Writing down chord progressions?

[Bitterguy]

So I'm new to the world of transcribing and learning songs by ear and I have a question with the current song I'm working on.

I'm working on learning Billy Jean by ear right now and I found a thread by lump where he describes how to learn songs by ear more efficiently. I'm at the stage right now where im writing down the chord progressions and I have a question.

From what I cant tell (correct me if I'm wrong) Billy Jean is in the key of F# minor and the chords progress I-IV-I-IV-I-IV-V-I-IV.... the problem im running into is that's not how i normally see chord progressions written. Are they normally just shortened (like this one would become( I-IV-V). Or am I totally off with this whole chord progression concept?

 

[MalcolmAmos]

......... I'm at the stage right now where im writing down the chord progressions and I have a question. ....... Are they normally just shortened (like this one would become( I-IV-V). Or am I totally off with this whole chord progression concept?

I'll answer it this way. The chords do two things; 1) move the song along from rest to tension to climax then back to resolution and rest and then 2) the chords are placed in such a way that they harmonize the melody line, i.e. a chord is placed so that it has some of the melody notes in it's make up. When that happens harmonization takes place. So it is a balancing act between movement and harmonization.

There are all kind of progressions you could have. Movement normally follows that I rest, IV tension, V7 climax and then I resolution and a return to rest. The fastest movement would be I-V-I a turn-a-round progression could be vii-iii-vi-ii-V7-I. Tonal music will have the V-I cadence. Modal music will not resolve, not have a V-I cadence.

Lot of time the needed harmonizing note is added to a movement chord as an extension; b7, add9, sus2, aug5, etc.

Now to your question can they be just shortened to a I-IV-V? As those three chords contain every note in the scale, those three chords will be able to harmonize any melody that stays in key. The I-IV-V moves between rest, tension and climax so yes any song can be dumbed down to a I-IV-V-I, however, it normally sounds better if we play the chord progression the song writer gave us.

You could dumb down to just the tonic root note. Early blues progressions did start out with just one chord, but, again best that we use the progression the song writer wanted used in his song.

 

[two fingers]

Yeah write it as written. Probably the reason you are accustomed to seeing so few chords on a chart us that many hit songs are three-chord songs. If it throws you off at first, write out a letter chart then switch it to numbers once you are more familiar with the format of the song.

That's a fun bass line to play. You'll have it memorized in no time anyway. And that's another thing to keep in mind. Don't get so bogged down in making a chart that you forget to jam the song. Most of the time you'll get into the song and have it memorized so guickly that the chart will become obsolete (Unless somebody comes along and changes the key on you live on stage. .... .which happens all the time in my world).

 

[MalcolmAmos]

It's Sunday night and nothing on TV right now. Little more on chord progressions...

Movement chords.

There are three major chords, three minor chords and one diminished chord in a 7 note scale/key.
In a major progression the three major chords are the structure chords.
In a major progression the three minor chords are the flavor or color chords.
The diminished chord is a move somewhere chord. Most often they will be the lead chord in a turn-a-round.
Minor chord progressions are a little different. I've listed a site below that will help you with minor progressions.

All chords within one key will sound good with the other chords in that same key, i.e. if you stay in key there is not a lot of trouble you can get into. They do sound best when we let them move the way they like to move. The following goes into detail.

• The I chord can move any where in the progression it wants to, however, once you return to the I chord you resolve any tension you have built. Do you want to return to rest and start this tension journey over again? I-IV-I-V7-I
• The ii chord is a sub-dominant chord. It likes to move to a dominant chord. ii-V7-I
• The iii chord is the minor median (middle) chord. It normally wants to move somewhere - like in a turn-a-round. It normally will drag the vi chord with it in this movement. iii-vi-ii-V7-I
• The IV chord is also a sub-dominant chord and likes to move to a dominant chord. As the ii and IV both want to move to a dominant chord they can sub for each other. I-IV-V-I or ii-V7-I
• The V chord is the dominant chord in the progression. It wants to move to the tonic I chord. When we add the b7 and make this chord a dominant seven chord it wants to move to the tonic I chord RIGHT NOW. Anything more would be anti-climatic. I refer to the V7 chord as the climax chord. My name for it.
• The vi chord is the relative minor chord and it wants to move to a sub-dominant chord (the ii or IV).
• The vii chord is the diminished chord notice it is a minor chord and a dominant chord. Both the V and vii being dominant they can sub for each other. However, if you want to resolve quickly use the V or V7 and if you want to move somewhere like in a turn-a-round the vii chord would do a better job of this. vii-iii-vi-ii-V7-I

All of this came from Common Chord Progressions Lot of good information at this site.

Now to harmonization. A chord will harmonize with the melody (sound good) when it has some of the melody notes in it's makeup. Simple as that.

The song writer helps us out here by placing harmonizing chords where needed so that harmonization happens. If you are the song writer then this falls into your list of duties. Movement and harmonization.

Good luck.

 

[mambo4]

Are they normally just shortened (like this one would become( I-IV-V). Or am I totally off with this whole chord progression concept?

You are not totally off. Often chord progressions are abbreviated during discussion.

But if your goal is to correctly communicate a whole song, then write it out.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

I'll add this. Chord progressions can be shown as Roman numbers, i.e. I-IV-V or they can be shown as Cm7b5. In the I-IV-V we are left to fill in our bass line however we like. We can pound roots or start using some of the other notes found in that chord. What other notes I know is the question.

We read a chord from the left to the right, so back to our Cm7b5 chord:

• So we have a C note as the root, but....
• It is also a minor chord - Cm. So it will have a flat 3 in it's makeup.
• It also has a 7th in it's makeup meaning in a minor chord it will be the b7 or flat 7.
• Then there is a b5 or flat five.
• What you have is a Cm7b5 chord. Now to your question, can you dumb this down to just C's?

We play what we can before the music goes off and leaves us.....
That could be just the C root note pounded out to the beat of the song, i.e. C-C-C-C (forget all the other stuff, just pound C's ) or as many of the other chord's notes we think fits best, and our skill level allows. 1-b3-b5-b7. Pounding C's to the beat will get you asked back in most good ole boy bands as calling attention to the root and keeping the beat, aka groove, going is our first job.

Start from the left and get as much of the chord as you can...

Here is a chart to help with all that Chord Formulas

 

[elgecko]

From what I cant tell (correct me if I'm wrong) Billy Jean is in the key of F# minor and the chords progress I-IV-I-IV-I-IV-V-I-IV....

It is in F#min but you're missing some chords, namely the D majors that precede the C#.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

... the problem im running into is that's not how i normally see chord progressions written. Are they normally just shortened (like this one would become( I-IV-V). Or am I totally off with this whole chord progression concept?

Writing down the I-IV-V chord progression is generic and can be taken into any key, i.e. we do not normally use Roman numbers to signify what chord name needs to be played. What I want to see is the chord names used in the song. My ear is 84 years old and it's now made out of tin so if I were hunting for the chords to Billie Jean I'd ask Google for some help. I'd let Google come to my aid. Using the Google search words, chords, Billie Jean got this.
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Chords)

Something a little more informative than a Roman number chord progression.
If I was going to play Billy Jean I would prefer seeing the chord names instead of Roman numbers. Google also got us the lyrics under the chord names. Singing the lyrics under my breath helps me keep up with when the chord changes happen.

I'd catch the chord's root in first position (first five frets of my neck) then add other chord tones as my skill level allowed. Start with the root, then the 5 followed with the 8 for R-5-8-5. The ole R-5-8-5 is generic and can be used with any major chord. Yes I know, you may be asking, where is the 5 from the root? It's up a string and toward the bridge 2 frets, or next string down same fret as the root. All the time. The 8 is up two strings from the root and over two frets - right over the 5. Piece of cake. As this is in F#m you do need to take that F# into account. And some b3's instead of 5's would give that minor sound.

Offered for what it is worth.