Questions about chords and progressions

[Ditcher]

Hello there people,


I've been reading lots of tutorials and read many many posts from Bandcoach about chords. But I still don't understand something. I don't play any instruments by the way, I always just draw my notes on the piano roll in my daw.

I know about scales and I know which chords there are.

For example, I got the scale Eb major. That means the notes are: Eb F G Ab B C D Eb.

Now I always make my chords like this:

Major example:

Eb - G - B -> G - B - D -> F Ab C -> Ab - C - Eb

but, now my question is, can I use the different chords in 1 progression? Because I always just choose one chord, and make the whole progression with it in my scale. But can you use like a major triad to a power chord and then to a minor 7th for example? Or do you always choose one chord and make a progression with that?


Another question, do chord progression always belong to 1 scale? Because I hear people in tutorials talk about: We gonna use a D major chord, a C major chord and an A minor. (Just an example I don't know if it actually works or sounds right ) but then I am like: wtf. So you want me to put a major triad in de D scale, then a major triad in the C scale and then a minor triad in the A scale? Or am I not understanding it right?

Please help me

 

[Pumpthrust]

First off,
You spelled the Eb major scale wrong, it is:
Eb F G Ab Bb C D

2nd, Yes, you can use different chords in a progression.
For example, a jazz standard I LOVE (besides Love for Sale and Stolen Moments) called Recorda-me not only uses different chords in its B section, but it changes keys several times:
/C-7 F7/Bbmaj7/Bb-7 Eb7/Abmaj7/Ab-7 Db7/Gbmaj7/
Here is an audio example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw_6iJOlvUE
This becomes clearer once you learn your chord-scales and the Nashville Number System.
There are three key changes happening up there, all in one song. Lets analyze the first key change: C minor(2nd chord of Bb major) to F(5th chord of Bb major) to Bb major(Tonic chord). Each of these chords belong to the key of Bb major. This is the major 2-5-1(ii-V7-I) progression.
Now, we don't have to play each of those chords as 7 chords-we can alter/extend each one to whichever sounds the best to our ears and leads to the next chord the smoothest. In the audio example, I played the V chord not as a 7th but as a 9th chord because it just sounds better and going to that tonic chord.

 

[bandcoach]

Another question, do chord progression always belong to 1 scale? Because I hear people in tutorials talk about: We gonna use a D major chord, a C major chord and an A minor. (Just an example I don't know if it actually works or sounds right ) but then I am like: wtf. So you want me to put a major triad in de D scale, then a major triad in the C scale and then a minor triad in the A scale? Or am I not understanding it right?

Please help me

The Bb issue has been addressed

Your question above D /// | C /// | Am /// | D /// ||

This progression exists in G major or D mixolydian so is a valid progression

Put more simply it is possible that several chords can be found in the same key/modal center

In any major scale there are three major triads, three minor triads and a diminished triad. for each of the modes built on that major scale (2-dorian, 3-phrygian, 4- lydian, 5-mixolydian, 6-aeolian, 7-locrian) the same number and types of triads can always be found

Scale tone	Chord type	Spelling	Chord symbol
1	Major	1-3-5	(no symbol usually used)
2	minor	2-4-6	m
3	minor	3-5-7	m
4	Major	4-6-1	(no symbol usually used)
5	Major	5-7-2	(no symbol usually used)
6	minor	6-1-3	m
7	diminished	7-2-4	mb5

When we move to the harmonic minor things change. There are now two minor triads, two major triads, one augmented triad and 2 diminished triads. Again, for each of the modes of the harmonic minor, the same number and types of triads will exist.

Scale tone	Chord type	Spelling	Chord symbol
1	minor	1-b3-5	m
2	diminished	2-4-b6	mb5
b3	Augmented	b3-5-7	(#5)
4	minor	4-b6-1	m
5	Major	5-7-2	(no symbol usually used)
b6	Major	b6-1-b3	(no symbol usually used)
7	diminished	7-2-4	mb5

If we then explore the melodic ascending as a source of chords (the so-called Jazz minor) we get a change in where each chord type occurs but otherwise maintain the same proportions as the harmonic minor

Scale tone	Chord type	Spelling	Chord symbol
1	minor	1-b3-5	m
2	minor	2-4-6	m
b3	Augmented	b3-5-7	(#5)
4	Major	4-6-1	(no symbol usually used)
5	Major	5-7-2	(no symbol usually used)
6	diminished	6-1-b3	mb5
7	diminished	7-2-4	mb5

@pumpthrust: love the ii-V-I modulating so that I becomes ii in the following bar - Michael Franks Brazil is my favourite of this progression