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The same chord progressions again and again...
- Thread starter eric_B
- Start date
Don't you get tired of using all those verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. over and over again? That same old Subject-Verb-Object progression in English? Those same old 26 letters of the alphabet? They are so limiting.
Not me, I could play Louie Louie all night. Ah Louie Lu-eye oh baby now we gotta go. The essence of rock n roll.
Yes I get tired from it sometimes. But I tell you, regardless of chord progressions, if they're jazzy and intricate and changes a lot, if they are in the same key all of the time, that bothers the **** out of me more. You know that YT gang that made a 30 minute song of those dreaded 4 chords that makes up 90 percent of all contemprary hits, like "Don't Stop Believin" by Journey, is a tell tale that people couldn't care less. I care more these days of oddball keys, flats and sharps, and the tonal gravity is something in a key that isn't too often displayed. I know that both horn players, and guitar and key players actually "hates" playing anything in B. Because it throws them off physically, and can't phrase and slide between notes and licks. It's awkward. I like to play in keys these days that hasn't got any open string as a key tonal gravity center. Because it's rare. And even do the same chord progression over and over.
Not one in particular but this covers it pretty well:
You hear a song for the first time and can already predict the chords and song structure.
Talking about the 4 chord songs: I think it is the trick (or better: the musical talent of the songwriter) to make a new 4 chord song which doesn't sound like one but new and exciting.
Ah. Well. That's easy to explain. Those songs were written for nun musici..... uh....NON musicians. In other words, the producer wasn't sitting behind the board thinking "Hey, maybe we should spruce this up a bit so the bass player doesn't get bored." It was written so that college girls at dance clubs and secretaries and accountants listening to the minivan mom pop stations at their desks could sing along.
Which is why I always enjoy listening to most whatever Paul McCartney has done for a bass line. Most times it is deceptively buried within the song and yet removing it is obviously noticeable.
That's like asking if one ever gets tired of the same old letters in the alphabet. There are only 26, but boy can they be put together in a lot of different ways.
Then find excitement in the harmony, or chord substitution. Find a way to not draw attention to yourself and still alter the harmony, or rhythm. There are things that we as bassists can do... I used to get bored playing Mustang Sally, but I started to focus on the length of my notes, the audiences joviality, a veritable cornucopia of events regarding the actual music. I created motifs for myself... I tried playing with a pick... etc. We can either change our environs or ourselves...
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If your bandmates go along, you have some latitude in changing chord progressions. Here's an introductory piece on chord substitutions:
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I've learned not to complain to my instructor about repetition. His reply is, "the music isn't dull, you are." And so I'm learning to stretch chord patterns a little bit.
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I've learned not to complain to my instructor about repetition. His reply is, "the music isn't dull, you are." And so I'm learning to stretch chord patterns a little bit.
This is why music artists are being sued. We're running out of chord changes! What will we do!
If it were straight half, quarter or eighth notes then, yes, I'd be bored. Time to investigate adding more groove and melodic playing and you won't be bored with the chords.
I know exactly what you speak of. I used to belong to the King Louie fan club, and still have an "All Louie" album. The Rice University Marching Band, Black Flag and many others all playing Louie Louie.
I have to admit, playing in the same keys is fatiguing to me, especially if the chord progression is the same, but even different progressions in the same key somehow dulls the senses.
But switching keys and rhythms is enough. So yeah, I could probably survive in a blues band.
My main band's originals seem to be heavily grouped in E and A, so we try to pick covers in different keys to open it up. We'll still spend a fair amount of time in E during our last set though.
Weird question.
Chords are determined by the melody. Make up a suitably interesting melody and you can use all the weird chords you want...check out classical composers like Scriabin, Messaien, Debussy, Stravinsky and jazz composers like Wayne Shorter and Gil Evans.
Better yet, just play jazz if you're bored. Jazz fusion if you need to rock out.
Chords are determined by the melody. Make up a suitably interesting melody and you can use all the weird chords you want...check out classical composers like Scriabin, Messaien, Debussy, Stravinsky and jazz composers like Wayne Shorter and Gil Evans.
Better yet, just play jazz if you're bored. Jazz fusion if you need to rock out.
This ^
Sure, jazz has its own reoccurring progressions (ii V I) but listen to what players like Ron Carter and Ray Brown did with them. Anything but boring.
