I Struggle at Chords - Improvement Tips? Beat attached!

[TheBarber]

Hey,

 

I don't know what it is, if my ears are just not trained enough to clearly hear the harmonizations or to name chords by ear, but I always used to struggle with chords. Like if I hear a commercial song, I'm able to name the melody by ear with the help of a piano, but I struggle to name the chords.

 

So I decided to work on my weaknesses instead of just playing around doing what I already can. I got inspired to that by the album of Akon called Freedom, his album is quality wise top notch. The instrumentals are simple but still sound full, and in his production it's all about chords, melodies are reserved for the hook or in the verse here and there somtimes.

 

I tried to do something similar, and what a surprise, I like the drums and the melody on the hook but I don't like the chords. I hope someone of you can tell me what I'm doing wrong, or how I could learn to play around with chords in an easy way of manner. Maybe I need to learn more about voicing?

 

I've tried reading books on jazz paino, but alot of the books are more for intimidiate or advanced, I don't make it past the 4th or 5th chapter, and I often don't know how to translate the theory into practice. The next book I want to buy is The Pop Piano Book, I hope that will get me some more insight.

 

BTW the reason why I posted this in this section is because I'm not reallly looking for general feedback on the beat I'm looking for tips on chords and chords progressions, so I thought it would fit here better.

 

I did the beat in 2 hours last night, it's not finished or mixed, just got my ideas down, but my maint concern are really the chords.

This is the chord progression I used by the way:

 

it's in the key of G#m

The chord progression is: G#m7, D#m7 (3rd inversion), C#m (2nd inversion), and back to the D#m (2nd inversion). It's a basic I-V-IV-V, ... I used this progression because I know it the best, and it comes natural to me to play it on the keys.

 

This is the link to the instrumental: http://www.zshare.net/audio/56019489b2a88791/

 

 

I have birthday today, I'm drunk with my family.

[TheBarber]

Here's a new version I did with the help of a friend of mine:

 

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5602212553da4d91/

 

 

It sounds much more pleasing and it doesn't drag the listener down like on the previous version, it's more light and listenable, which fits more to the style of the beat. But now it comes off kinda boring I don't know, maybe I should play it a bit different, one chord for 3 beats and the other for 1 and half bars or something to make it more unpredictible? Something to give it that groove?

 

But using more open instead of narrow chords was a good way to make it fit more tho.

 

Chord progression I used:

 

C#m7 (with no bass), D#m7 (2nd Inversion, with root as bass), C#m7 (3rd inversion, with no bass) and then back to the D#m7 (with root as bass and the D# left out in the chord, just the bass is playing the D#)

 

 

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*Update*

In this version I added a new synth, and changed some minor stuff to make it sound more interesting, otherwise the chords by themself sound boring. I still hope to get some tips on chords:

 

http://www.zshare.net/audio/56032546c9cc2a58/

[JimmyDoorlocks]

honestly, I think you'd be reaching too far if you made those chords anymore "colorful." If anything your synth line seems just a hair too busy. Maybe cut out some of those 16th notes or add some portamento, glide, glissando, whatever you want to call it.

 

A little trick if you ever need to make something "boom" doing low end stuff, just double the octave and throw a major 5th in there. I did that for this:

http://

http://iantylerbowers.com/Music/voidwalker.mp3

 

Don't mind the quality, scratch track in Reason there is a good version with live drummies and piano.

[Hyperion]

 

A little trick if you ever need to make something "boom" doing low end stuff, just double the octave and throw a major 5th in there. I did that for this:

http://

http://iantylerbowers.com/Music/voidwalker.mp3

 

.

 

A major 5th??????

[Funkfish]

*coughs* perfect 5th