When writing a song you need to be able to find chords that fit the melody in a complementary way. Here is a simple way to figure out what chords to use.
I got a question about having a melody and wanting to put chords to it. How do you do it?
Let’s say you’re in the key of C. The first thing to know what chords are in the key of C. Create all the chords that are naturally there, we call those diatonic chords. For C, the chords are:
- D miner
- E miner
- A minor
- B diminished
- Back to C
You must know that first. Then, as you have a melody in a song you’re writing, it’s important to play a chord that incorporates the note you want to play chords with. If you are wanting to play a chord with an F, you go through the chords to see what sounds best with your song. The D minor or the F are the best options here, so you play both to see what sound you want.
Go through the rest of the melody, finding chords with the other notes you want to emphasize with chords. This will help you find your options, then choose the best fit for the tone you want to achieve with the song. Each will tell a different type of story and have its own feeling.
To recap, find the chords that use or sounds best with the note you’re playing in the melody. As you go through the song, you’ll find the right feeling and story you want to tell.
Please leave your comments below and add to the conversation!