Help: Turning sheet music into chords

Subject: Turning sheet music into chords
From: GUEST,George
Date: 02 Apr 01 - 09:28 PM

Anyone have any useful suggestions in taking music for songs, with no chords listed and trying to put chords to it? George

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: MMario
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 08:32 AM

Several of the music notation programs will give suggested chords for tunes.

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: Brendy
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 09:10 AM

Not least of all this one: Sibelius which converts sheet music into MIDI

I have heard much about 'Noteworthy', but I haven't gone further than Sibelius.

B.

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: Jacob B
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:51 PM

Peter Barnes has suggestion for figuring out chords from a melody line, in his book "Interview With A Vamper."

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: Brendy
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:04 PM

Which can be ordered from Here

B.

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: Bert
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:32 PM

I'm the worlds worst person to be talking about guitar playing but here's what I did when I first started.

If the note is 'do', 'me' or 'so' play the root chord
If it's 'ra' or 'te' play the dominant seventh.
If it's 'fa' or 'la' play the sub-dominant.
When you need to drop some chords because there are too many changes, the dominant seventh will work for 'so' and the sub-dominant will do for 'do'.

That should give you enough to start with until your ear can tell you where to change.

Subject: RE: Help: Turning sheet music into chords
From: Roughyed
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:55 PM

It depends on how much you are clued up on reading music. I look for arpeggios of chords and scales which give you a clue. The problem is that a lot of folk songs are modal which gives you a different set of chords maybe than if it was a 'normal' major or minor scale. You could compare bars that are giving you a problem with similar phrases in tunes you do have the chords for.

It's not an exact science with folk music but it is a lot of fun finding that unusual juxtaposition which can bring a song to life. Good luck and keep trying.