Colour my world! Are there any rules of thumb for using colorful chords in a composition?

michelew
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Thu Jul 28, 2016 10:34 pm

Hi everyone.

There have been a few TG posts lately that have got me thinking about colorful chords; chief amongst them Vanessa's lessons on Jesus to a Child and Father Figure (especially her segment on the Jewish scale) and Neil's further discussion in the news.

I love the sounds of colorful chords. They can really add something special to a song. Even just the more common 7th chord (in all its forms).

I've been trying to learn by doing by exploring the Jewish scale a little more. I started by writing out the scale (starting on G) and the triads.

G Ab B C D Eb F G

G - G B D (and G7 - G B D F)
Ab - Ab C Eb
Bdim- B D F
Cm - C Eb G (Cm7 - C Eb G B )
Ddim - D F Ab
Eb aug - Eb G B
Fm - F Ab C - (Fm7 - F Ab C E)

Feel free to correct me if I've got something wrong here.

I also looked at the chords in Hava Nagila and read a bit online.

Well ... That got me thinking about diminished and augmented chords, which are generally used pretty sparingly in the music I'm familiar with. And then I started thinking about other colourful chords more generally.

I'm still reading. I'm still trying to understand.

But my question to the forum and to Neil in particular is:

Are there any rules of thumb to using colourful chords?

I know that the blues uses lots of seventh chords. Besides going with the sound, can you give us some pointers about when different types of colourful chords are especially useful and when to avoid them; the pitfalls. I notice that seventh chords and diminished chord can be particularly powerful at the end of a phrase (like a chorus) when you want to build tension and then resolve it by starting a new verse.

Using the Jewish scale in particular, do compositions that use this scale tend to end up using more diminished and augmented chords?


So much to learn. :) are there any shortcuts?

Hopefully this all makes sense. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Michele


Edit - I do realize that this is a huge question. Perhaps advice on certain types of chords (other than major and minor chords) might help to kick my thinking along here; like 7th cords 101, or intro to diminished and augmented chords; 9ths. You get the picture.

I'd also welcome advice on any texts (etc) that people have found particularly useful in helping them to understand these types of chords and how to use them. Thanks again.

M


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daryl
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Fri Jul 29, 2016 5:08 am

Here's an interesting thread on augmented chords in Beatle songs: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... Q-rnc1z4xA


willem
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Fri Jul 29, 2016 3:13 pm

I think there are no rules,only studying chords and progressions and how they sound.

look for artists that use some of that special sounding chords (Neil Young?)

I think you know that jazz music uses a lot of that chords so maybe you can jazz up your sound a bit.

sometimes i hear chords with a octave note in it and and think WOW..an other time I hear a very dissonant sounded chord but I like it !

Q: what chords do you like and find it colorful?

Cheers


PS, search on the tube for ''color chord"


thereshopeyet
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Fri Jul 29, 2016 3:54 pm

Daryl Wrote:
Here's an interesting thread on augmented chords in Beatle songs: groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.beatles/xQ-rnc1z4xA
Sounds interesting.
The link doesn't work for me.
Can you check it Daryl

Dermot

Edit
Got it, thanks.

Link
Beatles Songs - Augmented Chords

:cheer:


michelew
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Sat Jul 30, 2016 3:45 am

Hi guys, if you haven't seen it yet, Neil talked about colourful chords in the news. Interesting stuff.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/145 ... -2016.html

Daryl - thanks for the link. I'll listen out more for augmented chords when I listen to Beatles songs now. :)

Willem - you're absolutely right it's a great way to learn about what works. I guess I was looking for a few shortcuts from Neil who's obviously an experienced song-writter and can rattle off cool progressions in his sleep. :) B)

Dermot - hi! :)

M.


tombo1230
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Mon Aug 01, 2016 1:41 pm

I think the only rule about colourful chords is.....If your ears like them then they are ok!!


Tom N.


michelew
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Mon Aug 01, 2016 6:39 pm

I hear you. :D rings true of course. :p


And I know there are no real rules in music. Though it's good to know conventions so you can mess around with them. Right?!?!

Thanks for chiming in Tom.

M


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