By Ju (152.163.253.70) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 02:23 am:

Were there any that were more popularly used? What were/are your favorite, and what tunes used them?

By Ju (64.12.96.238) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 04:12 am:

Ok seventies, too!

By Xtown (81.129.174.130) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 04:20 am:

One of the classic ones in my opinion was Danger HeartBreak Dead Ahead from the Marvelettes.

Phil Collins-Two Hearts - this had a great chord change too. However, to me, that song is Lamont Dozier.

There's another song I adore featuring chord changes from the Velvelettes. It's called "Something's Happening". Interestingly, both this one and "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" are Clarence Paul productions

By Ju (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 02:53 pm:

Any idea what these changes are?

By John Lester (81.129.174.130) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 06:24 pm:

When the melody plays in one key and then it moves up.

In Two Hearts by Phil Collins. There's the instrumental break and at the end of it, it moves up a key..isn't that a chord change? Don task me what about the techincal side of it. You're the technical one of the two of us, Julian!! lol

The new chord starts at about 2.00 and begins "She knows, there'll always be a special place in my heart..."

By Ju (152.163.253.70) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 01:42 am:

John when I asked what changes, I meant like what chords were being used, like...
C/// G/// C7/// F///
C/G/ F/G/ C/F/ C/G

"Bring It On Home To Me" verse, Sam Cooke.

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 12:08 pm:

Hunter Gets Captured - Marvelettes

Undun - Guess Who

You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet - BTO - The "pre-chorus" or "mountain" as Deke Richards would call it, before the well known power chords.

Dizzy - Tommy Roe - It sounds like a simple 3 chord song but it modulates through a cycle which sounds pretty clever.

There's a turnaround chord at the end of the verse of Heaven Must Have Sent You where it just sounds so H-D-H.

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 12:14 pm:

John L.,

That's a key modulation which can be used (or often misused) to good effect.

Barry Manilow use to use it a lot (that is, way too much) at the end of his songs for dramatic effect.

Steely Dan used it alot within the song itself almost like chord changes.

By soulboy (213.105.224.5) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 01:22 pm:

HDH records used pretty dramatic chords,and chord changes to great effect around about the time of 'reach out' many '7sus4'chords and they seemed to use standard major/minor chords with an altered bass note, this technique gives a lot of 'soul' to what would otherwise be a fairly plain sounding chord,for example;C/D bass,C/G,C/D,
etc.
Some of Stevie Wonders songs have really complex chords utilising augemented and diminished type chords,Also if you listen to the beach boys'pet sounds'these some pretty complex stuff in there for popular music.these may be everyday chords for a Jazz musician but rocket science for the average rock star.the study of chords and chord changes their uses and applications can take a lifetime,but with a little application the average musician can use these tools and techniques to their advantage.

By Sudi Kamau (66.117.198.35) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 04:05 pm:

I'm a jazz musician, I'm used to songs with dense and relatively complex chord changes, so the changes are often what really catches my interest in a song. Modern pop songs tend to use a fraction of the number of changes that jazz vehicles and earlier pop songs use,but they are often used to interesting effect.

Steely Dan leaps to mind when the topic of changes comes up. Someone mentioned Stevie Wonder; he has big ears for a lot of the "Tin Pan Alley" changes and changes from other genres.

If anyone is interested, there is a site www.completechords.com that has a very useful breakdown of how chord progressions (changes) work under the "Free and Useful Stuff" category.

By Ju (205.188.113.38) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 01:34 am:

Hey Sudi thanks a million for providing the address to that site. The book they offer looks interesting, too. I'll likely get it when it is available. Thanks again.

Ju

By Ju (205.188.113.38) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 01:36 am:

Another question, when a song is said to be in a certain "key," that means the tonic of that scale (?) is that key, right?