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Chords.

X

xxfaux_punkxx

Mar 18, 2010
1,054
18
Indiana
#1
Where is a good website to get Chord charts from?

Also is it common practice to mix chords and scales?

I've written a song that uses a B - chord (B - D - F# - A) and it transfers to a B scale. It sounds pretty good and works well for a dirty gritty song (already have lyrics for it) but I was wondering if other chords/scales would work this way?
 
#3
Scales = chords = scales, kind of. A chord becomes a chord if you play the notes of a certain scale all at once, as opposed to the "arpeggio" mode of playing one note after the other when you play a typical scale.

But yes, the art of learning how other scales fit different chords is it's own master degree, so to speak. It's what jazz guitarists/pianists are especially good at.

I'd start by learning the basic chord types: major, minor, major7, minor7, b5, 9, 11, 13 etc by looking it up in books or google, and work from there, learning about the "church mode" scales, and the basic/standard chord patterns/progressions. Online Bass Lessons at StudyBass.com is a nice site for this, or just google. There are also videos on youtube.com if you search for "bass lessons" or "chord lesson" etc.

I had several "lightbulb-lighting-above-my-head" moments during this learning process, and it's an essential tool in playing and writing music to know your chords, scales and chord progressions.
 
#4
The chord you mentioned is a Bm7, not B major.

Start with intervals. Know that a major scale has its half-steps between 3-4 and 7-octave ("8", or "1" again). Go from there to understand other scales. Then, build chords in 3rds (major 3rds and minor 3rds---see, you need to understand intervals to know what that means). Also, understanding intervals is essential to understanding how to alter chords from their normal "diatonic" form. (Diatonic means using only the notes found in the major scale of the key being used---that is, if in the key of C, only the white keys on a piano may be used since the C major scale is C-B on the white keys. Notice that there are no notes between E-F and B-C because they are 2-3 and 7-8, as said above, for the C-major scale).

Theory is fun.
 
#5
xxfaux_punkxx said:
Where is a good website to get Chord charts from?

Also is it common practice to mix chords and scales?

I've written a song that uses a B - chord (B - D - F# - A) and it transfers to a B scale. It sounds pretty good and works well for a dirty gritty song (already have lyrics for it) but I was wondering if other chords/scales would work this way?
Click to expand...

The guys have given you the site for chord charts. You may find this helpful. Chord Formulas

Here is a little more of the story. B-D-F#-A is the Bm7 chord. Did you realize that was a minor chord? Minor chords always have a flatted 3 and if they have a seventh interval most of the time that will be flatted also. The B scale is:

B-C#-D#-E-F#-G#-A# in flatting the D# and the A# to natural notes your chord became minor.

Yep, those sharps and flats enter the story. Our chords are made from specific notes of the chord's parent scale. Would be helpful if you had a major and natural minor scale chart. Help yourself. Check out post # 2. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Here is a little something on writing a song. Check out post # 7. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f22/need-help-composing-bassline-original-song-781127/#post11071812

Back to one of your questions. "...but I was wondering if other chords/scales would work this way?" Music is a matter of having like notes in play. If the melody line and the chord line share notes we get harmonization. OK, so? If you are using minor chords minor scales work best over them. If you are using major chords major scales work best over them. Now that is a long story and will take you a little while to understand all that. But, you have to start somewhere. Post # 2 above should get you started.

I found the following helpful in seeing the big picture of how chords and scales work together.


Have fun.
 
#10
Michael Campbel said:
I've used this site before; one question I had is they note a Major flat 5 chord as being denoted by a "-". I thought that was run'o the mill minor in jazz charts?

I mean, if I were to see "G-​" in a chart, would I think G Major flat 5, or G minor?
Click to expand...

If this is what you have reference to:
Code: 
Chord Type  Symbol  Formula 
Fifth  5  1-5  or power chord.

Flat Fifth  -5  1-b5  and this would be a diminished power chord, I've never run
 into that type of chord. 

Suspended Fourth  sus4  1-4-5  

Suspended Second  sus2  1-2(9)-5 
 
Sharp Eleven  #11  1-5-#11

That section is for special chords. And in this case the -5 means a b5 or diminished or flatted 5.

You are correct normally a - sign can indicate a minor chord, but, not in this case. Of course IMHO.
 
#13
Michael Campbel said:
Not that section; the last one in his "Major" section. It says:

Major Flat Five - 1-3-b5


I've never seen that before; only "-" being "minor", but I don't have much experience.
Click to expand...

Michael Campbel said:
Neither have I, however it is a chord and they had to name it something. Another one you seldom run up on is the minor, major seventh. DmMaj7 R-b3-5-7.

I often say there are a kizillion chords, however, I get along with 20 to 21 in most cases.
Click to expand...

That chord, 1-3-b5, is probably going to end up having a b7 as well and be called, traditionally, a French 6th chord, which is a type of augmented sixth chord.
 

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