Strategy for finding chords

Subject: Strategy for finding chords
From: pavane
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 07:42 AM

There are many threads asking for chords to songs. Here is a strategy which may help, at least for modern songs.

First, check to see if there is a MIDI file available on the web (Full song, not just the melody line). There is a good MIDI search engine on the Music Links page at Melody Lane
But be warned, there is music played automatically at this site.

many MIDI files of folk songs can be found at Lesley Nelson's site Here

When you have got a MIDI file, you also need to buy this program (download for £12.50 UK, cheaper if you are outside Europe because no VAT) MIDI Chords
This will tell you what key it is in, and list or print all the chord names. You can also ask it to transpose the chords to any other key.

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: M.Ted
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 10:49 AM

Just to give yourself a fighting chance of retaining your sanity, you should take open the MIDI file in a sequencing program and get rid of all the track except for the melody and the bass-- if there is a track with only block chords, you could use that--but beware, because, especially with modern stuff, there will be horn or reed parts with block chord phrases that complement or contrast the melody--

The other thing is that you have to trim the thing down to 12, 16, or 32 measures(depending on how long the melody is)--remember that the MIDI program will show you everything that is there in the MIDI file, which is way more that you need or want to have to deal with--

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: pavane
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:42 AM

M.Ted
The program handles most of that, by averaging over the selected fraction of a bar. It also lets you ignore selected parts - no need for a sequencer! Why not download the free demo and see for yourself.

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: M.Ted
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 01:30 AM

Sadly, it isn't available for Mac--Not to worry, as I do have a couple of other programs that calculate chords--even still, I prefer making up my own chords--

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: pavane
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 03:07 AM

Sorry about the non-availability of MIDI Chords for the MAC, (or LINUX), but I wrote it in VB and porting would involve a complete rewrite in C, which could take years. It actually reused MIDI code from a DOS QuickBasic program, so VB was the most sensible option at the time.

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: Helen
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 08:44 PM

Hi pavane,

I have downloaded the programme to try it. I'll let you know how I find it.

MTed,

When you find your own chords do you look at the music and work it out from the notes or do you play the melody and try to fit chords to the sound, or do you recognise chords from the sound of the melody from long practise? I'm at the stage of trying to find chords myself and I'm interested in how other people do it.

Helen

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: pavane
Date: 11 Aug 01 - 04:31 AM

Well, I also wrote a program to do that! It is shareware, unlike the other one. Download HARMONY from here (Free at the moment) Pavane's site

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: M.Ted
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 02:14 AM

Helen,

I do lots of different things--depending on what kind of song it is, how well I know it, etc. I mostly play for my own amusement these days, and when I know the melody to a song, I will often just pick out the melody and throw in which ever adjecent notes harmonize well--If it is a pop song or a standard, I usually just play four note chords up and down the neck, using whatever inversion has the melody note at the top--folk tunes(which often have simple chords, but harder to play melodies) I often finger pick in the key of G, and then use my own taste to drop in either the basic chord or a minor or something to add a bit of color--

When it is a tune that I don't know by heart, I often get the sheet music and play it through, correct the chords and change the key, then through in my favorite substitutions--lately, I've tended toward reducing a song to as few chords as possible(somewhere, I mentioned playing all of Blue Moon" with one chord) but using either a quirky chord pattern or a peculiar bass figure--I can assure you that there is no computer program than will come up the same stuff that I do--

Subject: RE: Strategy for finding chords
From: pavane
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 03:22 AM

My programs will also do the transposition for you.