Songs from acoustic inception to full band version...

[PinkFloyd]

Ok, my problem is I can write good songs (to my ears anyway !)
but as I'm not too good a guitarist, they always sound repetitive.

What I mean is I tend to play the same progression in the same way for the whole song.

I tend to write on acoustic as I feel I can get a better feel for the melodies and stuff, and that leads to me to use a lot of open chords.

I'd like a nice, thick, warm sound - is the best way to get this to play barre chords on one track, with open on another?

Or should I try to use many variants of the same chord on a lot of tracks?

The songs are quite simple ( normally I-IV-V or something with simple melodies) and I'd really like to have that "wall of sound" I hear so much about.

I've tried to record on a few tracks but I can't seem to get it, so I'm thinking I not only need more tracks, but more ways to play the chords - am I on the right track?

[Bob Keelan]

Have you ever experimented with a capo?

[PinkFloyd]

Not Really, I don't really want to change the key or anything.

I'm just wondering what's the best way to thicken things up - can a capo help there ?

[Garry Sharp]

A capo would give you different voicings - good idea to experiment. Mixing barre and open chords is also interesting - despite the fact that it's what Oasis do on EVERY song (It's the basis of their "sound", if you can call it that.)

But what you really want is other musicians. (Not sure if you are in a band or solo.) I just love hearing the other guys in our band take one of my songs and add their own things to it.

Nothing wrong with I IV V. We're just adding a couple of covers to our otherwise original set - Sit Down by James and Sweet Child o' Mine by GnR. Both fantastically listenable songs - both have identical progressions virtually all the way through. Nevertheless it's definitely worth forcing yourself to add some variety.

[Bob Keelan]

Originally posted by PinkFloyd
Not Really, I don't really want to change the key or anything.

I'm just wondering what's the best way to thicken things up - can a capo help there ?

Yeah, you're not gonna change the key. As Garry said, it will give different voicings to your chords.

For example, if your song is G C D, put a capo on the 5th fret and play the fingerings for D G A. In reality they're the same chords but played together, you will fill out more sonic space.

Give it a try. It's about the cheapest little gadget you'll ever buy for your studio.

[PinkFloyd]

Thanks guys

Does anyone have any quick reference guides such as "this shape = this chord, when capoed at the 4th fret" etc ?

I'm a realatively new player and this would save valuable time trying to figure it out myself !

While I'm being greedy, anyone else care to pipe in with more ideas ?


Thanks again !

[cstockdale]

Just do some simple math: if you put the capo on the second fret, you have raised the pitch by a full tone, you need to subtract a full tone from all your chords:

an Am-F-G progression would therefore be

Gm-D#-F


Just write this down:

A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#

and for every fret you move the capo up, you have to move a semitone down the scale to keep the song in the same key.

[chessrock]

What it sounds like you're looking for is someone to collaborate with. It might be time to try and get out there and meet other musicians. Someone who can take your arrangement and spice it up a bit. Gilmour and Waters each had their specialties -- Waters was the lyricist and visionary, while Gilmour was the melody and emotion. Each one was very strong in their own right, but neither one did particularly well without the other.

[grinder]

Yes, adding a track of barre chords or chord inversions will thicken your open chord track. Expiriment with the panning between the tracks, if you haven't already.

[jaeden]

And if you dont wanna deal with a capo, there are simple solutions to pretty your tracks up. You can do one track of strumming acoustic, another track with an electric guitar,with a hint of chorus on it, raking in on the chord on the 1 beat. then you can add another electric with maybe a tad of distortion picking the same chords. endless possiblities!

[glynb]

Not forgetting doubling up on everything and stereo panning them, always adds to the sound.

I wouldn't worry about chord progressions. There are only so many combinations, a good song is about a lot of things of which chord progression is only one.

My band are doing a cover of Cat Stevens 'First Cut is The Deepest' which has just the simplest structure of three chords G, D, C - but a great song.

Maybe someone can name a great song with only two chords?

[Bob Keelan]

Paperback Writer?

[In Tune Audio]

Try a subtle synth part. It doesn't need to be anything drastic, just real faint in the backround with a warm pad sound. Mix it real low, most people won't even notice it, if its done right, but you will have a wall of sound.

[In Tune Audio]

Try a subtle synth part. It doesn't need to be anything drastic, just real faint in the backround with a warm pad sound. Mix it real low, most people won't even notice it, if its done right, but you will have a wall of sound.

[Emperor !!!]

try alternate tunings

[Emperor !!!]

you need to hear what the full band in your head is playing (arranging) and with the techniques mentioned above you might have an idea of how to get the wall of sound.

[CanopuS]

I have the same problem. Normally, I try to layer the tracks differently. Some songs I'll have JUST soft arpeggio barre chords, others I'll have 3 layers of chords all moving together (using strumming with another guitar playing beats 2 and 4 is a great technique I've found). As stated before, using electric guitar, effects etc. I like the idea of using a synth sound. Try and give every song something that people will talk about in other words after the first listening to your album they will be able to pick out individual songs for one specific thing "Yeah I liked the one with the tambourine" or "My favourite was the song with the piano". Stuff like that. It's a real pain I know!