ABSTRACT
CONSTRUCTIONFORMULAETOTHEMAJORANDMINORCHORDSWEARECURRENTLYLOOKING AT3OMESTYLESOFMUSICMAKEQUITEFREQUENTUSEOFSOMEOFTHEMORECOMPLEX CHORDTYPESBUTASAGENERALRULEYOUCANALWAYSSTARTFROMMAJORANDMINOR ANDTHENWORKOUTTHEMORECOMPLICATEDVARIATIONSFURTHERDOWNTHELINE
7ORKING OUTWHICH CHORDSWILLWORK IN ANY GIVEN KEY IS INCREDIBLY EASY !LL YOUHAVETODOISLISTOUTTHENOTESTHATAPPEARINTHEKEYSCALEANDTHENHAVE ALOOKATTHEPREVIOUSCHORDCHARTSANDSEEWHICHOFTHECHORDSLISTEDCANBE MADEUPUSINGONLYNOTESTHATAPPEARINTHESCALE!NYOFTHECHORDSTHATMEET THESECRITERIAWILLWORKINTHEKEYYOUARELOOKINGAT&ROMTHISPOINTYOUCAN START TRYING DIFFERENT SEQUENCES OF CHORDS TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT STARTS TOmOW )TMIGHTHELP TO TAKEANOTHER LOOKAT THEACTUALMELODYOF THE VOCALASTHENOTESUSEDINTHEVOCALATANYGIVENPOINTWILLHELPYOUlGUREOUT WHICHPOSSIBLECHORDSYOUCOULDUSEATTHATPOINTINTIME
&OREXAMPLEIFYOURSONGISINTHEKEYOF%MINORTHENYOUWOULDHAVElGURED OUTTHATA$MAJORCHORDWILLWORKWITHINTHEKEYOF%MINORBUTIFTHEVOCAL ATAPARTICULARPOINTISSINGINGA"ANDYOUTRYTOPLAYA$MAJORCHORDUNDER NEATHTHATITWONTNECESSARILYSOUNDTHATGREAT4ECHNICALLYITISNTwrongBUT ITMIGHTNOTBETHEEFFECTYOUHADHOPEDFOR)NTHISPARTICULARCASETHERESULT OFLAYERINGA$MAJORCHORDMADEUPOF$&AND! WITHA"ISACOMBINED CHORDOF"MINORTHWHICHAS)SAIDISNTwrongBUTWILLPOSSIBLYNOTBETHE hFEELINGvYOUWEREEXPECTINGTOCREATEWITHAMAJORCHORDATTHATPOINT)FTHAT isWHAT YOUWEREHOPING FOR THENAMUCHBETTER CHOICEWOULDBEA'MAJOR CHORDAS THISALREADYCONTAINS THE"NOTEOF THEVOCALWITHIN THEBASICNOTES COMPRISINGTHECHORD'"AND$
!SYOUSTARTEXPERIMENTINGWITHDIFFERENTCHORDSEQUENCESYOUWILLSOONSTART TODISCOVERCERTAINPATTERNSANDCOMBINATIONSOFCHORDSTHATWORKREALLYWELL TOGETHERANDSOMETIMESYOUWILLlNDYOURSELFNATURALLYINCLINEDTOWARDUSING THOSEAGAIN4HISISNTNECESSARILYAMAJORPROBLEMAFTERALLTHEREAREONLY DIFFERENT hBASICv CHORDS AVAILABLE TO US SO IFWEWERE TO TAKE A CHORD PAT TERNTHEREWOULDONLYBEPOSSIBLEDIFFERENTCHORDSEQUENCESAVAILABLE 4HATISANABSOLUTEMAXIMUMBUTIFWETAKEINTOACCOUNTTHATINANYPARTICU LARMAJORORMINORKEYTHEREAREONLYSIXPOSSIBLEMAJORORMINORCHORDSWE CANUSETHATNUMBERDECREASESTOJUST4HENUMBERSINCREASEIFWESTART INCLUDINGMORECOMPLEXCHORDSOFCOURSEBUTSTILLYOUSHOULDNTFEELTOOBAD IFYOUlNDYOURSELFUSINGACHORDPROGRESSIONTHATEITHERYOUHAVEUSEDBEFORE ORHAVEHEARDONANOTHERRECORD
)T WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CREATE A CHORD PROGRESSION THAT HASNT ALREADYBEENUSED ANDPROBABLYUSEDMANY TIMES AND AFTER ALL THE ACTUAL CHORDSYOUCHOOSEAREONLYAPARTOFTHEOVERALLSOUNDOFTHEREMIXYOUWILLBE CREATING9OUWILLBEADDINGSOUNDSANDAPPLYINGANOVERALLPRODUCTIONSTYLE OVERTHETOPOFTHOSECHORDSANDTHISCANMAKEASURPRISINGAMOUNTOFDIFFER ENCETOABASICCHORDPROGRESSION
/BVIOUSLY IFYOUCANlNDDIFFERENTCHORDPROGRESSIONSTHATWORKWELLONANY PARTICULARVOCALMELODYANDMOREOFTENTHANNOTTHEREAREATLEASTACOUPLEOF
DIFFERENTPROGRESSIONSTHATCOULDWORK THENITCANKEEPTHINGSMOREINTEREST INGIFYOUCHANGETHINGSAROUNDFROMONEREMIXTOTHENEXTRATHERTHANREUSING THESAMEPROGRESSIONSFORAFEWREMIXESINAROW
) SHOULD PERHAPS MENTION HERE THE ISSUE OF PLAGIARISM 4HIS IS BASICALLY WHEREYOUTAKESOMEONEELSESCREATIONMUSICINTHISCASE ANDTHENESSEN TIALLY COPY IT INWHOLE OR IN PART.OW THAT IS CLEARLYWRONG BOTHMORALLY ANDLEGALLY BUTTHEREISAMASSIVEGRAYAREATHATSURROUNDSTHISWHOLETOPIC BECAUSEPEOPLEWHOLISTENTOMUSIC FORANYAMOUNTOF TIMEWILLHAVEMELO DIESANDCHORDPATTERNSORPERHAPSDRUMBEATSANDSOUNDSTHATSTICKINTHEIR HEAD LONG AFTER THEY LAST HEAR THE SONG !T LEAST YOU WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD AS THIS ISWHAT ) AS A PRODUCER AND SONGWRITER ASWELL AS A REMIXER HOPEFOREVERYTIME)WORKONATRACK)FYOUHAVETHESEOTHERSONGSSTUCKIN YOURHEADTHENITISQUITEPOSSIBLETHATYOUARESUBCONSCIOUSLYINmUENCEDBY THE ELEMENTS YOU REMEMBERWITHOUT EVER CONSCIOUSLYHUMMING THEMELODY TO YOURSELF OR EVER DELIBERATELY BROWSING THROUGHPRESETS ON A SYNTH SPECIl CALLY looking FOR A PARTICULAR SOUND FROM ANOTHER RECORD 4HIS IS ACCEPTABLE ANDINFACTUNAVOIDABLE
)T REALLY COMES TO A QUESTION OF imitation versus inspiration-OST SONGWRITERS PRODUCERSOR REMIXERSWOULDBEmATTERED THAT SOMEONE THOUGHTENOUGHOFA TRACK THAT THEYHAVEWORKEDON TOWANT TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR BUTWOULD DRAWTHELINEIFTHEYFOUNDOUTTHATTHISSAMEPERSONHADTAKENWHOLECHUNKS OFWHATTHEYHADDONEANDWASPASSINGITOFFASHISORHEROWNWORK4HATCAN BEAVERYDIFlCULT LINE TODElNE LET ALONEAVOID CROSSINGAND ) LIKEPROBABLY MOST OF THE OTHER PEOPLE ACTIVELYWORKING IN THEMUSIC INDUSTRY TODAY HAVE ALMOSTCERTAINLYCROSSEDTHELINEINTOhIMITATIONvONATLEASTONEOCCASIONBUT NEVER WITH THE INTENTION OFMAKINGMONEY AT SOMEONE ELSES EXPENSE-OST INDISCRETIONSOFTHISNATURECANBEFORGIVENANDEVENFORGOTTENASLONGASYOU DONT STARTMAKINGA REGULARHABITOF IT AND TRYING TOBENElTlNANCIALLY FROM SOMEONEELSESWORK)TDOESHAPPENSADLYBUTNOTTHATOFTEN
4OlNISHUPTHISCHAPTERWEWILLTAKEALOOKATHOWEVERYTHINGWEHAVESEENSO FARHELPSUSWHENITCOMESTOWORKINGOUTMELODIESANDHARMONIES/NCEWE HAVEWORKEDOUTTHEKEYOFTHESONGWEHAVEGIVENOURSELVESALIMITEDNUMBER OFNOTESTOWORKWITHEXCLUDINGFORNOWTHEISSUEOFSO CALLEDhBLUENOTESv WHICHARENOTESTHATDONTTECHNICALLYlTINTOTHEKEYOFTHESONGBUTWHICHIF USEDASATRANSITIONBETWEENNOTESANDONLYHELDBRIEmYCANSOMETIMESWORK SO COMING UP WITH MELODIES BECOMES THAT MUCH EASIER 4HE MOST OBVIOUS MELODY INMOST SONGS THOSEWITHVOCALSANYWAY IS THEMAINVOCALMELODY BUTTHATDOESNTMEANTHATYOUASAREMIXERWILLNEVERNEEDTOCOMEUPWITH MELODIESYOURSELF
#ERTAINGENRESOFMUSICAREMOREDEPENDENTONGROOVEWHILEOTHERSAREMORE FOCUSEDONCHORDSANDMELODIES)FYOUHAPPENTOBEWORKINGINAGENREWHERE IT ISRELEVANTCREATINGAMEMORABLEMELODYLINECANBETHEMAKEORBREAKOF YOURREMIX4HATMELODYCOULDTAKETHEFORMOFASMOOTHANDmOWINGhLEADv MELODYORITCOULDBEAMOREARPEGGIATEDMELODY)NFACTEVENSOMEBASSLINES
COULDBECONSIDEREDMELODYLINESINTHEIROWNRIGHT3OCLEARLYKNOWINGWHERE YOUSTANDINTERMSOFNOTESYOUCANUSEISAGOODTHING
4HESAMEAPPLIESINTHISSITUATIONAS)MENTIONEDEARLIERWHENWEWEREDISCUSS INGWORKINGOUTCHORDSFROMAVOCALMELODYALBEITINASITUATIONTHATWASTHE OPPOSITEWAY ROUND 4HEREMAY COMEA TIMEWHENYOUHAVEAMELODY LINE YOURECREATINGTHATNATURALLYLEADSYOUTOANOTETHATISINTHEKEYCORRECTLYBUT HAPPENSTONOTBEINTHECHORDTHATISUNDERLYINGATTHETIME!SSTATEDEARLIER THISISNTwrongBUTITCANLEADTOANIMPLIEDCHANGEOFTHECHORDTHATMAYOR MAYNOTBEACCEPTABLE TOYOU )N THEENDYOUWILLPROBABLYMAKEADECISION MOREONWHATFEELSRIGHTRATHERTHANWHETHERYOURCHOICEOFMELODYNOTETURNS YOUR INNOCUOUSMAJOR CHORD INTO A hQUESTIONINGv SUSPENDED TH A hTRIUM PHANTvMAJORTHORAhSOOTHINGvTH
3ADLY)CANNOTGIVEYOUANYADVICEONWRITINGGOODMELODIESASISPURELYDOWN TO INSPIRATION A GOOD SENSE OF hFEELv AND IN SOME CASESMOMENTS OF PURE INSPIRATION !CTUALLY LETS NOT FORGET THAT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE BAD LUCK THAT GIVESYOUAGREATMELODY/NMORETHANONEOCCASION)HAVEBEENTRYINGOUT DIFFERENTMELODYIDEASONMYKEYBOARDANDHAVETRIEDTOHITAPARTICULARNOTE BUTMISSEDITANDHITONE)DIDNTMEANTOANDYETTHATTURNEDOUTTOBEAFAR BETTERCHOICE3OMETIMESIT JUSTHAPPENSTHATWAY!NDSOMETIMESITHAPPENS THATWAYWITHWORKING OUT CHORDS ASWELL "UT EITHERWAY THEMORE REMIXES ORSONGSOFYOUROWN THATYOUWORKONANDTHEMOREFAMILIARYOUGETWITH DIFFERENTKEYSANDSCALESTHEMOREFAMILIARYOUWILLBEWITHTHECHORDSTHATGO WITHTHEM
%VENTUALLY YOU WILL PROBABLY GET TO A POINT EVEN IF YOU ARENT A CLASSICALLY TRAINEDMUSICIANWHEREYOUSOMEHOWJUSTKNOWWHATCHORDPROGRESSIONSWILL WORKWITHAVOCALMELODYANDYOUlNDYOURSELFMOVINGTOTHENEXTCHORDIN THE PATTERNWITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT TOOMUCH ON A CONSCIOUS LEVEL 4HOSE ARE THE BEST TIMESWHEN THINGS JUST FALL INTO PLACE LIKE THAT "UT EVEN IF ITDOESHAPPENLIKETHAT IT ISCERTAINLYWORTHWHILERECORDINGTHAT INASONE OPTION AND THEN TRYING SOMEOTHER CHORDS OUT INSTEADˆPERHAPSONESWHERE ITISMOREABOUTACONSCIOUSTHOUGHTPROCESSRATHERTHANASUBCONSCIOUSONE !FTER ALL ASSUMING THAT YOUMAKE SURE YOU SAVE THE lLE ONCE YOU RECORDED YOURlRSTIDEAINWHICHOFCOURSEYOUDID…RIGHT WHATDOYOUHAVETOLOSE
(ARMONYISANOTHERAREAWHERETHISSMALLAMOUNTOFMUSICALTHEORYCANHELP USAGREATDEAL4HISISPERHAPSLESSUSEFULTOYOUASAREMIXERTHANITWOULD BEIFYOUWEREWRITINGYOUROWNMATERIALBUTTHEREMAYBEOCCASIONSWHENIT COULDBEUSEFULSO)WILLJUSTRUNTHROUGHITQUICKLYHERE4HESIMPLESTWAYTO WORKOUTPOTENTIALHARMONYLINESTHATWOULDWORKAGAINSTAMELODYLINEISTO LOOKATTHENOTETHEMAINMELODYISONLOOKATTHECHORDUNDERLYINGITAND THENCHOOSEADIFFERENTNOTEFROMWITHINTHECHORD4HISWILLWORKBUTTHERISK HEREISTHATYOUMIGHTENDUPWITHAHARMONYPARTTHATISNTESPECIALLYmUID
4OMEANDTHISMIGHTBEPURELYMYOWNPERSONALOPINIONTHECRUCIALTESTFOR ANYHARMONYPART)CREATEISTHATITHASTOWORKANDFEELRIGHTASAMELODYINITS OWNRIGHT7HAT)MEANBYTHATISIF)WERETOMUTETHEMAINLEADMELODYAND
PLAYONLY THEHARMONY LINEWOULD THATHARMONY hMELODYv SOUNDmUID AND NATURALORDISJOINTEDANDUNCOMFORTABLE)FITDIDSOUNDUNCOMFORTABLETHEN) WOULDUNMUTETHEMAINMELODYTRYMOVINGACOUPLEOFTHENOTESOFTHEHAR MONYPARTAROUNDWITHINTHECONlNESOF THENOTESTHATARE INKEYANDTHEN TRYMUTINGTHELEADMELODYAGAINUNTIL)FOUNDSOMETHINGTHATWORKEDBETTER ON ITS OWN/F COURSE YOUDONT HAVE TO DO THIS h"LOCKHARMONIESvWHICH SIMPLYBUILDUPONTHEMAIN LEADMELODYNOTESANDBUILD THEMINTO THE FULL CHORDSOFTHEUNDERLYINGMUSICCANCERTAINLYWORKALTHOUGHSOMETIMESTHEY CANBEABITOVERWHELMING3TILLYOUHAVETHECHOICE
(OPEFULLYWHATWEHAVECOVEREDHEREWILLMAKETHEPROCESSOFWORKINGOUTTHE CHORDSFORAREMIXALITTLEEASIERANDCERTAINLYALITTLELESSHITANDMISS,IKESO MANYTHINGSINTHEWORLDOFTHEREMIXERANYTHINGTHATWILLSAVEYOUTIMEWILL ONLYHELPYOU)FYOUARESOINCLINEDTHEREISMUCHMORETOLEARNABOUTMUSI CALTHEORY7HILEITISNTSTRICTLYNECESSARYTOHAVEAMOREIN DEPTHKNOWLEDGE ITCERTAINLYWONTDOYOUANYHARM&OREXAMPLEITWILLMAKEITEASIERTODEAL WITHSONGSTHATAREA LITTLE LESSOBVIOUSINTERMSOFALTERNATIVECHORDPROGRES SIONSONES THATDONT SEEM TOHAVEONE CLEARLYAPPARENTKEYOR CONTAIN LOTS OFNOTES THATSEEMTOCONTRADICTONEANOTHER IN TERMSOFWHICHKEY THE TRACK MIGHTBEIN
4HE OTHER ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO lND SOMEONE TO COLLABORATE WITH WHO IS MUSICALLY TRAINED EVEN TO SOMEEXTENT ORPERHAPS EVENA SESSIONMUSICIAN WHOSIMPLYWORKSOUTSOMECHORDSANDPERHAPSABASSLINEFORYOUANDTHEN HANDSTHERAW-)$)DATAOVERTOYOUTOTHENPRODUCE4HISMIGHTBEAQUICKER AND EASIER ALTERNATIVE BUT ) HONESTLY DONT THINK YOU GET THE SAME SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENTTHISWAY4HEREISCERTAINLYSOMETHINGTOBESAIDFORTHEBUZZYOU GETWHENYOUHAVEWORKEDOUTAREALLYGOODCHORDPROGRESSIONFORAPARTICU LARLYDIFlCULTVOCALMELODY
