Two-key Chord Progression?

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semi-n00b
Okay – this is probably going to seem either “noob-ish” or just strange, but I figured I'd ask here anyway!

I found an old chord-progression-loop file (mp3) I'd made from maybe 2 or 3 years ago. Its pretty simple, and I kinda like the sound of it – been tryin' to play over it some (just noodling, not writing anything out). But, its not exactly straight forward.

Initially, I thought it was in A Major (thats what I'd indicated in the file name originally – I've changed the filename now) – but I don't know what I was thinking, because its got a rogue chord.

Near as I can tell, its: F Major -to- D Major -to- A Major

So, if I really originally thought it was in A Major, then the F woulda been F# minor, right? But that sounds totally different. Is it possible this is a progression from a some old classic rock song – or did I just make a big, doofey mistake? messedup0

Sicne each chord is only one measure long, I can just use the A major scale over it and get ..ahem.. “tension” if I hit the C# or F# over the F Major chord, and it'll ..ah.. “resolve” as soon as the next chord changes. But now I'm trying to practice switching to C Major over the F chord, then back to A Major for the D and A.

So – yeah, weird. Any tips?
 
One way to think of this may be that it's in D and you use the D blues scale, with it's flattened 3rd and 7th when you have F and C respectively?

I dunno just a thought :)

It might be that you have an example here of a well-known major-for-minor substitution going on... will be interesting to hear. It certainly works well...

GaJ
 
Just from reading your post I'd be inclined to try aiming for chord tones as much as I could...I might try and take a whack at playing over it tomorrow and see if anything jumps out at me when I actually have a guitar in my hands. If the progression didn't start on the F major I would consider it more of an A major vibe with a bVI chord (the F major) inserted into it....since it starts on the F I think it makes the harmony weighted enough in the F majors direction that playing F major and then switching to A major for the next two chords is going to sound labored...
 
It's strange how F-D sounds like a resolution. Probably the C of F going to D.

I don't experience further resolution to the A ... the A is a more ambiguous feel, almost leading back to tension with the F and release again to D.

That's why I looked for answers using D. But my stumbling around with scales based around D just don't work...

GaJ
 
The first thing that occurs to me is that those are the chords to the chorus of "Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC!!!(though Angus throws a G in at the end too)...and lead wise, that song is solidly Aminor and AMajor pentatonic..you could probably play Amin Pent over the whole thing as our ears are quite used to hearing a min3 against a Maj chord in a rock context nowadays...or just switch to AMaj pent on the last chord to get the Maj3 (C#) against your AMaj chord.
 
Here's a quick example over the first 30 seconds or so...sorry for the sloppy playing, I haven't been awake very long :embarrassed:..but this should give you an idea of the Amin/Maj pentatonic sound over your chord progression at least. There are plenty of other ways to approach this, but this would probably be my first port of call as it's the vocabulary I'm used to.
 
I dunno Mo, I'm a massive admirer of what you do, but that recording didn't capture this chord progression for me.

Something about going back to your original lick (which you did over the F) when it gets to the A kind of "denies" that this is a 3 chord sequence, don't you think?

There were no wrong notes, but I was left wishing for something more um... something...
 
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GreenAsJade said:
I dunno Mo, I'm a massive admirer of what you do, but that recording didn't capture this chord progression for me.

Something about going back to your original lick (which you did over the F) when it gets to the A kind of "denies" that this is a 3 chord sequence, don't you think?

There were no wrong notes, but I was left wishing for something more um... something...
Click to expand...

Oh, that's fair enough. It's my default "rock" approach to everything really. :grin:.. to simplify everything to a pentatonic if I can get away with it. :lol:..I'll see if I can do a more strictly chord tone based version..probably a good lesson for me. :embarrassed:
 
I've been plugging away at "chord tone based" here myself, and it's a good learning exercise. I'm not much good at it.

I only mentioned my impressions of the "A pentatonic example" because exploring this is kind of the "main thing" about this thread, it seems to me. The OP has put forward a 3 chord progression that sounds good in its own right and yet doesn't seem amenable to a "one scale" approach. It seems that your recording somewhat backs this up: it sounds like bringing out the character of this simple little progression needs something different?

GaJ
 
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This is a much more "chord tone" focussed take..I tried to treat each chord separately..not my strong point certainly, but good fun to try! :thu:
 
GreenAsJade said:
Hah - nice opening :)

It's hard to make the darn thing go anywhere isn't it?
Click to expand...

Thanks! :)..yeah, I guess it's the cyclical nature of that progression, it doesn't particularly want to "rest" anywhere..that can be really effective in a song context though..

yet another approach might be a melodic theme...something like this that I think outlines the chords...a bit messy but you'll get the picture hopefully :)..makes it sound more like part of a song.

I'm having fun with this!..thanks to the OP! :thu:
 
_That_ is what I reckon I had in mind. Nice job!

Melody is king :)

So... the $100 question... what was the note selection thinking behind that melody?
 
GreenAsJade said:
_That_ is what I reckon I had in mind. Nice job!

Melody is king :)

So... the $100 question... what was the note selection thinking behind that melody?
Click to expand...

:) thanks!

Right then, I was thinking as simply as "try and make sure that everytime the chord changes you land on either the root or the 3rd"..so the phrase starts with a quick hammered "G" to "A" which is the 3rd of F Major..then walks down to land on "F#" which is the 3rd of DMajor...the note before the target "F#" is an "F", and that semi-tone upwards movement towards the "F#" is always a strong resolve...after that it lands on "A" for the A Chord. Repeats the last lick to land on "A" again as the chord changes back to FMajor..so it's the 3rd again..and then back down to "F#" for the DMajor.

Even with the most blazing speed players..the good ones target chord tones on the changes..because as you say "melody is king". One of my favourties, Michael Schenker is an absolute master at that..it's a lesson I need to pay more attention to for sure..it's so simple..but so easy to forget whilst thinking about licks and scales..
 
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Just got to this thread. First off, great playing as always. Personally, I like the pentatonic one the best. It's definitely how I'd attack it, just adding the F# over the D and the C# over the A chords.

In my experience, when dealing in the blues/rock genre, often times you can ignore the Maj, Min part of the chords and just look at the roots. In this case, I would have had it resolve to A and done exactly what Mo did in take 1
 
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