I think OP has narrowed down their question to; not which scales, chords & melodies for which chords. But; Why do we choose certain styles or goals, how do we choose them, why do they exist, do they even exist? Is anybody even listening to this? OP is having tunnel vision in the vast vacuum of space tripping over the obscure, abstract existentialism pouring out endless spores of those belgian truffle eatin' whores.

If OP is about to mention something about a Bassoon at this point, then we have all been had in yet another Foster thread. I don't even know what that means but I do know there's a possibility this is true.

 

it is a short way of explaining that it is just another trolling alias. all you have to do is read the post. "justify" your chord progression?

This is just the laziest and most transparent alias yet.

 

Actually I have a lot of the same questions myself. And I've yet to find answers.
Music is Solaris, you see. We can only observe it and document what it occasionally does. We have no fundamental understanding. And for some people, "going with yout guts" or "following what emotions tell you" just won't work.
I can always pick up some chord progression that made me feel something and use it in my own work, but that's just an imitation, without proper understanding. And it's limiting me to what others have already done. The lack of ability to fundamentally choose chords on my own that elicit the response I'm going for is what holding me back big time.

 

Last edited: Mar 23, 2023

This channel should answer most questions on your quest:
https://www.youtube.com/@MusicMattersGB

 

How do we why what we do?

One word - Thievery

Some of us admit it, some will go to the grave denying it, some frankly don't give a dogs ass, but we all do it.

Why? Because it's already been done, and we've heard it all before at some point in time during our musical existence on this planet.

Like it or not, that guitar riff that had bounced around in your noggin and spent countless hours/days/months/years perfecting was originally a portion of the chorus of a long forgotten track buried somewhere within the 'My Little Tugboat' LP that you cherished until it was destroyed during an early physics experiment that involved a glass ashtray just a couple months shy of your third birthday, never to be heard again.

And that precious riff you 'invented' was originally performed using a kazoo.
A plastic kazoo.

 

There is no simple answer to your question.
But let's assume the following:

Your first note or chord is a specific key's first note or chord (Am, F#, etc.)

The following note could be any of the other notes or chords in that specific key.
But it can also be that same note or chord again.

This would be a basic approach to start with.
-------

Theoretically, you can choose any note or chord but you will notice that not all notes or chords sound equally "good" when played
after each other. Or maybe the second note or chord sounds good but you notice that the third note (lesser chance) or chord (bigger chance) doesn't sound that well. In that case, you have to look for a note or chord that belongs to the key('s) that you have determined by choosing the first two chords.

Regardless of the theoretical options you have, there is still your own creativity that can do whatever it wants.
Even if it means that it sounds dissonant but suits the goal you are after.

I think that starting with knowledge of keys and the notes they contain could help you restrain the number of possibilities in
your choice to determine which note or chord to play next. Once you have that basic knowledge down you can experiment with say notes and chords that are not part of that specific key.

 

The answer is in counterpoint and functional harmony.

Once you learn and practice counterpoint, you already know the exact relationship between intervals, embellishment tones and so on.

 

Is this kinda "I have two notes. Then what?"

That will get funny ...

 

If you stick with one note you won't need to know any of this nonsense. I'm currently working on an E note symphony.

 

How it happens is like this:
Preffered style has impact on chord selection, chord complexity is impacted by your theoretiacal understanding.
From there it's just happy accidents and trial and error until your satisfied or don't think you have the capacity to make it closer to what you want. Sometimes you only have a vauge idea of what you want (me), because your capacity is limited, here is where trial and error and happy accidents come in.

If you start with a sample, then your selection is impacted and also limited from the mood and scale of that sample so...

I have no clue.

 

The interesting question would be kinda:
how long glorifoster is gonna last this time before being kicked out for the 27th time?

 

There are rules which allow you to introduce chords from other scales, so my advice would be to read an introductory book on music theory.

 

You are asking Foster to specify goals? lol

Pointless dribble and going in circles. That has been the only "goal" of that twisted mind for years, it has literally nothing to do with the questions, its the dribble he is after.

 

i will look at that again some time, because i couldn`t comprehend this the 1st time i heard it years ago. my music knowledge is very small. it`s on a novice level. thanks for reminding.

 

This is all that you need to know, Glori, as it's all encompassed, capuslated and exposed for both the novice, the consummate pro and everyone in between, to churn it all up to the surface to literally grab freely from the aethers and form it like clay until your aural image is made manifest, though not only for yourself, but for the whole world to behold the majesty of your personal creation. Rise from the ashes of your musical misery and rejoice...but you'll need a Steinway Concert Grand.

 

I don't choose the notes, they choose me...

 

Foster (@Glori), Its your spitting image. Is that you, or your daddy?

Maybe you can get that far someday lol

.

 

Drone, Ambient, Ritual, Nordic, Folk have autobot rolled a singular pagan sun Go-golem all digredooin one note songs for centuries without any plans to stop anywhere in the near future neither, who have all now entered this chat, by the way. Sometimes they add another note one octave below but I don't trust it one bit, mayor.

Thanks for explaining that! I had no idea I started to actually think there was a legend around here of a dude named Foster who was so full of the orchestra composed of only himself that he came back every once in a while to troll the milk out dem titties like lawn gnomes do when they ate too many forest shrooms on their short afternoon stroll, all because someone has dared to listen to anything that isn't a 29k piece orchestra tuning all at once from the depths of history booming from underneath the Vitorian ages. While he sits on the bog & giggles as he turns magazine pages.

Actually I personally enter this farmilliar realm on psychedelics where eating them endlessly can't hurt me either. I've never giggled myself to death, I'm not a baby and even they can scream their head off for weeks without anything bad happening.

So, that's how I justify my use of metal vocals, so neighbors can succ it with their Bossa Nova front porch peepage while I have my guitar tone sweepage. If bebe can scream for days then I can do it for a few hours a week no probs is the way I sees it, that metal doesn't make itself, now does it?

I do agree with you... but no matter our age, race, religion/lack thereof or any cultural background; Do you still not cup your fart then smell the palm of thine hand from time to time? Even though you do know what to expect, don't even lie.
Now ponder that, then run & tell thine.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2023

this is from the j74-chord-prog. Ableton plugin. These are not fixed rules, but they provide guidance in terms of common chord progressions.
It really depends on the kind of music you want to make. Easiest way for a beginner would be to analyze reference tracks.