Songwriting - How To Write a Song #1 - Chords (www.UltimateSongwritingLessons.com)

[keisashoma]

i'm glad i don't have to know this stuff to be a song writer....because it's hard to memorize T-T

[MekkaShowtime]

wow thanks i knew the scales but i was missing the part abt the chords, very helpful!

[MinDV1RU5]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. You just helped me out a ton!!! :D

[LearnIndianGuitar]

awesome

[sskkarz]

am i expected to memorize this?

[jakethasnake6]

@sskkarz no, you're expected to get it tattooed all over your body..

[sskkarz]

@jakethasnake6

o thank you for telling me

but i dont like tattoos

[lego12onfire]

to confused TO MUCH LETTERS

[damrak1969]

Is there an easy method to find chords that don't have a lot of minor chords in them. I often get stuck when trying to write something upbeat or happy and using this method I get stuck with a lot of minor chords that don't fit very well in a happy song so I have to start guessing and noodling to find things that will fit. Any suggestions. My music theory knowedge is terrible.

[BrownSkyBlueDirtBAND]

Thanks.

[1YourAverageKid1]

wow this is pretty awesome

[joesatriani1200rulez]

its tone - tone - tone - semitone - tone - tone - tone - semitone

[TDWPbassistAILD]

@joesatriani1200rulez no it isnt. what you wrote would be C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D

[joesatriani1200rulez]

@TDWPbassistAILD yeah sorry mate my bad haha, drunken mistakes, haha

[ArnoldwilliamDow]

Someone answer me this: what IF your song starts on a minor chord?

[Brendonovic]

@ArnoldwilliamDow Stairway to heaven dude! (c;

[ArnoldwilliamDow]

@Brendonovic Yes a minor I know. first song I ever learned solo and all. whats the theory is what Im asking. if the first chord is minor instead of major how does that fall in the sequence normaly maj min min maj maj min dim?

[supercowmanguy]

@ArnoldwilliamDow Depends on the type of minor you're using, usually it's chords: min dim maj min maj* maj dim*, * = a "raised 7th" so it's semi-tone lower than the starting note, in pop this is more optional though. the second dim can sound cool as a maj instead. there are 3 basic minor scales, Natural: "tone, semi-tone, tone, tone, semi-tone, tone, tone" Harmonic: "tone, semi-tone, tone, tone, semi-tone, 1.5 tone, semi-tone." or A B C D E F G, or A B C D E F G#. Don't worry bout Mel. min 4 now

[sunburst909]

@ArnoldwilliamDow

Every minor chord has a relative major chord. If you are firmiliar with scales, An example is the A minor scale consists of the same notes as the C major scale. So A minor's relative major is C major. If you play chord progressions in C major you are also playing chord progressions in A minor. Everything is based off of the MAJ MIN MIN MAJ MAJ MIN DIM, Thats the major scale, everything in music (including minor) is based off of the major scale.

[sunburst909]

@sunburst909

If you have a song that starts on a minor chord, for example say you have a song that starts on G minor. That could very well mean that the song is in the key of G minor, BUT it could also mean that the song is in the key of F major. This is a lot of theory studying and theres a bunch of videos on youtube that teach you about it! If you have any other questions, just ask

[liliroquelin]

this doesn't say how to write a song, watch my channel people lol

[theneverendingalbum]

good video, very useful. I´ve produced a few tracks, come check my channel

[DRCJEL]

Oops I ment flats

[DRCJEL]

I don't get the whole scale thing, like I understand on c scale, but why would there be sharps or Glastonbury in other scales? And whats a semitone? If someone could please answer that'd be great(:

[Tim6H]

@DRCJEL Firstly a semitone is the distance between one fret to the next or on a piano one key from the other i.e (C# is a semitone up from C and B is a semitone down) If you look at a piano you'll notice that the accidentals-sharps/flats (black keys) are not in between every natural(white key). so you when you move along from c to c# major the degrees(notes in the scale)will be moved up one semitone accordingly which lead to some notes being an accidentals (black key). hope that helped. : )

[FlaGuy66]

sounds like the Geico gecko explaining song writing...

[BRONXPEPE]

@FlaGuy66 lol true

[LedZeppelin4ACDC]

this video is for people who know about theory but dont know about songwriting. i got all of it and found it quite useful espaically the the tone tone semitone trick to remember the sharps & flats in a scale. thnx!

[JegBorIEsbjerg]

What the hell?

[OFFICIALMSWHITE]

huh?

[UMP45M2Wguy]

i dont get this

[AcousticLeroy]

Can someone please tell me if this is also meant for a fingerstyle player ? :$

[plasticpunch]

@AcousticLeroy you can play chords also with fingers ..is the same thing

[wook1ee]

Great video. Great voice. Absolutely love this video. Thanks alot!

[speckyrecordsmusic]

I'm liking your videol! Check out mine...if you like music and comedy this is a must!

[shantelh]

GREAT I LIKE THIS TUBE

[06a09]

can somebody tell me the chords and notes spacing thingy for the minor scale?

[stepminestepminestep]

@06a09

ummm, you just start from the VI. That is the minor scale's root chord

I mean, it gets more complicated if you want a stronger resolution because that would involve some different chords, (particularly the v chord becoming a Major instead of a minor in it's inherent parent scale). But anyway, the scale starting from "A" in the key of "C", is called the "aeolian" mode and is also the "minor" scale that everyone talks about. I would try to look at the harmonic and melodic minors too :).

[GinnyGryff]

@CQB4Russia a diminished chord is very basically one consists of a minor 3rd (C-Eb), and a diminished 5th (C-Gb) above the root of the chord.

[popomczowzow]

@CQB4Russia

a chord with 4 notes that are all 3 notes apart. So you'd play a chord with B, D, F, and G#. The cool thing is that you can play each note separately and it's like a never ending cycle, when you start over you would have moved up an octave. B D F G# then 3 notes over is another B D F G#, over and over again.

Another cool thing is that you can play a diminished chord and move up 3 notes, play another, then move up 3 notes and play another. You'll recognize it when you play it.

[skint0n0minted]

you don't 'need to remember' that major minor formula.the only 'rule' that should be followed, which a lot of modern musicians ignore is -if it sounds good, it is good. you dont need to spend years with your head in books, its a waste of time, thats not how the greatists guitarists learnt

[SilenceXCore]

@skint0n0minted

Knowing WHY it's sound great and how you could improve it ;P

[EuphoriaMusicSession]

@skint0n0minted i used to think the same thing, but in reality, all of your favorite guitarists follow a scale of some sort. i guarantee you. plus, if you REALLY do love music, which i'm sure you do, you'd probably want to know more about it. music theory may sound like a waste of time and a ball-and-chain to your creativity, but the truth is it really opens up the box that many musicians are stuck in, and reveals to them greater possibilities.

[skint0n0minted]

@EuphoriaMusicSession yeah i know that i can hear it in the music the patterns, i meant you don't need to waste years with your head in a book, if something sounds good - thats it don't matter if it's in key or not. i like not knowing it makes it more magical and interesting.

[danablouse]

Thanks!!

[thebeatschool]

For people who know a bit about theory, this is fine but for people who dont know much theory, check out my channel for some simplified info on chord progressions.

[JonnyRakeRemix]

@thebeatschool. Hey dude. I no it sounds scary / very confusing at first but this is explained in the simplest way possible.

I have a degree in music and this is the kind of info u will greatley benefit from

[delahoyadude]

@JonnyRakeRemix How would i go about getting a degree in music theory? I really would like to pursue.

[celtenator]

Bloody well done, thanks very much!

[mishlintv]

this is very helpful 2me

[savgirl78]

ok dude sorry but some ppl are begineers and dont understand anything your saying!

[meffinune]

ok with this stuff i aint so good but i figure if its tone tone semiton at start of key thenif it was A-B-Cflat ?? :S surely

[LawzyAfterMidnight]

There is no such note as C flat. That's why it goes to C. There is also no F flat.

[meffinune]

ah ok dude cheers just checkin i was missing something thanks (Y)

[meffinune]

what sharps dont exsist too pleaseeee :)

[Drum1203]

e# / Fb and B#/Cb

[LynzM1]

every note can be sharpened or flattened. it isnt a case of some of them don't exist. for example:

A# is Bb as is E# to F.

how it is written on the stave depends on the type of music you are reading for example; pop, classical, jazz, funk.

More modern music does not tend to include notes such as E#'s for example.

where as they can be seen all over classical music.

[rJ11991]

actually there is. c flat is B and f flat is E

[denim98]

C flat is when your instrument is out of tune :D and your audience fall flat hearing it.

[MKMusicII]

A C flat is a B, and a F flat is a E.

[LawzyAfterMidnight]

Well it would be B sharp and E sharp.

rJ, yeah, C flattened is a B, but you'd just call it B. Just when you're learning this stuff it's easier to think of them as not there.

[JonnyRakeRemix]

for the key of A major

it would be..... A B Csharp

[LynzM1]

in the key of Amajor you will have 3 sharps

Fsharp, Csharp, and Gsharp. (written in order of how they will appear in the treble clef on the stave)

so your scale would be:

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

[Steveyy999]

this is wicked, definitely recommended

[russellrivera1]

These are some of the best insights I've seen. Great stuff.

[lozuk2111]

very helpful. Thanks

[billycat1965]

VERY ,VERY I,NFORMATIVE THANKS

[emmieandsnyder]

thanks it actually helped me!

[oddn]

woooh!! this actually really helped me! thanks!!