Rastrelnikov, what you said was really helpful. There's got to be SOME relationship between chords and melody, though - otherwise, how come some chords fit and some don't? My memory is shot, so I have to learn things by understanding WHY they work that way, instead of learning by rote memorization.
Also, I wonder why it is that when I sing a new song, I can usually guess what note is going to be next, even though I don't read music very well. There must be some notes that follow each other well, and some that don't. I guess what I'm asking about is what's called the "intervals" between notes. What's the secret?
I'm trying to get the theory right on chords, too. I think the two types of chords I'm familiar with are called "Dominant" chords. If I'm correct, a Dominant Major chord is do-mi-so-do, or 1-3-5-1 (in Roman numerals). And I think a Dominant Seventh chord, which sounds just a little "off" is do-mi-so-ti, or 1-3-5-7. Folk songs often use chords I and IV, and the seventh of V. The usual pattern for simple folk songs would be I, IV, V, I. Usually, you wouldn't end a song on a seventh chord because it sounds unfinished or incomplete, or "unresolved." So, you finish it off by going back to a dominant major chord, usually I. Am I right so far?
-Joe-