Music theory for the beginner songwriter, How to tackle Chords!

Hey everyone! So today, I’m going to share with you all Music Theory for the beginner songwriter.

Before we get started, let’s have our moment of silence. 

At this time, I would like all of us to take a moment of silence and pray to God to help us to become the person that he wants us to become. Ask God to  teach us his music theory. Take a minimum of 5 minutes and pray for this. 

Now back to the show

Music theory for the beginner songwriter

I know what you’re probably thinking when I say Music Theory.

You’re probably thinking the ability to use multiple keys in a single song or maybe different complex polyrhythms while drumming.

That’s great and all, however, that’s not the music theory that songwriters use.

HAHA

I know, us as songwriters are always supposed to use things and be ingenuitive with our projects. 

We are also supposed to do things that have never been done before! 

I get it, you want to write things that are revolutionary! 

However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth of what a popular songwriter actually does! 

The truth is that songwriters in today’s realm, use very simple and easy structures that look complicated. 

Even back then in the 80’s and 70’s, it really wasn’t much that producers and songwriters were using in order to convey the message across. 

I used to think that Led Zeppelin was like the epitome of music theory. Until I found out how simple a lot of their chords actually are! 

HAHA 

I even went back and examined the guitar solo to Stairway to Heaven and all it is is the Am scale being played in different shapes and forms. 

The Am scale is the very first scale that a lot of guitarists learn when they first start practicing soloing! 

Just know that it’s the basics! 

So, I know that, that was a long intro, but let’s go over some Music theory for Songwriters.

Chords

The chords don’t have to be super complex, as I mentioned above, therefore if you just use simple I-IV-V-VI Chords and other variants, then you  are more than guaranteed to make a solid base for a song.

And they don’t even have to be the I-IV-V-VI chord progressions. If you just use a rule of thumbs in the major scale for making your own Chord progressions, it will always sound good. 

Here are some rules of thumbs when making a Chord progression.

1. Start at I and repeat the first two chords over and over again until the chorus
2. Start at I and go to V
3. After a big leap, go back down
4. If you didn’t go back down after a leap, then go back down after the chord that you went up to
5. Make the next chord in the progression very different from the chord that you just played
6. Make the next chord in the progression very similar from the chord that you just played (I’ll explain more about this in a second)
7. Always keep it simple

I know that I contradict myself in those rules of thumbs, however, those rules of thumbs aren’t meant to be done all at once. They are actually made so that you can try and make different chord progressions using those rules. 

And of course, they aren’t hard or fast rules. 

If it was up to me, I would keep playing the same chords over and over again until the bridge and then repeat the verse and chorus chords over and over until the end. 

That’s just me. 

However, I know that there are a lot of different and EXCITING approaches to this Music Theory.

There is a theory that states that you should change up the last chord after every 16 bars to make it sound exciting.

I’ve heard other theories that state that you should keep it the same all throughout the song, which would make for a very solid base of a song. 

So, the best way to tackle chords and basically any musical concept is to examine some of your favorite songs and see how they use those theories to their advantage. 

I know that you’re probably thinking right now and racking your head on how to actually use those chords in the most Ingenious and Never-been-done way, but if I’m frank with you, you’ll never find a Chord progression worth listening to that’s like that! 

The best hits were written with simple Chord progressions, never forget that!

Broadcast

I sure hope that I have been an inspiration and a hope to you all. Please remember to pray, read your bible, go to church, and love God above all else. Like, comment, share, subscribe, and I will see you all next time.

If you want to go to heaven, then believe in Jesus and you will go to heaven. (John 3:16)

Thank you all for listening in on this blog post.

German Gonzalez, signing out!

Hey guys! Here is an article about publishing and self publishing your own music.