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transposer circle of 5ths wap

Joined: 25 Jul 2007
United States

Lessons: 13
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SONGWRITING & MUSIC COMPOSITION (for rock)

by Guitarslinger124

29 Jul 2007

For a rock song, chances are you're gonna be using fifth chords, also known as power chords. These chords consist of a root, the fifth and the octave...

Example: A power chord:
root=A
fifth=E
octave=A

Tab: A power chord:


     E:----

     B:----

     G:----

     D:-7-->>>octave

     A:-7-->>>fifth

     E:-5-->>>root

To make these chords major, simply add the third.

Example: A major chord:
root=A
fifth=E
octave=A
third=C#

Tab: A major chord:


     E:---

     B:---

     G:-6->>>third

     D:-7->>>octave

     A:-7->>>fifth

     E:-5->>>root

To make these power chords minor, add the third, then flat it.

Example: A minor chord:
root=A
fifth=E
octave=A
flat third=C

Tab: A minor chord:


     E:---

     B:---

     G:-5->>>flat third

     D:-7->>>octave

     A:-7->>>fifth

     E:-5->>>root

A "must know" scale for rock is the natural minor scale. To build the natural minor scale you start with the root and move a whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step and then back to your root.

Example: A natural minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G and back to A.

Tab: A natural minor scale:


     E:------------------------5-7-8->>>A-B-C

     B:-------------------5-6-8------>>>E-F-G

     G:--------------4-5-7----------->>>B-C-D

     D:-----------5-7---------------->>>G-A

     A:------5-7-8------------------->>>D-E-F

     E:-5-7-8------------------------>>>A-B-C

To write a song, usually you have some idea of either, how you want it to sound, what message you want to get across or what tempo you want it to be. If you know how you want it to sound, here's an important thing to keep in mind: minor chords/scales have a darker almost sad sound to them, while major chords/scales tend to be happier sounding. The message of a song, could be how you feel about something, it could be about how great your girlfriend is...the message can be whatever you want it to be and usually comes out through the vocals of a song. Tempo is simple; to want the song to be fast or slow...or both.

There are no rules for song structure. However, a common way to do it is: intro, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, "breakdown", chorus, outro. Again, do it however you think it will most benefit the song.

Hope ive helped!!

Request:

Songwriting & Music Compostion

by d4rkst4r

- Best Scales & Chords for rock based songwriting
- Where to start songwriting
- How to form a song
- Song Structure

Comments:

01
08.04.2007

yablon

a quick question. would it be correct to say that Metallica's Nothing else matters, is in the key of Em. and that Em = Gmajor?

02
08.04.2007

Guitarslinger124

I wouldn't go so far as to say that they are equal, simply because E natural minor has a different sound than G major. But yes, in a sense they are equal... E natural minor is the relative minor to G major...which means that technically they are in the same key because they share the same notes...to find the relative minor of any major scale count three half steps back.

03
08.08.2007

Afro_Raven

Nice lesson, except that there is one fundamental thing wrong with it...
The whole point behind a power chord is that it is made up of only the root and fifth, NOTHING ELSE! Here you have talked about the A minor/A major power chords - there's no such thing! The interval that makes a chord major or minor is its third, major chords have a major third, minor chords have a minor third. period. The reason power chords are so called is because their lack of a third makes them sound much more powerful when played through a distorted amp. So you cannot have a minor or major power chord - it has no third so there is no way to distinguish what it is. The chords you talk about above would simply be A minor or A major chords. Other than that, bloody good lesson!

Afro

04
08.08.2007

Guitarslinger124

haha...good point...but whats the fun if you always follow the rules? hehe...you are right though...

05
10.15.2007

Davo

E is the relative minor to G, but that does not make the notes, or the chords Em and G, enharmonically equivalent... "equivalent" usually means identical. Such as A# and Bb are enharmonically equivalent because they are actually the same note...

unless you meant something else by that.

06
10.15.2007

Guitarslinger124

not only is E natural minor the relative minor to G major, but it is also the aeolin (i know obvious right?), but the modes of a major scale are the same notes just using a different starting point....so they are the same notes...G major- G, A, B, C, D, E and F#. the next mode is A Dorian-A, B, C, D, E, F# and G....just as E aeolian is-E, F#, G, A, B, C and D...so they are the same notes....

07
10.25.2007

REDSTRAT

WITH ALL TABS NOW THESE YOUNG GUYS HAVE NEVER SEEN SHEET MUSIC.GUITAR WORLD NEEDS REGULAR SHEET MUSIC TOO.GUITAR FOR THE PRACTICING MUSICIAIN HAD SHEET MUSIC AND TAB.ARE THEY STILL AROUND.

08
10.26.2007

Guitarslinger124

guitar one still uses staff, and vic juris and keith wyatt use staff in their guitar world columns...when talking about music in general, sheet music is common language that is definitely very good to understand. however, this site is catered mostly towards guitarists, in my opinion, and tablature is pretty much the standard nowadays...but good luck with your revolution to bring back sheet music!

09
07.10.2008

The main difference between say A minor and C major is the chord progression. Alot of music uses a very standard progression for it's chords. I-IV-V progressions. This is where the difference in sound/feeling you get from the music.

Using the above example, C major is a very powerful, almost cheerful feeling chord progression (C-F-G) while shifting the exact same song to A minor (A-D-E) will make the song sound more emotional... depressing in a way.

Been a LONG time since I delved into music theory (16 years) so I may be off on the exact chord progression (I can't remember the exact order of the I-IV-V chord progression...)

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