Writing a melody/chords for Theory class

[Mahumadi]

Im taking a theory class at the local comm. college and we are to write a melody with some chords thrown in. When it comes to chords, do all 7 and minor/major chords of a certain key go together? Meaning, if im in the key of A would A maj, A min, A dim, A aug, A7, Am7, Adim7, etc. all go together? Or do certain 7th chords/extensions not fit together melodically? Im assuming they do because they are all in the same key. Any insight would be helpful, thanks!

[Richard Lindsey]

No, they don't. They all have the same root note, which is NOT the same as being in the same key. Check out some of the sticky threads at the top of this subforum.

[tomas_almeida]

No definetely not. Only if you have fantastic arranging skills and can make those sound together in a good way. That's simple theory, there's a lot of that information on the internet. Start by learning the major scale and the modes in it. Then learn how to build chords from the scale. Then learn how to organize chords in a particular order so that they sound good.

Hope I helped a little.

[Mushroo]

If it sounds good, it is good... write an example that uses all those chords and sounds good and I will give you an A+.

Seriously, slow down and start by learning the major triads and minor triads that are diatonic to a key. This falls under the category of "diatonic harmony" and there are lots of good stickys on the topic. Don't even worry about 7th chords, augmented, diminished, etc. until you have the basic major and minor triads down cold. Pick a really easy song that you know well and figure out what the chords are.

Good luck!

ps You should be asking these questions in class... it is the teacher's responsibility to teach you the skills you need to complete the assignment.

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by Mahumadi

Meaning, if im in the key of A would A maj, A min, A dim, A aug, A7, Am7, Adim7, etc. all go together?

As mentioned, that is not how keys define your choice of chord flavors.

The chords "in the key of A" are all built using only the notes of the A major scale. Build the chords by using every other note, also called "stacking thirds"

the notes are:
A B C# D E F# G#

so the chords are:
I : A major (A C# E)
ii: B minor (B D F#)
iii: C# minor (C# E G)
VI: D major (D F# A)
V: E Major (E G B)
vi: F# minor (F# A C)
vii: G# diminished (G# B D)

For seventh chords, you just continue to add the next third in the sequence:

I : A major 7(A C# E G)
ii: B minor 7(B D F# A)
iii: C# minor7(C# E G B)
VI: D major 7(D F# A C#)
V: E Dominant 7(E G B D)
vi: F# minor 7(F# A C E)
vii: G# diminished 7(G# B D F)

Notice that the V chord (E Dom 7 in the key of A) becomes a dominant seventh chord. Use ful when you are about to return to the I

The theory behind this is elaborated in many posts in the GI forum. I suggest searching for JTE's posts.

[Mahumadi]

I think I understand Mambo. So, if I were to write in A, the chords you wrote would work because they all have the same notes which occur in the A major scale? This makes it very clear, thank you!

[Mahumadi]

I should have stated, I know the major and minor scale, how to build chords from each, and I know all key signatures from Maj/relative minor/parallel minor. Therefore, I can take any key and by stacking thirds I can distinguish which chords are formed from each stacking of 3rds and can in turn realize exactly which chords fit in each key signature. I love it when things make sense haha its the long road getting there that sucks. Thanks Mambo!

[Mahumadi]

So, I did a brief exercise in the key of C.

C maj - CEG
D maj - DF#A
D maj - EG#B
F maj - FAC
G maj - GBD
A maj - AC#E
B maj - BDF#

How does that look?

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by Mahumadi

So, I did a brief exercise in the key of C.

C maj - CEG
D maj - DF#A
D maj - EG#B
F maj - FAC
G maj - GBD
A maj - AC#E
B maj - BDF#

How does that look?

Wrong, unfortunately. That's not the key of C. To be in the key of C, you would have to use just the notes in that key. Meaning no sharps or flats, just C D E F G A B. Hence:

C maj = C E G
D min = D F A
E min = E G B
F maj = F A C
G maj = G B D
A min = A C E
B dim = B D F

[Mahumadi]

I noticed something and made corrections:

Cmaj: CEG
Emin: EGB
Faug: FAC
Gmin: BGD
Amaj: AC#E
Bmin: BDF#

[Mahumadi]

oh man im totally off. So frustrating!!!!!!!

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by Mahumadi

I noticed something and made corrections:

Cmaj: CEG
Emin: EGB
Faug: FAC
Gmin: BGD
Amaj: AC#E
Bmin: BDF#

Still way off, for the same reasons. And the chord names aren't right; eg, FAC is F maj, not F aug, and GBD is G maj, not G min. Sorry.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by Mahumadi

oh man im totally off. So frustrating!!!!!!!

Look, it's not that hard. Just write out the notes of the given major scale. Give yourself two octaves.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

Then take notes 1-3-5, notes 2-4-6, notes 3-5-7, notes 4-6-8, notes 5-7-9(2), and so forth. There are the chords in the key, right there.

If you want to try it with 7th chords, do 1-3-5-7, 2-4-6-8, 3-5-7-9(2), and so on.

[Mahumadi]

ok here goes

D major scale DEF#GABC#

Dmaj: DF#A
Emin: EGB
F#min: F#AC#
Gmaj: GBD
Amaj: AC#E
Bmin: BDF#
C#dim: C#EG

tell me in right haha im feelinjg good about this one. Its finally clicking

[Mahumadi]

Another

Bb major scale

Bb C D E F G A Bb

Bbmaj: BbDF
Cmaj: CEG
Dmaj: DFA
Edim: EGBb
Fmaj: FAC
Gmin: GBbD
Amin: ACE

[Mahumadi]

I feel I have this down, thanks for the explanations Richard L. very helpful!

[Sathington W.]

You may find that instead of a diminished 7th, a half-diminished (aka the "Hendrix chord") might sound better. The formula for that would be 1-b3-b5-b7 instead of bb7.
Its also more commonly used, so your ears will be more acclimated to it.

[Freddels]

The D major one is good except I would call the Gmaj a G dominant as that is it's role in the scale but you are correct in that GBD make a G major triad.

The Bb one is incorrect b/c you left out the Eb.

Just b/c you change keys the type of chord shouldn't change.

I maj
ii min
iii min
IV maj
V Dom
vi min
vii dim

[MalcolmAmos]

Bookmark this
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/...ord-chart.html

http://www.smithfowler.org/music/Chord_Formulas.htm

your melody notes come from the chord's notes, aka the chord tones. Lot of good melody is written using the corresponding pentatonic, i.e. over the A chord use the notes from the A major pentatonic, if you have a C#m chord use the C# minor pentatonic notes for the melody over the C#m chord. Not in scale order make melodic phrases from those 5 notes.

[onlyclave]

Originally Posted by Sathington W.

You may find that instead of a diminished 7th, a half-diminished (aka the "Hendrix chord") might sound better. The formula for that would be 1-b3-b5-b7 instead of bb7.
Its also more commonly used, so your ears will be more acclimated to it.

Half Diminished (b7) is more commonly used in major tonalities because it is the diatonic leading tone 7th chord.

Fully diminshed (bb7) is more commonly used in minor tonalities or as a secondary dominant.

The Hendrix chord is a 7#9 I believe. The minor 9th between the inner voices gives it that dissonance.