Sittin' here picking at the old guitar...

[Weevil]

I'm wondering. Does anyone really need more than three chords in a song?

I'd say the answer is no.

 

[insideShiraz]

I'd sing 3 1/2...

Where will the World take us?

 

[Kuddles]

Not...

if the song is "On Top of Ol' Smokey"

 

[Xander]

You just descripted a Britney Spears song LOL

 

[Kuddles]

Or....

The Dixie Chicks....

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

There are millions of songs with 3 chords.

As there are millions with but one or two.

But there's nothing really wrong with more.

I one likes it.

 

[Weevil]

Maybe I did but it also describes songs by Elvis, Buddy Holly, Lyrnyrd Skynyrd and the greatest song of all time "Louie, Louie"

 

[Gil]

Has "guitar" become a new euphemism for nose here? ...or is that hair? ...oh shit, oh dear!

 

[Xander]

My point excatly....There's many great songs with only 1,2 or 3 chords. Standard I believe is 4 though.
Not that it matters.

if the song rocks. Hell, go with it.

 

[Nobody Special]

Believe it or not there are some songs out that that only have 1 to 2 cords in them and others with more then 20 different cords.. So the anser is yes iit is possible to have a song with less then 3 cords but the most popular songs have 3 to 5 cords in them..

E

 

[Weevil]

True dat, my friend, true dat. I was just playing "All shook up" and I'm still amazed how easy it is to change the world for the better with three simple chords(C#, F# and A flat is the way I play it.)

[Edited by EvilBollWeevil on 04-11-2001 at 12:13 PM]

 

[Weevil]

Believe it or not there are some songs out that that only have 1 to 2 cords in them and others with more then 20 different cords.. So the anser is yes iit is possible to have a song with less then 3 cords but the most popular songs have 3 to 5 cords in them..

E

Actually most of the really popular Beatle songs have way more. Weird ones too.

 

[Xander]

true, Just take Queens "another one bites the dust" basic Chords. yet great song.....though the guitar piece is a little more difficult than that.

 

[Weevil]

Yeah, Brian May is the coolest. On "Crazy little thing called Love." he moves from a sweet, catchy chord heavy rythym part to a brilliant, bluegrass-inspired solo. Definite top ten guitar god.

 

[Xander]

LOL yes I agree. Though dont tell Brian May that. he'll refuse it and give a list of guitarist that he thinks is much better than him.
Dont ask me why he does that. But I saw that in an interview, some years ago, he and Nuno Bettencourt made together.

 

[Pyper]

One chord? How can you have a song with one chord? Name me one.

 

[Weevil]

Well even Guitar Gods can be wrong. Still it is odd how many of them can be so modest. Guys like Harrison, Thayil and Page all say "Oh I was just doing my part" or "There were at least 20 guys I played with who were better.". Thats why you gotta love Keith Richards. All skills and ego.

 

[Purple Haze]

One chord? How can you have a song with one chord? Name me one.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles

 

[Pyper]

One chord? How can you have a song with one chord? Name me one.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles

Guess I have to go download that one, cause I've never heard it. Any more anyone can think of that I'd recognize?

 

[Xander]

Personally I dont care for Keith Richards but that just my personal preference.

But it's true. Modesty with some of those guys, AND girls. are amazing. The again, for every modest one, there is 50 with their head in the sky.

 

[Weevil]

"Coconut" By Harry Nilsson is all in C 7th. If you've seen Resevoir Dogs than you know it.

Great tune as well as being simple.

 

[Xander]

Pyper

One or two chords, for the base of this song. Cant really remember.

Faith no MOre : "Midlife Crisis"

 

[Pyper]

Xander

I know this belongs in the other thread, but what movies are those two quotes from?

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

A very great guitar player - somebody most would not know the name of.....

Pete Kennedy. He's most notably been with Nancy Griffith. A home boy I used to live with and get lessons from and who is basically a "studio type" guitar player, who knows all styles and such......

He told me, (and I forget the exact number) that regarding the vast bulk of popular music - "there were only 5 songs."

Just 5 songs! Like 5 building blocks, but of infinite colorings. You can build a song with just one block and call that block country - color it differently, the same block and call it rock. Put any 2 of those 5 blocks together and color them differently and call it Jazz.

"5 songs," he said, "is all you really have to know." The rest is knowing what colors, what stylistic changes, go with what musically labeled styles.

Pretty interesting.

 

[insideShiraz]

Nilsson, Schmilsson...

"Coconut" By Harry Nilsson is all in C 7th. If you've seen Resevoir Dogs than you know it.

Great tune as well as being simple.

I always called this the Credence Clearwater Chord...