Q. I can come up w/ a short melody or chord changes, but I have trouble developing it into a whole song.
A. I'm not much of a composer, but I'm beginning to dabble, and I've come to learn a few things, so I'll try to answer this one...
Composing is actually not that difficult if you plan it out properly. At least, that's how it works for me. Before I actually write a melody, I will plan out what form I want it to have -- like strophic, freeform, etc. (my terminology may be sceewompus, but I'm sick so pleh). I usually draw a big line and split it up into sections, naming the first section "A." This is usually the main melody. Then you can have a B section, a C section, and then finally resolve back to A. Or something like that, I don't know what you'd call that using form and analysis terminology, I haven't really gotten that far yet. Anyway, after mapping out the "timeline" you could probably decide where you want your "climax" to be, let's say it's in the C section.
Alright, so you've got a basic melody, but what about the other B and C sections? I usually figure out what chord progressions I want to use in the other sections, and build a melody off of that (that's what I usually do, as I'm a little more interested in cool chord progressions that actual melody lines). Key changes are always fun to do and there are a million ways to do a key change and switch up the sections, like moving into the relative minor and then back to major, using subdominants to move the melody into the dominant, etc. etc.. But anyway, there's usually a small few-measure introduction to different sections, or at least an intro at the beginning.
Yeah so... I'm no virtuoso, and I'm sure Mozart never had to do this, but I'm a huge music theory geek, so if you already knew all this stuff, feel free to disregard my music student geek-out.
How do I learn what guitar chords to play in order to jam in a certain key.?
Q. I know scale positions on a guitar but how do I learn which chords can be played in a certain key? I want to be able to jam with chords, not just play solos.
A. Doing this well requires a good knowledge of music theory, but here is a basic stuff to get you started:
You first need to find the relative major scale of key you are using. For example, G is the relative major to E min because they have the same notes, just a different order. C is the relative major to A min, ect.
If you are in a major key, the distance between the notes should be as follows
I-whole-ii-whole-iii-half-IV-whole-V7-whole-vi-whole-viidim-half-I
The "wholes" represent two half steps (two frets) and the "halfs" represent one half step, or one fret. For example, F# is one half step above F. G is one whole step above F.
When counting up, remember what a piano looks like - there is no black key between B/C and between E/F. This means that F is one half step up from E.
Now that you have your scale, you find the chords. If you look at the spacing chart above, you'll notice some roman numerals are capitalized - this means they are major chords. The lower case are minor chords. The V7 means a 7th chord (you can do major or minor depending on the style of music [ie jazz uses min7]) You can also just play a major chord if you don't want to get fancy. The viidim is a tricky chord. It is REALLY hard to figure in melodically. Many people just use vii instead.
To sum it all up, let me give an example. Let's say we have the Emin scale. I'd want to find the relative major scale - G. The notes in G are G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G. The chords, therefore, are G Amin Bmin C D (or D7) Emin F#min (or F#dim) G.
There is quite a bit more to this on when to use 6th chords, and augmented chords, and more....but you need to know the basics first. Every song can be jammed to or played with basic chords. Making them more complex will add style once you get the basic chord progression down.
If you were going to start playing blues/jazz piano; which piece would you start with?
Q. All throughout my piano years I've played classical. I find it EXTREMELY boring, except Bach's music of course. I want to start playing Jazz or Blues piano but I don't know what music piece I should start with...Any ideas?
A. This is a good question, but it has been asked here a number of times in various ways!
No. 1 (rhetorically): If you find "classical" extremely boring, what makes you think you would be interested in anything else? This is a serious question, I just want to make you think about it. How you define "classical" has a lot to do with the answer, but let us leave that for another time.
No 2: Do you have any idea what you are talking about? I mean this also as a serious question. Do you know the difference between jazz and blues? That question was asked here very recently and I suggest that you do a tiny bit of research at Yahoo!Answers. Jazz is a VERY broad subject and though there is no definitive definition of "jazz", it does incorporate the "blues". "Blues", is strictly defined by a chord structure as well as by a style of playing. One of the answers here calls it a "generic blues progression" and he is correct as it applies to a version of the "12 bar blues" progression. There are many versions and then you get into "16 bar blues" progressions and alterations. But it all has to do with the basic three chords: tonic, sub-dominant and dominant. Learn this progression in all 12 keys and you will be well on your way to playing "the blues".
No. 3: "Jazzing" it up. Your best bet is to listen to some people who do it well. Try looking for "blues" on YouTube and listening to samples. You won't be bored for long.
Now for the broader question: Why do you find "classical" boring? Is it because you are expected to play it exactly the same, or better, every time? Well, jazz is about NOT doing that. You do strive to always play it "better", but you also strive to play it differently every time! Again, listen to tracks at YouTube. YouTube takes are free and I've spent many enjoyable hours following links to find the next "gem".
As you come from a classical background, I suggest that you listen to Dave Brubeck. My first "deep" forays into playing jazz came from following Brubeck, Peter Nero, Ronnie Kole and other classically trained pianists who turned to jazz. These three were on juke boxes in restaurants and bowling alleys a "few" years ago! Brubeck even published a lot of his manuscript with very accurately transcribed solos! These guys even do amazing jazz versions of some well-known classical "hits"! Another pianist I came to later is the Brazilian, Deodato. He is one of my current favorites because of the "rock-tinged" flavor to his classical version of such things as "Also Sprach Zarathustra", "Rhapsody in Blue", "Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun" and many others. (Brazilian pianist/composer Antonio Carlos Jobim turned me into a confirmed jazz lover with his music!) There are MANY jazz versions of "Clair de Lune", a song mentioned in another answer. This Debussy composition is never boring! "Ode To Joy" has several fine modern versions that are not classical but I can't remember a jazz version. My favorite, a rock version, was a big hit several years ago. Another "classical" song re-done in many versions is Pachebel's "Canon in D".
"Laura", "All the Things you Are" and "Here's That Rainy Day" as mentioned in another answer are GREAT jazz ballads and must be in every jazz pianist's repertoire!
For more jazz/rock, don't forget the Walter Murphy version of "Fifth of Beethoven" (my all-time favorite of the genre), the "Hooked on Classics" series, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams and many others.
My final answer: Start with Nat King Kole's "(Get your kicks on) Route 66". It is a medium tempo, altered blues composed by Bobby Troup. It has great lyrics to help you learn the pattern. The song has been recorded by everyone including Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, Charlie Brown and Nat King Kole. Kole's version was the original and it is my favorite recording of the song. The main thing is, I never get "bored" with playing this blues song on piano and I frequently wind up "quoting" it when improvising on any other blues!
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