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I am trying to figure out how to improve my ability to figure out the chords of a song by ear. As mentioned in another post, I am pretty knowledgable about music theory although I am sure there is still a lot to learn.
I can pretty quickly figure out the key by using the pentatonic patterns to determine patterns and then identify the root…. although sometimes I am not as good and distinguishing minor key v major. I do that more by hear sad v happy and determine chord it gravitates to (root) and figuring out if it is minor or major. Not sure if that is the way it is done but that is how I do it.
When figuring out chords to a song, my palette is somewhat limited to major and minor chords in first inversion. I use the three note per string figuring up the next to help keep it clear the I, ii, iii,….VII.
I am aware how to play M7, m7, maj7, etc. but am not sure how to add those the the chords that are available in they key I am in. Last week, I think I found a youtube video that said the minor chords in a key can be m7. So, ii, iii and vi could be m7 as well as minor. The tonic can be major 7. IV and V can be M7. Is that correct? If so, I can expand my palette for figuring out the chords to a song to sevenths as noted above.
I can then add the suspended although I am not sure which chords in a key could legitimately be suspended.
If I have the major, minor, m7, M7, major 7 and suspended chords of 2 and 4 down, would that be a complete palette of chords for >=95% of chords needed to play rock, blues, country and gospel? Or am I missing other chords that in common?
It just seems that the songs I am trying to figure out have a chord or variate (voicing) of a chord that isn’t my standard set of chords I am using by default. Going to places likely ultimate guitar.com to help with figuring out the songs many times use chords that don’t really sound like the original song….in my opinion.
Lastly, is there a video that shows how to figure out the chords to a song that is more complex than simple major and minor? I would be very interested in a video that does that if somneone knows of one.
This is a very helpful forum to me. I appreciate the advice I get here.
Thank you for your time.
Dale
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Hi Dale,
As I think you are implying, 95% of songs might come from progressions within a major or minor key. Understanding how harmonizing a key works (and aids like the Circle of 5ths) should help sort out which chords are the likely culprits. I can remember being completely confused about where those “out of key” chords come from.
I don’t claim to have a thorough knowledge but I’ve picked up a few things over the past few years. One important concept is “parallel scales”, eg. A major and A minor. Here you “borrow” a chord from one scale based on any of the interval tones and put it in a progression from the other scale. The other important concept is “secondary dominants”. This involves inserting a dominant chord that is the dominant V of the major or minor chord you are moving to. The V to I relation is the strongest resolution in music, so this technique adds tension and resolution within a progression.
There are so many other tricks involving insertions and substitutions, ie. placing a diminished chord in the spaces between the interval gap of two chords, 2-5-1 turnarounds. There are multiple types of chord substitutions, ie. placing a #diminished IV in bar 4 to create tension back to the I chord in the blues, tritone substitutions, altered chords, changing minor chords to dominant 7th chords, substituting the relative minor for the tonic chord and even more esoteric concepts.
Then there is the whole modal concept where your progression has a tonal center other than the tonic of the key.
Other than enrolling in music theory courses, I think some of these ideas become clearer and more accessible as you see and hear them working in songs you are learning along the way. It’s all part of a long, interesting journey.
John -
Hi Dale,
You go the basics right.
Scales are traditionally harmonized by stacking up thirds — but that doesn’t mean you can’t use other intervals. Thirds are preferred because if you want at least some consonance, only thirds can give you that.
If we stack two thirds above each note of a major scale, we get a harmonization in triads:
I ii iii IV V vi vii(b5)If we stack up three thirds, we get a harmonization with four note chords:
IM7 ii7 iii7 IVM7 V7 vi7 vii7(b5)…and we could go on!
The same principle goes for minor keys, with additional complexity!All those chords are said to be diatonic to the key you are in. But in practice, most songs use at least a few foreign chords. John gave you the most important ones, and it is impossible to elaborate on this without writing a book abour harmony and music theory!
Learning all this is indeed a rather long journey… -
For figuring out chords, here are some tips.
First listen for the bass. Bass will hit the root of the chord, though not always.
Second, try to identify the harmonic rhythm – how often it feels like the chords are changing. Typically every measure, or two measures, or sometimes 2 beats.
Third, learn to identify something minor sounding from something major sounding.
Those will actually get you most of the way there. Also, you should try to start hearing the sound of the 7th chords.
The most useful chord that you’ve left out is the diminished seventh. It’s used in lots of older songs, and sometimes in rock and blues.
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