favourite chord to write around

brummygit

brummygit

Member
not sure about anyone else, but when i start writing with my acoustic, i tend to play with the same chord first of all, just using a capo to vary it until the idea is there. does anyone have a really nice chord that they always use to write around????

here's mine:

6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 7th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 9th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 9th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th fret to support)
2nd and 1st open

or (same shape as above)
6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 2th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 4th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 4th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th here too)
2nd and 1st open


strange topic i know, but these chords start everything for me....
 
they're all the same really... I just write a chord progression and put it in a key best suitable for my voice, then write a good melody.
 
fave chords

I try to mix it up so I don't end up with too much familiarity in my songs. Although, I've written enough that start with a D, that's for sure. But, when I'm writing, i use the guitar as a tool with my voice to come up with something fresh (as fresh as possible, anyways). I love the way Maj 7ths sound. Also, pattern writing as I call it. I'll start with one chord and try to keep my fingers in a fairly close and comfortable postition as I go up and down the fretboard. Kirk
 
chord gravity

yeah - what IS it about D???

kinda difficult when you first start out, and yet everytime you go back to the guitar (for the following 25 years!!!!) the fingers just faaaaaalll into that lil old triangle!

over the years i've changed the voicing of chords i use quite a lot, and it kinda gives you a different feel to your writing.

for instance - when playing a Dmaj, try substituting the F# for the top A - just makes the D sound much brighter especially on chorussed sounds. so your cord will be XXDADA

for Gmaj, try not playing the B on the A string and damp it with the index finger playing the low G, and voice the D on the Bstring instead, this gives you GxDGDG - again, a really light sounding G chord.

my other favourite is in C, move the high C up to the D and it gives you a slightly more contemplative C chord.

my favourite chord of all is:
EBF#G#BE (effectively an Emaj with the middle E moved up to F#) - listen to Something Waiting To Happen by Marillion for a beautiful use of this chord and the associated A variant.

hope this is of interest

have fun
 
brummygit said:
not sure about anyone else, but when i start writing with my acoustic, i tend to play with the same chord first of all, just using a capo to vary it until the idea is there. does anyone have a really nice chord that they always use to write around????

here's mine:

6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 7th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 9th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 9th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th fret to support)
2nd and 1st open

or (same shape as above)
6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 2th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 4th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 4th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th here too)
2nd and 1st open


strange topic i know, but these chords start everything for me....
Click to expand...
These chords are varients of E minor, and a lot of great tunes have been written using these chords. I don't have a peticular chord that I always use, but I do have my favorite keys, as they suit my voice best, and that's G or D. I tend to lean more toward Major keys, as I can't cop a Minor, brooding tone to the music I write.
 
brummygit said:
6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 7th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 9th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 9th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th fret to support)
2nd and 1st open

or (same shape as above)
6th string - open
5th string - 1st finger at 2th fret.
4th string - 3rd finger at 4th fret,
3rd string - little finger at 4th fret (with 2nd finger on 8th here too)
2nd and 1st open
Click to expand...

you mean (with 2nd finger on 3rd here too), right?
 
tollbooth, i imagine D major is a favourite 'cos all the primary chords are open chords - i.e. no barre-chords i.e. easier to play. But then again the same applies for G major and A major, which both have D.

I IV V
D G A
G C D
A D E

So, the common chord is D, and it lets you go a few ways then...
Hmmm. That explain the phenomenon, maybe? =)
 
topolino said:
you mean (with 2nd finger on 3rd here too), right?
Click to expand...

haha nicely observed. yep, 2nd on 3rd. dont have to put it anywhere, its just for support and comfort so you can move the whole chord up and down the neck really easy.
i think this is a nice one to play instead of bar chords. still leaves strings open to ring in a nice way but just sounds SOO good
 
First, are we all clear on what chords he's talking about? E5 and Bsus4?

Second, I think it's easy to fall into a rut to say you write around a certain chord.

Like myself... DAMN THE add11!!!

I'm trying to get out of it.
 
InTheFire said:
First, are we all clear on what chords he's talking about? E5 and Bsus4?

Second, I think it's easy to fall into a rut to say you write around a certain chord.

Like myself... DAMN THE add11!!!

I'm trying to get out of it.
Click to expand...

not really sure exactly what these chords are. the Bsus4 sounds about right i think but not sure if the other's E5?...
in terms of being in a rut, i try to keep the guitar bit simple when im writing lyrics, so will use very similar chords and just throw on a capo. when ive got a hook or chorus or even a full song down, ill take of the capo and pay a bit more attention to the chords themselves and do them 'properly'
i just think its very easy to end up playing and writing around the same chords each time. i tend to have blocks in lyrics when im thinkin too much about the technical side of the guitar, and vice versa so i just tend to keep things as simple as possible.
 
Hmmmm....

First, yes, 079900 is E5. 024400 is B5sus4 (if you use as a suspension) or B5add11.
Second, I agree with InTheFire. It's very easy to fall into a rut if you're used to the same chord progression and sound coming out of the guitar. Even with a capo, the chords still feel the same, and the progression is still the same. I don't think it is a good idea. For certain, I have beautiful chords and progressions that I really like, but I just keep them up my sleeve for when they're needed. And there are so many, I'd never be able to choose one to write around.

There's my two cents. :)
 
cant argue with that if it works. i think the main thing is is everyone has different approaches to what they do for inspiration to get things down, and my original point was that certain chords just tend to inspire alot and get the good ol' creative juices flowing. mine just happening to be the E5 (thanks for putting me straight on that!) and the Bsus4 (and that one!) chords.
Failing all of that, I just retune my guitar into an open chord and play around - open C works really nice.
 
I suspect people who write on guitar tend to lean more toward E, A, D, G & C (Em & Am are likely to be used alot also). These are all relatively easy to pick around and use open chords.

I tend to write in G a lot, simply because it is a key well suited to my vocal range.

When I write on keyboard, I don't tend to have a favorite key - but I certainly write in flats & sharps a lot more. I also find I write in minor keys more on keyboard than I do on guitar.

I also notice on keys I tend to use many more passing tones which create various augmented chords and things like 11th chords - whereas on guitar I use mostly standard triad type chords with an occasional 6th, 7th or 9th.
 
Big fan of sus2 chords. Since they can resolve to either a major or minor 3rd, they tend to show up in most of my stuff. 5th chords can too, but there's something about those sus2's that throw a bit more "mood" into the tune.
 
Wow, i must be really sad

I havent got a fav chord. I usually end up playing a chord sequence from something Ive heard on the radio or from something ive downloaded
 
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