Finding the right chords for Hip Hop

[hezekiah]

You ever wondered where people sample those deep soulful chords from for hip hop. Especially with certain producers like Jay Dilla.
Dilla had a good ear for music and sample digging but why not re-create those sounds your self.

A lot of hip hop sounding chord progressions can be achieved by playing slash chords. Slash chords are where the base note is in a position other than the root (the normal position).

Check out the attached file, it may sound like a sample but a played it on my Korg - just a simple loop.

The chords are Gmin7th / C, Abmaj7th / Bb, Amin7th / D, Fmaj7th / G

So just play min7th chords and pull the bass out to left 4 or 5 half steps and you get that soulful hip hop sound.

Check my site for more.

 

[NinjaBeats]

Wow man, beautiful progression, thanks for dropping knowledge! I love the Abmaj7th/Bb. From a theory perspective it looks like it gives you the extensions of 7,9, 11 and 13, making it the monster chord of Ab13 (sus4). Wow, such a lush sound. maj7th/2 bass- that! so simple yet effective. thanks man!

I get the chords, but why does this progression work so well? Is it in a particular key or scale?

 

[hezekiah]

Thanks, I kinda worked that out from trial and error but it is my formula now. And yes its basically pulling out 11th or 13th, inverting it and playing it on the bass note. I was in the studio the other day and had my boy jam those bass notes which I played the chords and improvised melodies. Was a good session (here in Tokyo).