Comments on: Can You Write A One-Chord Song? https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/ Songwriter, Producer, and Coach, based in New York City. Tue, 18 Oct 2022 03:49:17 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: michael marshall https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7162 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 14:40:09 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7162 playing and singing a pentatonic oriented melody over a typical R&B extended (9th or 11th chord) doesn’t seem that big a stretch…..

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7161 Thu, 26 Jan 2017 22:32:53 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7161 In reply to Tom.

Good one. I like how she develops the melody in a chromatic way at times.
Thanks, Tom!
Best wishes,
Tony

]]> By: Tom https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7160 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 20:46:43 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7160 Cat Power: Kingsport Town

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7159 Fri, 06 Jan 2017 04:26:11 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7159 In reply to Joyce Rogers.

Let me know how it works out, Joyce!
Best wishes,
Tony

]]> By: Joyce Rogers https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7158 Tue, 27 Dec 2016 14:58:53 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7158 Gonna try it!

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7157 Fri, 16 Dec 2016 20:03:20 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7157 In reply to Pork Chop Willie.

Yes I did… Corrected the Post!
TC

]]> By: Pork Chop Willie https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7156 Fri, 16 Dec 2016 00:46:15 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7156 Did you forget Pork Chop Willie’s Too Many Cuts?!

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7155 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 15:17:40 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7155 In reply to Pete Smith.

Thanks for your comments, Pete.
I will say that in any melody I’d hate to have to stick only to the chord tones, or to have to change chords every time I went outside them. Almost every melody, no matter the amount of chords, employs non-chord notes.
Best wishes,
Tony

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7154 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 15:14:09 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7154 In reply to Cricket Cohen.

Thanks, Cricket!
Tony

]]> By: Pete Smith https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7153 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:05:18 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7153 Well yes, of course it’s possible, I’ve been called upon to do it a number of times as an academic exercise, some more successfully than others. One thing they all had in common was that at some point they all wanted to use a different chord, and sticking to the one-chord restriction seemed like second best. As you mentioned, somewhere along the way each melody implied a chord change by using a note outside the core triad. Singing a B over A minor, for example. In general, using “one chord” as a starting point places too many obstacles in the way of writing a good melody. God knows it’s hard enough to do that with a full palette of chords.

]]> By: Cricket Cohen https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7152 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 06:21:25 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7152 Great article!!

Great! Forever love one chord songs!

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7151 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 05:36:48 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7151 In reply to John.

Yup… that’s one!
Thanks,
Tony

]]> By: John https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7150 Thu, 15 Dec 2016 01:17:50 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7150 Chicken Train – Ozark Mountain Daredevil’s

]]> By: Tony Conniff https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7149 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 18:08:59 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7149 In reply to Aaron.

Thanks, Aaron! Good luck with your song(s)!
Best wishes,
Tony

]]> By: Aaron https://tonyconniff.com/can-you-write-a-one-chord-song/#comment-7148 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:29:58 +0000 http://tonyconniff.com/?p=3091#comment-7148 Good post, Tony, and timely for me, so thanks! I was just working on a one-chord song yesterday. It’s a challenge for sure (and, admittedly I’m cheating as I introduce a chord change for the last six bars) but your examples are great. I’m trying to think of an effective example that’s more of a dirge, like U2’s (two-chord) MLK, but am coming up dry right now. That’s the feel I’m operating in and your piece has got me thinking more about the rhythm of the melody and that can only help.

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