"Smooth R&B / Neo Soul" Theory help.

T

theroachlife

New member
What's good FP? I've never understood theory or progressions very well, and have been the type of producer who just mashes around on the keyboard until something sounds good (mainly produce sample based and trap joints). I know how to link a couple basic chords together, but that's it. I want to start getting involved with Neo Soul / Smooth R&B type joints.

I've tried studying the circle of 5ths and theory via YouTube videos, but am still very confused with different chord terminology and really just building nice progressions. I found this dude the other day, and this is the type of production I am going for. (Really like the sounds of tracks 2, 3, and especially track 4)

Yuri Koller - Open Doors (Album) by Yuri Koller on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Any advice, books, anything really, on learning how to play this style of chord progressions would be greatly appreciated. Any advice on a good E-Piano plugin would be great too (I'm a Nexus user). Thanks guys.

---------- Post added at 12:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 PM ----------

one more reference for the type of chords I'm going for - Smooth R&B, Soul and Pop Samples, Loops and Chords - YouTube
 
I guess id be bumping this, but yeah man, I always admired Nujabes work and other producers and if I got to that stage of neo-soul/experimental productions, id be very happy.
 
I learned some theory from buying dvds on how to play such as the ones from hear and play music and gospelmusicians.com At first most of their offerings were gospel, but they have expanded into neo soul type videos and etc. Truthfully speaking, alot of songs use the same chord progression play slightly differently.
 
Here are some six sets of 4 chord progressions that fit into the neo-soul category. Each set of examples works the same set of endings but has a different starting chord or pair of chords
1
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-01.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-1.png


2
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-02.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-2.png


3
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-03.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-3.png


4
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-04.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-4.png


5
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-05.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-5.png


6
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-06.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-6.png


This last example uses a common progression from the 1920's and substitutes different chords for last chord:

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/smooth-NeoSoul-07.mp3[/mp3]

smooth-NeoSoul-7.png
 
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which means putting the notes in the above chords types as near to each other as possible
 
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