Finding chords from notes in sheet music

What are the songs?

The first three notes in the first bar are F sharp, E and D, so the opening chord is ... D, right?

Not necessarily. Given the 2-sharp key signature, that first chord could just as easily be B minor. What's the LAST note? That's a better indicator. Also look out for the presence of notes G# and A#, which also point to B minor rather than D.

This is probably a bit of a cop-out for an answer, but just play around with it. Get the melody line firm in your head, then strum a D and try singing the first measure. If it sounds like it works, then go with it, if not, try a different chord that works well in D. Once you have the first one down, keep on strumming that one and singing until the song 'sounds' like it's giong to need a key change. Change chords and if that one doesn't sound right, go back and try it again with a different chord change. Maybe there's a way to state this all a little more precisely with thoery, but for me it's just a feel. It's really kind of tough at first (at least it was for me...and still is...i'm a long way from really having it down), but the more I practice, the easier it seems to get. You kind of get a feel for 'oh, it sounds like I should chage from the IV to the V here'. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the replies. I tried to find a way to put the actual music up here, couldn't, so here are the melody lines (notes) for each song with ":" for bar lines:
(1) Key signature Dmajor (F# & C#): f,e,d :e,e,e,e: f,a: e,e,e,e: f,a: b,b,a,a: g,e: a,b,c: f,e,d: {rest}: g,a,b: {rest}: d,a,d.
(2) Key sig = e flat maj (3 flats:b,e,a): g,g,g,e,b: f,f,d: f,f,f,d,b: a,a,g: g,e,b: a,a,a natural: b,g,e: f,f,e.
Simple songs; should be a piece of cake; I don't have a clue.
What chords would work on a guitar for each?

Kev

What chords would work on a guitar for each?
(1) Key signature Dmajor (F# & C#): f,e,d :e,e,e,e: f,a: e,e,e,e: f,a: b,b,a,a: g,e: a,b,c: f,e,d: {rest}: g,a,b: {rest}: d,a,d.

Try this:

I :ii :I : ii : I : vi : ii : V7 : I : - : IV : : I
D :Em :D : Em : D : B7 : Em : A7 : D : - : G : - : D (or D-A7-D)
f,e,d :e,e,e,e : f,a : e,e,e,e : f,a : b,b,a,a : g,e : a,b,c : f,e,d : {rest} : g,a,b : {rest} : d,a,d.


(2) Key sig = e flat maj (3 flats:b,e,a): g,g,g,e,b: f,f,d: f,f,f,d,b: a,a,g: g,e,b: a,a,a natural: b,g,e: f,f,e.

Here, I'd be very tempted to put a capo on the first fret and play this in D. Or just play it in D. What's a semitone between friends?

How about:

I : ii : ii : IV : I : IV : I : V
Eb : Fm : Fm : Ab : Eb : Ab : Eb : Bb
g,g,g,e,b: f,f,d : f,f,f,d,b : a,a,g : g,e,b : a,a,a natural: b,g,e : f,f,e.


This should at least provide a start. You can use a V or V7 instead of the ii chords in both songs which make this as basic as possible.

So to play the second song in D, play chords a semitone lower? i.e. D,E,G,D,G,D,A, (based on your sequence above) or use the same (more difficult) chords with a capo on the first fret?

Putting a capo on the first fret, raises everything by one semitone, so Eb becomes E, F becomes F#, Ab becomes A, etc..

Uh, okay, thanks for pointing out my mistake. In other words, playing in D with a capo on the first fret = playing in E flat. Then using the same chords that I suggested above?

If you play a D chord (shape) with a capo on the 1st fret, it becomes a D# (a.k.a. Eb).

Most kids songs tend to be written in I's, IV's and V's so you might want to simplify this even more.

These are just ideas (and I'm going with more chord changes than you probably need or want! :wink: ):

(1) Key signature Dmajor (F# & C#):

(D) f,e,d :

(A) e,e,e,e:

(D) f,a:

(A) e,e,e,e:

(D)f,a:

(G)b,b,(D)a,a:

(G)g,(A)e:

(A)a,b,c:

(D)f,e,d: {rest}:

(G)g,a,b: {rest}:

(D)d, (A)a, (D)d.

(2) Key sig = e flat maj (3 flats:b,e,a):

(Eb)g,g,g,e,b: Note: Eb is D if using capo on first fret

(Bb)f,f,d: Note: Bb is A if using capo on first fret

(Bb)f,f,f,d,b:

(Bb7)a,a, (Eb)g: Note: Bb7 is A7 if using capo on first fret

(Eb)g,e,b:

(Ab)a,a, (F7)a natural: Note: Ab is G and F7 is E7 if using capo on first fret

(Eb)b,g,e:

(Bb7)f,f, (Eb)e.

Helgi's chords will sound great, too. Knowing even the names of the songs would help make our helping you much easier - after all, if they're in a book someone probably knows them.

Hope this helps.

Peace

Ah yes... it's starting to come back to me now.
Y'all have been a great help, esp. Helgi. The songs are called "My Body" and "My Daddy" from an EFL text so I don't think the titles will be much help - not your standard kid's tunes. Pretty basic though, but things like the three flats make it seem more complex than it probably really is.
Anyway, because of agreeing to this I've had to pull out my guitar from under the bed - untouched for the past three years - and now rekindle that half-absorbed theory from days of yore, relearn things like how to play an E flat chord.

Many thanks, Kevin

Kevin, don't struggle with Eb barre chords just because that's the key in the book. I'm familiar with those EFL texts and similar musical arrangements having used them in Japan and Thailand. They were originally arranged for piano, with guitar chords added as an afterthought. - Play them in D or (depending on your vocal range) in another guitar friendly key with lots of open strings for a full resonant sound.

Thanks to dhodges - I think I'm gonna go with your suggestions. Removing the minor chords sounds better and with a capo on the first fret the chords are straightforward.
One more:
Key B flat major (2 flats). Notes: f,d,g,e: f,d,d: f,d,g,a: f: g,b: f,b: a,f,c,f: b. Based on the above, putting a capo on the 2nd fret would put the key into A. Then, using the I IV V sequence, the chords should be variations on A, D & E. Again, I appeal for words from the wise on this fabulous forum.

Kevin

Breaking the song down into measures is fine but you also want to break it down into phrases, which is something that you can usually tell by looking at the physical notation itself.

Here's an idea for the one you just posted, and again this is strictly using the I, IV, and V chord. All I did was take what seemed to be logical groupings of notes, detemine which of the three chords they were part of and then fill it in:

Key B flat major (2 flats). Notes:

(Bb) f,d, (Eb) g,e:

(Bb) f,d,d:

(Bb) f,d, (Eb) g,a:

(F) f: (could very easily be Bb instead - see note below)

(Eb) g,b:

(Bb) f,b:

(F) a,f,c,f:

(Bb) b.

I made the fourth measure an F instead of Bb because it's smack in the middle of the song. Traditionally, a phrase at the middle might end in the V chord (F in this case) in order to give the song more dynamic interest. Sometimes the V chord would be proceeded by the ii (Cm) or even the major II (C or C7), making it what's called a "V of V" chord and setting up the sound. It's done all the time, particularly in simple songs.

I made the third line the same as the first for the sake of symmetry, but you might want to try using a C or C7 in place of the Eb in that line.

And you've got the capo thing fine. With capo on the first fret you'd use the following substitutions:

For Bb play A

For Eb play D

For F play E

Should you use C or C7, play B or B7

I know a lot of people like to use a capo on the third fret when playing in Bb as that puts the guitar in the friendly key of G. Should you go that route, then use the following:

For Bb play G

For Eb play C

For F play D

Should you use C or C7, play A or A7

More important than any of this is to try some of these out yourself. The more you're willing to experiment and to listen to what sounds good (and what doesn't) the easier it becomes for you to be able to do this sort of thing without much thought. With your background it should come pretty quickly to you.

Hope this helps.

Peace