Three-chord songs

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: CarlZen
Date: 05 Oct 99 - 01:54 AM

I just got to listen to a brand new CD today. It is called "Retrograss". The musicians are David Grisman, John Hartford, and Mike Seeger. The idea of the project was to put some of their favorite songs into the style af early, pre-bluegrass country music. Some of the comments in the booklet refer to dropping certain chords (i.e. in "Old Home Place" -key of G- there is a B chord and an A chord; the 3 and the 2 chord - they were dropped from the song. It is very much recognizable as the same tune, but the effect is very old-timey, and fun. Proving the point that just about any song can be worked down to only three chords.

Some of my favorite songs are those with only 2 chords. They let the natural rhythms of the music take over.

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: _gargoyle
Date: 05 Oct 99 - 01:41 AM

The primary chords are referred to as the One, Four, Five.
Otherwise, denoted as the I,IV,V.

It does not matter what the orginal Key signiture is....they are built on the 1,4,5 notes of the key.

THOUSANDS of songs in the folk realm are built on this. Motzart understood its elements well.

There are two many list...look through the DT for any combination ie:
C,F,G,
G,C,D,
D,F#,A
A,C#,E

When you have "mastered" (become bored) with a song you know well....move it to another key.....if you can play the first chord you then know the 1,4,5 for the new key. Then move it to another key again.

The "cycle of fifths" is built on the fifth note of the scale..going UP......for Bb instruments (sax etc) it is easier to think in terms of a "cycle of fourths" ...going DOWN....either way ends up at the same place....

Once you have learned these two fundamentals all you need is to learn to "flat your fifths... rather than drink them... for the blues" and you will be able to, "jam with the men."

Hang in there Girly, you'll get there.

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: Big Mick
Date: 05 Oct 99 - 01:32 AM

WW,

My job keeps me going so much that I have never had the time to become a virtuoso guitar player. I just play the chords and leave the fancy pickin' up to the Fieldings of the world. I surrounded meself with good musicians.

Learn a couple of fingerstyle patterns and you will be fine.

Mick

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: campfire
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 11:45 PM

John Prine jokes about only knowing three chords. My favorite of his is Blue Umbrella. I "grew up" doing Joghnny Cash - same thing, and you don't have to be able to sing, either! NOI ;)

campfire

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: Michael K.
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 10:43 PM

Hi WyoWmn.

Hmmm....a few that come to mind are:

''Hit The Road Jack'' (recorded by many including Ray Charles.) A minor, G major, F major, and E7th (or any other key you like.)

''Feeling Alright'' (Joe Cocker/Leon Russell version) (C7th - F 7th) (2 chord wonder!)

...some of the early Eagles tunes are pretty basic as well and easy to strum and sing to. (ie: Take It Easy, Best of My Love..etc.)

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: Mudjack
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 10:38 PM

You mean theres something besides 3 chord songs? Paradise , This Land is Your Land, Columbia, Roll On. Heck... over half my songs have only three chords. Maybe I should be taking some lessons.
Mudjack

Subject: RE: Three-chord songs
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 10:35 PM

Wyo, virtually all songs can be accompanied with three chords. ie. C,F and G7. or G,C and D7, etc. The same can be said for minor key songs. (you might want to use 4 to fill in the harmonic spectrum) but Am, Dm, E7 (and G) or Em, Am, B7 (and D). Give us some songs you want to sing (no matter how complex) and I'm sure we can help you arrange them simply

My favourite song "Handful of Songs" uses only three. (I added a fourth on the CD but sometimes I fancy things up)

Rick

Subject: Three-chord songs
From: WyoWoman
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 10:17 PM

Every time I say to a musician something like, "Yes, I'm learning to play guitar but I only know about three songs," s/he will laugh and say, "Entire careers were built on only three chords..."

And I know there are a lot of three or four chord songs out there, so ...

What are some of your favorite songs using three or four simple chords (no ninth diminished suspended with chili, please)?

ww