I'm working on a new song and its a bit too boring for my taste.
The chords in the song are Em, Dsus2, Cadd9, and G. All in open posistions. I'm trying to spice it up a little with some different chords. I'm just looking for different ways to play these chords. Not bar chords or power chords though, i've already tried those and they're not quite what I'm going for.
It's a bit of a sad song, which is why it's in a minor. I might bring it down a half step later, I haven't fully decided yet.
Any suggestions on different chord posistions?
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
I assume you haven't tried making some new shapes yourself because you don't know the notes of the chords, right? Otherwise you'd just experiment with various shapes and voicings until you found ones you liked.
So here are the notes. Make your own shapes by combining them in whichever ways you like
Em = E G B
DSUS2 = D E A
CAdd 9 = C E G D
G = G B D
I know the notes in the chords, but I never knew what ones to focus on. Like in Em for example. In the open shape there are three E's, two B's and a G. I was getting confused on wheter it would make more sense to use each note in the "new chord" or leave out one note for a second note, (like leave out a G and play two E's and B)
Thanks!
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
Sorry - I misunderstood. Finding different shapes will inevitably result in different doublings and omissions. Some general rules of thumb (bad choice of phrase - sorry) are:
You can omit the fifth without compromising the essential sound of the chord, unless it's a diminished or augmented fifth, or a sixth chord or power chord.
Don't omit the third if its present. unless you don't mind the majorless/minorless effect it might produce. (depending on how dissonant the chord is)
In major and minor chords, the third is very 'active' and doesn't need to be doubled. A single third among lots of roots and fifths is considered well balanced. Some contexts actively discourage doubling the third.
Don't omit the actively dissonant note. E.g - your sus2 chord need the 2 and the Cadd9 - needs the 9. Like the third - dissonant notes don't need doubling.
Thanks, thats pretty much exaclty what I was looking for. Just a few tips on what works without to much theory put into it.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.