Subject: Capturing Inspiration
You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com. If you don't want to receive these e-mails any longer, go to the bottom of this message and click on "unsubscribe." Hey there Friend, Have you ever noticed that so many of the songs you know and love seem to use the same chord progressions? Regardless of how the the progression is presented - whether on guitar or keyboard - the same patterns are used all the time to create new songs. The same can be said for short runs of notes (riffs) in melodies.So with all this duplication, how is it that artists continually come up with new songs? Basically, it comes down to capturing whatever sparks our imagination from hearing that progression or series of notes and infusing our own experiences and influences to create something new. Now I should qualify the statement about chord progressions being the same. We have to keep in mind that there are multiple chord voicings. What I mean by this is we can play chords in different positions across the fingerboard or keyboard, and we can play different shapes as well. Each of these factors can give the chord a different sound. The better an artist knows how to manipulate and combine these chord shapes, the more interesting (and unique) they can be in creating their unique sound. Another point to make is in how a progression or riff is played rhythmically. Playing chords using different rhythmic patterns can dramatically change the energy and feel of a progression. A single strum per bar at a slower tempo (speed) can evoke one mood while an aggressive approach with a faster tempo applied to the same progression will present a completely different vibe. If you were to write out a typical I IV V chord progression (these are the major chords of a major key - think Ritchie Valen's "La Bamba"), I can guarantee you will come up with a different melody than I will. You may make up a melody that is upbeat and happy, while mine may come out sounding more melancholy, all based on the note choices we might make based on the key we're in. While there may be sections of the melody that are nearly identical, the emotional tone of the song is going to direct how how various parts of the song are written. We all have different influences and backgrounds that will color how we hear music and are consequently inspired by it. You may have been raised on country music while your next-door neighbor grew up listening to AC/DC. I had more of a 70s AM radio pop upbringing. My parents did not have a huge influence on what I was drawn to musically. They really didn't have music playing around the house - I had commandeered their collection of 1960s 45RPM singles (vinyl records) early on. None of their albums were of much interest, but the early 60s rock and roll was right up my alley, at least to start. Between those records and the music on the transistor radio I listened to every night, there were catchy melodies and basic beats with some clever hooks. Those really began to form the base of my musical inspirations. [SIDE NOTE:] What strikes me about the music I grew up on is there was usually a story within the song and well written melodies that moved the listener in a way that drew them into the story emotionally. I think I've mentioned before that melody and lyrics are what typically will draw me into (or push me away from) a song. I've found that the better a songwriter is at making a story and music cohesive, the more likely I am enjoy the song. So much of the songwriting process is molded by these life experiences and how you're currently feeling. Let's get back to the idea that you can have identical (or nearly identical) chord progressions in two songs that have different feels based on the melody. Take for example the verses in these two songs by Rick Springfield. Both these songs are in the key of D major. They're using the same chords and the progressions are very similar. The difference is in how the progressions are approached. "Jessie's Girl" and "What's Victoria's Secret" use the same progression with chord changes between the D, A, Bm and G chords (the V, I. vi, and IV chords in the harmonic scale). The difference comes in the both the melodies and the chord progressions used during the choruses. Take a listen to each and see if you can recognize the differences in feel. In "Jessie's Girl", you have a more aggressive, kind of a jealous and sophomoric approach to wanting someone. I guess that's why this song was so popular for those of us that grew up in the early 80s. But in "What's Victoria's Secret," there's this feeling of angst and uncertainty around wanting someone. There is a more mature feel to it, both in the lyrics, melody and rhythm. Same chord progressions (at least in the verses), with different applications both melodically and rhythmical that achieve a similar goal. You get the story, you get a catchy melody in both that draws you in and you get different rhythmic patterns that effectively move you through each song. You can find examples like these throughout music catalogs. I encourage you to do your own musical analyses of songs where you recognize similar chord progressions. It's a good exercise to work on your critical listening skills and your songwriting chops. Peace~ Dave Dave "Eddie" Vance is a rock guitar enthusiast and gear nut. He has been playing guitar for over 30 years and enjoys tormenting the neighbors every chance he gets. When he's not slaving for the man, you can find him rocking out with his B.C. Rich Bich guitar, a cold beer and some sweet tunes. He also runs Learn-To-Play-Rock-Guitar.com, but you knew that already! Follow Learn To Play Rock Guitar:I welcome your feedback! 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