If You Were Wondering about those Pharrell Chords

codexlf

New member
If you were curious about those chords from the Pharrell beatmaking video for the 'Midnight Hour' song...

I was playing through Nas' Illmatic album, and in my iTunes library Nat King Cole comes after Nas. So after the last track, it rolled over, and it turns out that the intro to Nat's "Just You, Just Me" has those chords. The tunes (or whoever it was that laid the specific chords used in that song) replayed them slower, in a higher key with a more r&b feel, with the same 4-chord loop but starting on the second chord instead of the first.

Crazy how things get from one form to another.

Yet another reminder to listen to all types of music. You never know where inspiration is gonna come from.
 
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yea im sure he gets inspiration from other genres, but they're just major 7th chords. everyone either uses or has used major 7th chord progressions at some point in their career. he could've gotten the inspiration from anyone or he couldve jus been playin around on the keyboard and came up with it. pharrell says himself that he loves chords and his favorite are major 7ths. i dunno, it could be a coincidence considering how different the two songs are although there are some subtle similarities between them.
 
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Cam'rox said:
yea im sure he gets inspiration from other genres, but they're just major 7th chords. everyone either uses or has used major 7th chord progressions at some point in their career. he could've gotten the inspiration from anyone or he couldve jus been playin around on the keyboard and came up with it. pharrell says himself that he loves chords and his favorite are major 7ths. i dunno, it could be a coincidence considering how different the two songs are although there are some subtle similarities between them.

the chords are *the same* chords as the ones in the intro, in the same order, repeated the same way. that's more than "subtle similarities!" It's not a very typical chord progression, like I IV V or something like that.
 
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and the nat album is called "midnight sessions"

oh and by the way , only one chord is a major 7
 
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hes not that tight that im gonna memorize his album . its somethin like that
 
Nat King Cole aint that tight?? are you serious? Nat and his trio are incredible!
 
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Yeah man, a lot of dudes sleep on Nat because they just heard him sing the christmas song or whatever, but if you listen to his real trio music it's crazy, he was a sick, sick pianist

And yeah about the albums, there are After Midnight (which is one of my favorites), and the 'Cool Cole' box set I got this song from. 4 cds of the early days when the focus was really on the trio sound.
 
wescadwell said:
Nat King Cole aint that tight?? are you serious? Nat and his trio are incredible!


I was going to comment on it, but I didn't want this thread to turn sour...
 
codexlf said:
Yeah man, a lot of dudes sleep on Nat because they just heard him sing the christmas song or whatever, but if you listen to his real trio music it's crazy, he was a sick, sick pianist

haha I can see how dudes sleep on Nat. he can put me to bed faster than nyquill. But I know what you mean. If you listen to "The Best of Nat King Cole, The Vocal Classics" its a 3 disc set...youll be a Nat fan for sure. Im Glad you listenin to music not many kids are age recognize. :cheers:
 
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i mean nat's cool and all, but he aint "memorize album titles" good

anyways here go a freebie "
Fmaj7 ,Em11,Am9,Am/F#
 
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Pharrell is however obsessed with E7. Playing along with most N.E.R.D. tracks and a lot of neptune joints, I've noticed personally that you can almost always find some sort of E7, or E9 variation. Add an analogue synth supplemented with 5th chord saw, and your good go with about 90% of Skate P/Mr. Hugo's magical melodies.
 
In that new 2chainz song he produced, he bassline is somewhat similar to this song:



 
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i mean nat's cool and all, but he aint "memorize album titles" good

anyways here go a freebie "
Fmaj7 ,Em11,Am9,Am/F#

(this is so long ago, but in the interests of having the right information in here)

not even close, unless you are talking about the Pharrell chords instead of the Nat "King" Cole chords for Just me, Just you

I took a listen to it yesterday and found that I was in C major, not F major. I also found that the progression is more like a truncated cycle of 5ths/ and that is a 32 bar song form laid out as A-A-B-A.

here are the chords that I heard

[A]
C[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | A[sup]7[/sup] /// | Dm[sup]7[/sup] /// | G[sup]7[/sup] /// | C / C[sub]/B[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | F[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/A[/sub] / B[sup]b[/sup][sub]/A[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | Am[sub]/G[/sub] / G[sup]7[/sup] / | C / G[sup]7[/sup] / ||
[A']
C[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | A[sup]7[/sup] /// | Dm[sup]7[/sup] /// | G[sup]7[/sup] /// | C / C[sub]/B[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | F[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/A[/sub] / B[sup]b[/sup][sub]/A[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | Am[sub]/G[/sub] / G[sup]7[/sup] / | C[sup]6/9[/sup] /// ||
[B]
Gm[sup]7[/sup] /// | C[sup]9[/sup] /// | F[sup]6[/sup] /// | B[sup]b9#11[/sup] / B[sup]b7[/sup] / | C[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | E[sup]7[/sup] / Am[sup]7[/sup] / | D[sup]13[/sup] /// | G[sup]7[/sup] /// ||
[A'']
C[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | A[sup]7[/sup] /// | Dm[sup]7[/sup] /// | G[sup]7[/sup] /// | C / C[sub]/B[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | F[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/A[/sub] / B[sup]b[sub]/A[sup]b[/sup][/sub] / | Am[sub]/G[/sub] / G[sup]7[/sup] / | C[sup]6[/sup] /// ||

Roman Numeral format
the following treats the progression as though it were in the same key throughout (C major)
[A]
I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | VI[sup]7[/sup] /// | ii[sup]7[/sup] /// | V[sup]7[/sup] /// | I / I[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]7[/sub] / | IV[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/6[/sub] / [sup]b[/sup]VII[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]6[/sub] / | vi[sub]/5[/sub] / V[sup]7[/sup] / | I / V[sup]7[/sup] / ||
[A']
I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | VI[sup]7[/sup] /// | ii[sup]7[/sup] /// | V[sup]7[/sup] /// | I / I[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]7[/sub] / | IV[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/6[/sub] / [sup]b[/sup]VII[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]6[/sub] / | vi[sub]/5[/sub] / V[sup]7[/sup] / | I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// ||
[B]
v[sup]7[/sup] /// | I[sup]9[/sup] /// | IV[sup]6[/sup] /// | [sup]b[/sup]VII[sup]9#11[/sup] / [sup]b[/sup]VII[sup]7[/sup] / | I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | III[sup]7[/sup] / vi[sup]7[/sup] / | II[sup]13[/sup] /// | V[sup]7[/sup] /// ||
[A'']
I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | VI[sup]7[/sup] /// | ii[sup]7[/sup] /// | V[sup]7[/sup] /// | I / I[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]7[/sub] / | IV[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/6[/sub] / [sup]b[/sup]VII[sub]/[sup]b[/sup]6[/sub] / | vi[sub]/5[/sub] / V[sup]7[/sup] / | I[sup]6[/sup] /// ||

If we acknowledge the modulation to F major that is apparent at section B, we can recast this section as

[B]
F: ii[sup]7[/sup] /// | V[sup]9[/sup] /// | I[sup]6[/sup] /// | IV[sup]9#11[/sup] / IV[sup]b7[/sup] / | C: I[sup]6/9[/sup] /// | V-of-vi[sup]7[/sup] / vi[sup]7[/sup] / | V-of-V[sup]13[/sup] /// | V[sup]7[/sup] /// ||

note that the last four bars are the start of a modulation sequence back to the tonic of C major and are shown as such.

ChordChord tones
C[sup]6/9[/sup]C-E-G-A-D
A[sup]7[/sup]A-C[sup]#[/sup]-E-G
Dm[sup]7[/sup]D-F-A-C
G[sup]7[/sup]G-B-D-F
CC-E-G
C[sub]/B[sup]b[/sup][/sub]C-E-G with a B[sup]b[/sup] in the bass
F[sup]maj7[/sup][sub]/A[/sub]F-A-C-E with an A in the bass
B[sup]b[/sup][sub]/A[sup]b[/sup][/sub]B[sup]b[/sup]-D-F with an A[sup]b[/sup] in the bass
Am[sub]/G[/sub]A-C-E with a G in the bass
Gm[sup]7[/sup]G-B[sup]b[/sup]-D-F
C[sup]9[/sup]C-E-G-B[sup]b[/sup]-D
F[sup]6[/sup]F-A-C-D
B[sup]b9#11[/sup]B[sup]b[/sup]-D-F-A[sup]b[/sup]-C-E
B[sup]b7[/sup]B[sup]b[/sup]-D-F-Ab
E[sup]7[/sup]E-G[sup]#[/sup]-B-D
Am[sup]7[/sup]A-C-E-G
D[sup]13[/sup]D-F[sup]#[/sup]-A-C-E-G-B
C[sup]6[/sup]C-E-G-A
 
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(this is so long ago, but in the interests of having the right information in here)

not even close, unless you are talking about the Pharrell chords instead of the Nat "King" Cole chords for Just me, Just you

he is talking about the neptunes song
 
except the context doesn't suggest that, quite the opposite in fact, so figured I'd seek clarification and explain what I heard in the Nat Cole song "Just me, Just you"
 
(this is so long ago, but in the interests of having the right information in here)

not even close, unless you are talking about the Pharrell chords instead of the Nat "King" Cole chords for Just me, Just you

I took a listen to it yesterday and found that I was in C major, not F major. I also found that the progression is more like a truncated cycle of 5ths/ and that is a 32 bar song form laid out as A-A-B-A.

here are the chords that I heard

[A]
C[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | A[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | Dm[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | G[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | C / C[SUB]/B[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | F[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/A[/SUB] / B[SUP]b[/SUP][SUB]/A[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | Am[SUB]/G[/SUB] / G[SUP]7[/SUP] / | C / G[SUP]7[/SUP] / ||
[A']
C[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | A[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | Dm[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | G[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | C / C[SUB]/B[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | F[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/A[/SUB] / B[SUP]b[/SUP][SUB]/A[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | Am[SUB]/G[/SUB] / G[SUP]7[/SUP] / | C[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// ||
[B]
Gm[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | C[SUP]9[/SUP] /// | F[SUP]6[/SUP] /// | B[SUP]b9#11[/SUP] / B[SUP]b7[/SUP] / | C[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | E[SUP]7[/SUP] / Am[SUP]7[/SUP] / | D[SUP]13[/SUP] /// | G[SUP]7[/SUP] /// ||
[A'']
C[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | A[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | Dm[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | G[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | C / C[SUB]/B[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | F[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/A[/SUB] / B[sup]b[SUB]/A[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB] / | Am[SUB]/G[/SUB] / G[SUP]7[/SUP] / | C[SUP]6[/SUP] /// ||

Roman Numeral format
the following treats the progression as though it were in the same key throughout (C major)
[A]
I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | VI[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | ii[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | I / I[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]7[/SUB] / | IV[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/6[/SUB] / [SUP]b[/SUP]VII[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]6[/SUB] / | vi[SUB]/5[/SUB] / V[SUP]7[/SUP] / | I / V[SUP]7[/SUP] / ||
[A']
I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | VI[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | ii[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | I / I[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]7[/SUB] / | IV[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/6[/SUB] / [SUP]b[/SUP]VII[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]6[/SUB] / | vi[SUB]/5[/SUB] / V[SUP]7[/SUP] / | I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// ||
[B]
v[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | I[SUP]9[/SUP] /// | IV[SUP]6[/SUP] /// | [SUP]b[/SUP]VII[SUP]9#11[/SUP] / [SUP]b[/SUP]VII[SUP]7[/SUP] / | I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | III[SUP]7[/SUP] / vi[SUP]7[/SUP] / | II[SUP]13[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]7[/SUP] /// ||
[A'']
I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | VI[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | ii[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | I / I[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]7[/SUB] / | IV[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/6[/SUB] / [SUP]b[/SUP]VII[SUB]/[SUP]b[/SUP]6[/SUB] / | vi[SUB]/5[/SUB] / V[SUP]7[/SUP] / | I[SUP]6[/SUP] /// ||

If we acknowledge the modulation to F major that is apparent at section B, we can recast this section as

[B]
F: ii[SUP]7[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]9[/SUP] /// | I[SUP]6[/SUP] /// | IV[SUP]9#11[/SUP] / IV[SUP]b7[/SUP] / | C: I[SUP]6/9[/SUP] /// | V-of-vi[SUP]7[/SUP] / vi[SUP]7[/SUP] / | V-of-V[SUP]13[/SUP] /// | V[SUP]7[/SUP] /// ||

note that the last four bars are the start of a modulation sequence back to the tonic of C major and are shown as such.

ChordChord tones
C[SUP]6/9[/SUP]C-E-G-A-D
A[SUP]7[/SUP]A-C[SUP]#[/SUP]-E-G
Dm[SUP]7[/SUP]D-F-A-C
G[SUP]7[/SUP]G-B-D-F
CC-E-G
C[SUB]/B[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB]C-E-G with a B[SUP]b[/SUP] in the bass
F[SUP]maj7[/SUP][SUB]/A[/SUB]F-A-C-E with an A in the bass
B[SUP]b[/SUP][SUB]/A[SUP]b[/SUP][/SUB]B[SUP]b[/SUP]-D-F with an A[SUP]b[/SUP] in the bass
Am[SUB]/G[/SUB]A-C-E with a G in the bass
Gm[SUP]7[/SUP]G-B[SUP]b[/SUP]-D-F
C[SUP]9[/SUP]C-E-G-B[SUP]b[/SUP]-D
F[SUP]6[/SUP]F-A-C-D
B[SUP]b9#11[/SUP]B[SUP]b[/SUP]-D-F-A[SUP]b[/SUP]-C-E
B[SUP]b7[/SUP]B[SUP]b[/SUP]-D-F-Ab
E[SUP]7[/SUP]E-G[SUP]#[/SUP]-B-D
Am[SUP]7[/SUP]A-C-E-G
D[SUP]13[/SUP]D-F[SUP]#[/SUP]-A-C-E-G-B
C[SUP]6[/SUP]C-E-G-A




Now you know good and well that this just flew over 99.9% of FP's head.




Man i wanna get to the point where I recognize chords and keys by ear.
 
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