This is killin' me...

U

urobolusmusic

New member
You guys can probably help me out with this. I am trying to write this period piece that sounds like it came from 50's era and I came up with this progression:

C Am Dm G (or G7, they both sound fine to me)

I play it 6/8 doing arpeggios, but can't help but feel like someone already used this progression in a notable song. I was thinking The Penguins, people have suggested Ritchie Valens, and some others. I've looked up all the songs that people, or I, think it might be and it has always turned out to be a different progression but the same feel.

Anyone know what it might be? I want to make sure I'm not ripping somebody off note per note and thus avoid any legal issues that could possibly arise.

I've even googled "C Am Dm G" and ".... G7)" which hasn't yielded anything either... except one website that says some Dr. has the copyright to it, but searching his name doesn't result in anything useful except the same website so who knows how legit that is.

Thanks for the help! :)

Uro
 
I wouldn't worry too much about it. There's a million rockabilly bands playin' the same 'ol progressions over and over again.

...I should know. I'm one of 'em!!!:D
 
mshilarious said:
. . . and chord progressions cannot be copyrighted.
Click to expand...

Thank you! When I read that on the website I was like "How the hell can someone copyright a chord progression?"

Thank you to everyone else as well. Guess I'll continue workin' on it since it doesn't sound like I have to worry about legals issues. Probably will stick with G7 as well.

Thanks!

Uro
 
The only time you'd get in trouble is if you obviously plagiarise a tune, lyrics and arrangement and call it your own. You'd be good to write a hundred toons on those changes no problem. Just don't call it Blue moon or the Tennessee Waltz or some such.;)
 
Young man, those changes are referred to by us old 'uns as 'ice cream changes' and were the soundtrack to the conception of millions of baby boomers.
 
my band accidentally wrote gypsy by stevie nicks the other night. we had a laugh. we decided to name it cocainus.

no joke.
 
muttley600 said:
The only time you'd get in trouble is if you obviously plagiarise a tune, lyrics and arrangement and call it your own. You'd be good to write a hundred toons on those changes no problem. Just don't call it Blue moon or the Tennessee Waltz or some such.;)
Click to expand...

Hell, I think Charlie Parker DID.


That's the A section of I got Rhythm. Probably the second most used chord progression in the world (right after the 12 bar blues.)

Shit, that's the changes for "The Flintstones" theme song.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Don't worry about it. That progression or a slight variation of it has been used by almost every guitar player since the instrument was invented.
 
1 6 2 5 has a fifities sound to it for sure.also used everywhere on the planet from jazz to blues to classical. No copyright on that progression or any other for that matter. 1625 is known to the art. The melody on top of that progression is a different (and copyright protectable) critter. Who is this Dr. you speak of?? Dr. Who, traveling through time and copyrighting things before (and given time travel afterward). ?? :D
 
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