I confess to being pretty ignorant about music theory - I am trying to put a baseline to a chord two chord sequences - but the bass note either isnt the one I thought it'd be or the bass is out of tune....
I dont know the name of the first chord but I play an arpeggio on the 5th fret on the 5th string 7th fret on the 4th strong and 6th fret on 3rd string....... I think that the bass not should be a D..... but it doesnt sound right.... it seems to sound better as a C sharpe..... can that be right or is my bass or guitar out of tune?
In another part of the 'song' I play an arpeggio with the 7th fret on the 5th string the 5th fret on the 4th string ad 4th fret on the 3rd string - I think the bass note for this should be E or A - can it be both?
Sorry for my vague ramblings......
Comments
On the 2nd arpeggio, either A or E bass should work. The 3 notes you played are E, G, F# which are part of the G major scale, of which A is also part of.
I don't have my guitar to hand and I'm slightly sleepy so I'm working this out purely from my brain and it might only be functioning at 75% though
thanks again.
1) determine the song’s “home note”. So you can say: this song is “in A” or whatever.
3) then you’d possibly go on to worry about whether it was “natural” or “modal”. Allowing you to say “it’s A minor dorian” or whatever. That’s not as critical at this stage.
if you knew the answer to those first 2 questions, you’ll be 90% of the way there. Then what you’d typically do is write out the harmony - meaning the positions - the context of each chord.
Your second chord is probably an E minor chord. (The notes are actually EGB, @Lionaqualooper). It could indeed also be an Am9 chord too. Depending on context
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
I literally know nothing about music theory (in my defence I am a drummer)...... it's not really a "song", more sort of a propulsive rhythm type thing..... it has 4 parts.....
the verse - is a repeating arpeggio - I slide up to the 5th fret from the 3rd on the 5th string and also play the 7th fret on the 4th string and the 6th fret on the 3rd string - I repeat that with a few variations and melody lines
the chorus - is sliding from the 7th fret on 4th string to the 5th fret and then the 4th fret on the 3rd string - I also play the 7th fret on the 5th string (the root note - I think its an E?).....
there is a bridge or breakdown that has a repeating melody were I play the open 5th string at the same time as 5th then 4th then 2nd frets of the 4th string.....
the coda - I play the 5th fret on the 6th string, the 7th fret on the 4th and 6th on 3rd - I play this like a "chord" - that is - I strum it - it has a drown quality - as I play I bend the note on the 6th string.....
This probably doesn't help any - but I appreciated the your attempt to help - I dont know what key that is - but they are the other chords or shapes I am using....
See i told you i was a bit groggy last night
x3xxxx -> x576xx
xx7xxx -> x754xx
x05xxx -> x04xxx -> x02xxx
?
if it is, then:
Your home note is D
Your tonaility is major
So you’re in D major
Your chords are Dmaj7 - Em - A7, which are I - ii - V7
The D chord has D A C# (the 1, 5 and 7 of D major). It’s missing the 3, so theoretically it’s neither major nor minor, but what with its major 7th and the following chords, it’s pretty certain. By the way, you swoop up to the D from the C, which is a flat 7, not a major 7. But that doesn’t mean you’re in D mixolydian. But it does sound a little unusual. Not that that matters! Do what you like. Try swooping from the 4th fret instead and see which you prefer.
The E minor chord has E G B (the 1, 3 and 5 of E minor). Nice. I like the way the first note in your arpeggio isn’t the bottom note.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
It's fascinating to see the chord sequence written out like that..... I have no idea - in fact reading the whole post is fascinating. To see there is a theoretical underpinning that I had no idea about...... (but of course there is)...
I want to say thank you for sparing the time to. go into that @viz - its much appreciated.
And when you say the 3rd chord which I’ve written wrong, do you mean this one?
x3xxxx -> x576xx
xx7xxx -> x754xx
x05xxx -> x04xxx -> x02xxx
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
The guitar part is largely one chord - I try and write it out like this - though the notes might be wrong - its standard tuning
6 (E) - 5
5 (A) - x
4 (D) - 7
3 (G) - 6
2 (B) - x
1 (A) - x
I bend the note on the 6th string 5th fret....... in my mind the bend has a sort of tremolo bar, my bloody valentine type effect on the sound of the chord.
thanks again for all your effort - its really interesting.