I need help writing a song with keyboard.

[UNIQNESS]

I got an assignment which I'm supposed to write a song using 4 or 5 chords ( including I, IV, V, VII [major] or i, iv, v [natural minor] or i, iv, v [harmonic mionor]) but I'm so lost with the whole "writing a song with selected chords only." I have to write a 16 bar song and perform in front of people (singing & playing keyboard). I would greatly appreciate if someone could help me understand writing songs with 4 or 5 chords. I need to know how to even start with different chords and how i should apply melody to it. Once I have that, I will write the lyrics.

Thanks in advance.

 

[northsiderap]

Songs / Melody

Standard blues is:

I - I - IV - I - V - IV - I - VII or many variations of I-IV-V

For melody try using the pentatonic minor of the I, or the relative major (III Major) with the root note of I (relative major with tonic root becomes a harmonic minor.)

Quick and easy, gets 'er done.

 

[UNIQNESS]

Standard blues is:

I - I - IV - I - V - IV - I - VII or many variations of I-IV-V

For melody try using the pentatonic minor of the I, or the relative major (III Major) with the root note of I (relative major with tonic root becomes a harmonic minor.)

Quick and easy, gets 'er done.

thanks for the reply.. so if i were to write this song in a key of G minor (natural minor), i would use Em chord (E, G, B) for i, Am chord (A, C, E) for iv, Bm chord (B, D, F#) for v, and Dm chord (D, F, A) for VII? Also, would I only use G, A, B, C, D, E, F# for the melody? What does it mean by using a chord? (Does it mean that i have to press all 3 keys at the same time or can i seperate them in a bar and play each key individually in whatever order i want?)

please forgive my ignorance.

 

[northsiderap]

Starting

G natural minor's relative major is actually now a B-flat major.

The natural minor is always a step-and-a-half below the major, and consequently the relative major is always a step-and-a-half above the minor...

So relative major of Em is Gmaj. E natural minor modality is really the exact same notes of a Gmaj scale, but simply starting on the 'E' note.

NOW: If you're still with me, try using the natural minors of your IV and V chords as well over the ENTIRE progression. So with Em -> Am -> Bm that would be the same notes as Gmaj -> Cmaj -> Dmaj, but still starting on the tonic notes of E, A, and B.

I recommend Googling 'music theory 101' or something like that. Because only YOU can decide your basic rhythym and syncopation pallate based on your education of what is available for you to use.

At the level that you're at, I'd recommend using the pentatonic minor, natural minor, pentatonic major, and major scales exclusively. That way, you only have to learn the steps of the major scale and move it around on the keyboard.

If you are in a crunch, you can always use Cmaj (Am) -> Fmaj (Dm) -> Gmaj (Em), as they are pretty easy to use on a keyboard.

Also look up 'blues notes' along with 'pentatonic minor.'

 

[famous beagle]

Standard blues is:

I - I - IV - I - V - IV - I - VII or many variations of I-IV-V

For melody try using the pentatonic minor of the I, or the relative major (III Major) with the root note of I (relative major with tonic root becomes a harmonic minor.)

Quick and easy, gets 'er done.

Hmmm ... This is really odd. I have heard of an 8-bar blues before, but this progression isn't even that.

By far, the most standard blues progression is a 12-bar blues, and though there are several variations of it, it's basically:

I - IV - I - I - IV - IV - I - I - V - IV - I - V


I'm not trying to be a jerk, because by reading the rest of your posts, you obviously know your theory, but this "standard" blues just caught my eye because it was so odd.

 

[northsiderap]

Bar Blues

Try assigning four counts to each Roman Numeral... Do the V to major sixth/minor seventh slide thing, a minor third -> major third -> minor 7, or a pentatonic minor with the maj7 & flat fifth included, if that helps to place it in your head.

How about placing the relative of the I Major (Maj II Min / Maj III Min / IV & V Maj, VI, IV Dim etc etc) in those four counts of each Roman Numeral, then allude to an ambiguity between major and minor by using the minor III, the major III, the flat V, WITH both the maj & min VII ????

.... (edit) Oh yeah, I always love to end on a maj7 (for major I), the relative diminished of the fifth, or the major6 for a jazz smooth feel.

Maybe I'm thinking of old Jelly Roll Morton?