C G D
in the Key of D would be:
I-I-bVII-I , I-bVII-IV-I

If it were strictly diatonic to the key of D major, the C would have to be a C#(dim), but that would completely change the sound.

in short, I would call it a mode of G : D mixolydian.

That said, your note choices should be more dependent on the chord of the moment than what key or mode the overall progression is. I personally wouldn't think to hard about the specific mode of the piece unless explicitly called for.

+1 to this

You may also be in a minor key. You didn't specify if the D,C and G were major or minor chords, probably just roots. Try running the d minor scale or the D dorian and see if the notes work in your bass fills. That is if your band allows you to do bass fills, in which case you might as well stick with not knowing any theory

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by mambo4

the keys of D or G are the safest bets.

the chords are all G major chords but the sequence doesn't Start on the I

D-D-C-D , D-C-G-D
in the Key of G would be:
V-V-IV-V, V-IV-I-V

But since it starts and ends on D it might be better to think of it as a D mixolydian based chord progression (which is a mode of G as you thought):

D D C D , D C G D
in the Key of D would be:
I-I-bVII-I , I-bVII-IV-I

If it were strictly diatonic to the key of D major, the C would have to be a C#(dim), but that would completely change the sound.

in short, I would call it a mode of G : D mixolydian.

That said, your note choices should be more dependent on the chord of the moment than what key or mode the overall progression is. I personally wouldn't think to hard about the specific mode of the piece unless explicitly called for.

I would call it D mixolydian, but I wouldn't bother with "mode of G". D mixolydian--in those cases when that's really what you're dealing with--is a tonality/modality of its own, it doesn't need to be referenced to any putative major scale of origin.

If you only ever play chord tones, all you need to know is what the chords are, but you often do need to be aware of the over(under)lying key/mode (when that can be clarified) because that affects how you connect and approach the chords and how you move the harmony along.

[slybass3000]

Yeah me too would see it as a D major/ Blues color implying a D mixolydian in the overall scale to choose from.

Obviously if the song resolves on a G, we are in G major with I-IV-V as chord functions. If not, it is kind of Blues with the (as written previously) I-bVII-IV chord progression. The bVII makes it Blues/Rock that imply mixolydian and Blues flavor as well.


Sly

[dogbluedrummer]

Thanks guys. I have been trying to play without getting caught up in the theory, and just trying to play what I hear in my head. This song was my first attempt to chart out a chord progression. I am not sure knowing mixolydian or diatonic modes will immediately make me a better player, but it sure won't hurt.

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by dogbluedrummer

Thanks guys. I have been trying to play without getting caught up in the theory, and just trying to play what I hear in my head. This song was my first attempt to chart out a chord progression. I am not sure knowing mixolydian or diatonic modes will immediately make me a better player, but it sure won't hurt.

Knowing that stuff will help avoid the wrong notes,even if there are no wrong notes if you know what to do with them.
But you can be sure that if you play the diatonic scales that go with a certain chord progression it will sound fine.
The rest is experimenting with it.

Sly

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by dogbluedrummer

I am playing a song that goes D D C D, D C G D.
It's in the key of D.

If those are all major chords, it's in G. A D scale would have a C minor, not C major.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

If those are all major chords, it's in G. A D scale would have a C minor, not C major.

No, not necessarily. A key is not determined solely by the chords/scale. It is also determined by the note that functions as the tonic/modal center. With the same three chords, you can have different tonalities/modalities if the resting note of the piece differs.

For example, if the key signature is the same as G major, but the tone on which the tune rests is not G but, say, D, you don't have G major in any meaningful sense. What you have instead is some kind of D, in this case D mixolydian.

The classic example of what I'm talking about is So What, which is in D dorian/Eb dorian/D dorian. The basic scales use the same notes as C major/Db major/C major, but because the tonal centers of those three sections are not the notes C/Db/C but the notes D/Eb/D, it would be a major error to think of those sections as being in C major/Db major/C major.

Granted, it's hard to be 100% certain without actually hearing the OP's example, but it's likely that something similar is happening here.

[Chris K]

Good posts, Richard. Music is full of other possibilities...

To just name one more: in much serious music of the last century there is no tonal center at all. Or no melody. Or no bass

We're heading for the void.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by Chris K

We're heading for the void.

Or we're already there....

[EADG mx]

Originally Posted by Lurker79

The answer is yes. To everything. 8 million songs feature your chord progression. Whatever note the song ends with is your key.

Oh, you didn't.