What chords are used in a 'soul' song?

Chords, scales, harmony, melody, etc.
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Could you please explain?

If you want to write a song in the soul genre, then which chords are normally used?

Thank you.

Post

This question has no meaningful answer.
You can have two songs (in whatever genre) that have no chords in common at all.

Listen to some music in this genre. Analyse the chords they use. Build up a vocabulary of it. Play along with these songs. After some time you should be able to come up with your own songs in that genre. If not, then maybe it's not your genre :shrug:
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Image
My MusicCalc is served over https!!

Post

From the first few hits on youtube:
- major
- minor
- 7
- major7 (and extensions like major9)
- minor7 (and extensions like minor9 and minor11)
- 11 (ex: Bb/C, Gm7/C, C11, C9sus4 - they're roughly the same chord, there's just lots of ways to write it)

In later jazzier, more complex songs, pretty much ANY chord can happen

Every chord can have any of the 12 notes as root note (C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B).

Post

Find song that you like...
Use http://play.riffstation.com/

Don't expect that because someone uses a specific chord progression that it will work for you.
Synapse Audio Dune 3 I'm in love

Post

More colored chords as a general rule...I guess.

But ..well...listen to the song in my signature (below). I guess it's fairly soul-y There are no fancy chords there at all...

Post

Why, soul chords... of course!

(And the colored chords comment is a little... uh, well... you know, right?)
WEASEL: World Electro-Acoustic Sound Excitation Laboratories

Post

Minor.

Start with Minor and the big load of reverb will do the rest.

Post

Gail Johnson's book on funk keyboards is really a good introduction to harmony in R&B in general, including soul. There's also a lot on instrumentation and performance. Very good.

Mark Harrison has a book on R&B keyboard styles that also functions well for soul music harmony.

Both assume music reading and at least intermediate keyboard skills. It's a style that is definitely performed rather than programmed, so the proficiency is important.

Post

add whitenoise with a plugin to each note or loops. Works well. Like melda free plugin. Set it low - the right mood.
My Music Site: http://www.leattol.com
My Amazing 32 Bit Win EQ: LA bands 15 band EQ

Post Reply

Return to “Music Theory”