Chapter 24 - Excerpt (pages 1-3 of 12)

Chapter 24 - Finishing Chords and Connecting Song Sections
"I know I listen too long -But then one thing leads to another" – "One Thing Leads to Another" – The Fixx / A.Agius, C.Curnin, P.Greenwall, J.West-Orem, A.Woods

"the foot bone connected to the leg bone, the leg bone connected to the knee bone" – ”Dry Bones" – many / unknown

In this chapter:

- A Few More Ideas

- Using "Leading Chords"

- Using "Turnarounds"

- Linking the Verse to the Chorus – Transitions

- Using "Transitions"

- Moving to a Different "Key Area"

- Modulations

- Summary

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MINI-CHECKPOINT:

• If you've completed your melodies, but have not finished the chord patterns:  You need do them soon – hopefully this chapter will help.  If you're not done by then: Go back to "Chapter 13 -Starting with a Chord Progression" and figure out chord patterns and/or chord loops for the verse and chorus.  Or re-read "Chapter 23 - Matching Melody and Chords".  Re-read this chapter if you need to.

• If you've completed your chord patterns, but haven't got your melody mostly completed (or started!) – you need to cracking on that.  The next chapter may help, but also go back and re-read chapters 11 and 12.  Then re-read "Chapter 23 - Matching Melody and Chords" chapter.

• If your melody and chord patterns are pretty much completed; Congratulations! You're right where you need to be.

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A few more ideas:

Here are a few longer (8-bar) chord progressions that have a natural pull and flow through 8 bars.  There are additional "free" chord and melody ideas in "Appendix C".

Stepping down a 3rd provides a good flow:

Note in this example that the Am has a natural pull to the "D" in bar 5.   We also end on the 5 chord "D" - to pull back to the initial "G" – assuming you want to repeat the line for the second part of a verse.

Another variation:

Almost a "chord motif" with pairs of chords going: up a 4th – down a third. 
This works well with a 2 bar melodic motif that is raised up a step each time.

Notice that the last bar has a choice of three chords – your choice would depend on where you are going next.

Leading Chords (Chord Leadings) – (You'll hear it said both ways)

There are "natural" sounding pairs of chords, where the first has a "pull" to the second.

Getting back to the tonic chord:

Most of the time your song will start on the tonic chord.  Even more frequently, it will also end on the tonic chord.   Rarely, a song will not end on the tonic, which leaves the listener feeling that it's "hanging there" waiting for a resolution – but this can be a good effect for certain tunes.

But most often the second to last chord will be the "dominant" 5 chord (D in this case).

Try playing these chords a couple of times – and then ending on the "D"

It doesn't sound "finished" does it?  Try it again and then add one last "G" chord.

So you may likely use this 51 "resolution" at the end of your song.  You may also use it at the end of a line, verse, or chorus.

Another, even stronger "pull" is to add the 7th note to the 5 chord (D with and added "c" note is D7 in the key of "G"). Try the 4 chord example above, but play a "D7" where the "D" is.

The 7th chord (F#dim) also leads nicely back to the tonic, as it has most of the important "pulling notes" that the D7 does.

5 chord leading to 1 chord - "Pulling" notes ()

One other chord that is often used to lead back to the tonic is the 4 chord:

4 1  (C G)
This is the traditional "Amen" chord resolution from so many hymns – it seems to work best in old time country and gospel songs – perhaps because of the "Amen" association.

Return to the Tonic in a Minor Key

This is the same as in major keys (except the tonic is a minor chord).  The 5 chord or the 5 with the seventh note added provide two of the strongest pulls to return to the tonic.

5 1 (E Am)

5⁷ 1 (E7 Am)
The 7th diminished can be also used  - 7dim 1 (G#dim Am)

Again these returns are almost always used at the end of a song, and frequently on the end of a line, verse or chorus (if you want to end that section on the tonic). 

Summary: The 1 and 5 chords are the most important chords in any key because of their strong relationship.  Entire verses and choruses have been built on just these 2 chords.

Getting to the 5 Chord

You may also want to lead into the 5 chord.  Sometimes we'll see that you don't end a line, verse, chorus with the tonic – but with the 5 or 5⁷ chord.  The 2 or 2⁷ chord leads nicely into the 5 or 5⁷ chord.

2 chord leading to 5 chord

Assume that our 3 examples above are for verse patterns.  A typical chorus that might be used with any of them.  Notice how the 2⁷ chord (Am7) is used to lead to the 5⁷ (D7).

 (note the D7 at the end to lead back our tonic (G) at the start of a verse)

Major 2 chord leading into 5 chord:

You can also use a "major' version of the 2⁷ chord to lead into the 5⁷ chord.
(A or A⁷ instead of Am or AM⁷⁾

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