some nice chord progressions...

For some reason I've got this running on repeat in my head so I nutted out the patterns; I reckon they're brilliant - what say you lot??

Reach out - The Four tops.

Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus4 Ebm Ebsus2 Eb9 (no 3rd) Bb
/ // / // / / / ( I can't get the chord strikes under the chords.. sorry!)

The verse chords are Abm7, Gb/B, Db

The pre-chorus chords are Gb, Bb/D, Fdim

The chorus chords are Bb, Ebsus4, Ebm, Bb


Chords used...

Ebsus4 - x68896 Ebm - x68876 Ebsus2 - x68866 Eb9(no3rd) - x68666 Bb/D - xx0331 Fdim - xx3434

Hi John,

Just had a brief listen and a try of your chord sequence to the Four Tops. I can't say that I can hear the Eb9 in the intro, as the dominant 7th in that chord doesn't go. Another one is the verse, the Gb/B doesn't sound present either. Where did you get the chords from?

Martin.

PS, You've acicentally marked the chorus as verse.

oooh... typo!!! The Gb/B should just be B.. but Gb works as well and the Eb9.. well, by my working out that was the chord name; but I've been wrong before and that is the position and shape that I use. Is that note/chord not there in the song; I'm working from memory here and I hear it as a passing chord/note!!

I'm just pleased someone's at least commented on it!!

Sometimes (and with me quite often) the memory plays tricks and you can start to invent structures in songs off the top of your head that isn't in the original. The chord description of Eb9 without the 3rd is correct as the chords title, but if you listen to the track the dominant 7th note of Db which is the note on the 6th fret 3rd string, isn't present in the original and I reckon that its still with the Ebsus2. But that's just my humble opinion.

Mate; I bow to your much better theory and memory; that said. I like the way it sounds!!

See, I also hear an extra chord in the verse of "Listen to the music - Doobie Bros that I used to put in and the rest of the blokes would fall about in derision and laughter...

F6(add9)/Gm7
10 10 10 10 10 10/10 10 12 10 11 10
D#6(add9)/Cm7 (I sometimes add a Gb - G on the B string before going back into the F6)
888888/8108888
Eb Gm Dm7 F6(add9)/Gm7
11 13 13 12 11 11 10 10 12 12 11 10 10 12 10 10 10 10

Once again, this is from memory so be gentle with me!

Hi John,

I can't say that I recognise one or two of the chords in you rendition. Have a go at my version (this is in the copy key of E) and let me know what you think of the chords that have ringing open strings.

Bloody hell.... Martin, apologies to you in particular, and to anyone who tried my version of "Listen to the music"!!

What I've notated there as Doobies is, in fact, the way I play "Long train running".... and Martin has kindly - and correctly - supplied the chord structures for "Listen to the music"!

Getting old's a bastard...

corsair wrote:...Getting old's a bastard...

But wait! There's more! Or rather, less. Welcome to the slippery slope of senility.
Now, where are my pants?

You're a little ray of sunshine, Barry, you really are!!

corsair wrote:Bloody hell.... Martin, apologies to you in particular, and to anyone who tried my version of "Listen to the music"!!

What I've notated there as Doobies is, in fact, the way I play "Long train running".... and Martin has kindly - and correctly - supplied the chord structures for "Listen to the music"!

Getting old's a bastard...

Now I get it John,

You're not far away from the my version. Only difference being is where you use an F6, I use a Dm7 at the 10th fret, bouncing to a Gm7 at the same fret and where you use the Eb Gm Dm7, I use Eb Gm7 D7 before going back into the choo choo sequence.

Listen - Talk about getting old and forgetting chords. When I was young I used to know all the fancy chords in various shapes. I learned to play by ear as I wasn't into Bert Weedon's "Play in a day" or music books with "She'll be Comin' round the Mountains".

Anyway I bought a decent chord book and meticulously learned what I needed to know.

Now, I still play by ear and have totally forgotten the names of all but the basic chords, so I haven't a clue of the name of a chord that I am playing at any given time.

The same is now happening with spelling, but I hope I am only in the early stages!!

Graham (51.42 years old)

When I first started to play the guitar some 35+ years ago, I went out and bought a chord book. I have always been a bit of an extremist, so I bought the thickest one that I could find (which I still have to this day), its title is "7488 Chords For Guitar by Chappel Music". I am often asked by my guitar students, "do you have to learn that many?" And I always tell them "yes, but its not as hard as the title may suggest".

Martin.

PS. Anyone wanting a theory string put their hands up now.

I don't want a theory string.

I have forgotten more chords than I have ever learned so I am now in a position of -ve knowledge.

I actually do not believe that chords exist. I think that some trendy guy like Mozart, Hendrix or Nigel Tuffnell thought up the rules and made all the meek, unquestioning followers accept without debate.

Lets face it - Chords are a figment of some mental musical guys imagination. They are the ego trip of the learned to be cast down to the great unwashed.

My advice is forget about this chord nonsense and just put several fingers on several strings and see how it sounds, but mainly try to avoid chords!!

Hoax

Corsair

You want to get your act together man! Not only do you forget the chords, but you also forget the song! You need therapy!!

There not much left to forget after that little lot.

These are the things I regularly forget in the bedroom (with my guitars of course, and not the little lady)

But now the whole world knows that you have the memory of a goldfish whereas my secret remains within the 4 walls of this home!!

hoax wrote:Corsair You want to get your act together man! Not only do you forget the chords, but you also forget the song! You need therapy!!

"tis very likely true!! However, I have no books or other aide d'memoire with me here in Jersey - all back in NZ - so that was all from memory, which these days has proven to be less than robust....

anyway.. see y'all next week!!