Estimated reading time 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Diatonic Harmony and Cool Chords for Your Song
C Major Diatonic Triads:
Seventh Chords in C Major:
In order to find cool chords for your song, you need to understand diatonic harmony. (We’ll look at chromatic harmony in later posts.)
A diatonic scale has seven notes all from one key. The first example above shows triads built on each note of the C major scale. (Mobile users: for best results rotate you phones 90o.)
If you put one more note on top of each triad, you create seventh chords. Seventh chords expand your options for harmonizing your melody.
The Seventh Chords in C Major example above can be transposed to the key of D major by changing the key signature and moving all the notes up by one. Also, observe that two notes will now get sharped (F# and C#), and the IM7 chord will be a D major7 instead of a C major7. (For more on roman numeral analysis, click here.)
Seventh Chords in D Major:
Finding the Options for Cool Chords in Your Song
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The first step for putting chords with your melody? Figure out your melody’s key. You do this by counting the sharps and flats.
My melody has the same key (D major) as the chords in example 3, which means they’ll work together. Notice that A is the first note in example 4. We can find an A note in the I chord (D major), the iii chord (F# minor), and the V chord (A major). If you use sevenths chords, the ii7 (B minor7) will also be an option.
Use this process on all the melody notes, then make up a chart of potential chords for each pitch in your tune.
Now that you have your options before you, choosing cool chords for your song is just around the corner.
Choosing Cool Chords for Your Song
Afterimage 1:
Once you’ve figured out your options, you need to play lots of chords to see which ones work. However, you don’t need to have a chord for every melody note.
The chords you choose will depend on the style of music. However, you own the song, so it’s your choice.
The example above shows a chord progression in a pop ballad arrangement. The arrangement below uses a different chord progression that gives the melody a darker feel. Notice how the chords can help shape the mood of your song. This effect is important to consider when trying to choose cool chords for your song.
Afterimage 2:
Concluding Thoughts on Choosing Cool Chords for Your Song
Take your time and see which chords work best. Sometimes you’ll want chords that stay discreetly in the background. Other times, your chords will jump out front and function as you hook.
Always remember, when messing around with chord progressions, let your ear be your guide when deciding which chords to use and which to exclude.
Have fun choosing cool chords for your song!
© 2022 Geoffrey Keith
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