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I'm having a lot of difficulty with this. Trying to expand my musical repertoire by inserting more chords into my tunes but I just can't seem to get chords working with single notes. For example, say I play a D, I've tried playing a D chord, a D#/Eb.etc. and they always sound as though they're off-key? I've even checked out sites that show the correct chords to go with certain notes and it still sounds off... any ideas what I could be doing wrong?

i like to use power chords, then modify them from there to taste.

Yeah that doesn't help me at all =\

You could always try writing the chord changes first then compose the lead lines over top.

start by making a one-note-at-a-time type of deal and don't make it change notes like the melody...maybe it would change every one or two bars. Then clone that note and pitch it up...use your ears to find a note that fits well with the first note in the context (scale) of the rest of the track...do again, but this time pitch it down untill you find a good note to fit. Repeat until you have a good set of chords to accompany the melody.

amphibian wrote: For example, say I play a D, I've tried playing a D chord, a D#/Eb.etc. and they always sound as though they're off-key? (

Those notes ARE out of key.

a D minor chord for example is D, F, A, and C. A melody utilizing those notes will sound the most "in-key" over that chord.
a D minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭, and C. A melody utilizing these notes (excluding the ones from above) will also sound "in-key"

Your example: "Playing a D chord and the a melody w/ D# or Eb is actually the most dissonant (out of key) combination you could play. Dissonance can sometimes be a great thing, but in the wrong context can sound bad.

General advice: playing notes from the same scale will generally yield "pleasing" results. Start there and experiment.

A D over a D chord should sound great. What instrument are you playing this on?

Well, a D Major/Minor chord will sound good over a D note on it's own, but if you have a melody already, then you need to use chords that fit in the key the melody is in. Like, if you have a melody that's D E F E G F, then that's in D Minor (You'd need to know some theory to know this), so you'd use a D Minor chord over the D. You just have to make sure that the chord you're playing only contains the notes that are in the key of your melody.

D Minor is D E F G A A# C D by the way. You get a minor scale by starting at a root note, then going a whole step, half step, whole, whole, half, whole, whole (back to the root).

contakt321 wrote:

amphibian wrote: For example, say I play a D, I've tried playing a D chord, a D#/Eb.etc. and they always sound as though they're off-key? (

Those notes ARE out of key.

I'm aware the D#/Eb is, but I wouldn't think the D is? Anyways I did a D chord and it really didn't seem to fit.

In regards to instruments - just synths. In this case the chord was for a stab sound that was played every few snares, but couldn't get it ot fit.

get on AIM, I'll help you out

amphibian wrote:

contakt321 wrote:

amphibian wrote: For example, say I play a D, I've tried playing a D chord, a D#/Eb.etc. and they always sound as though they're off-key? (

Those notes ARE out of key.

I'm aware the D#/Eb is, but I wouldn't think the D is? Anyways I did a D chord and it really didn't seem to fit.

In regards to instruments - just synths. In this case the chord was for a stab sound that was played every few snares, but couldn't get it ot fit.

Well it could be the synths. A lot of variables could cause it to sound "off". Try playing whatever you are working on using a piano plugin.

I'm waiting on you man...I got a lot of homework to do tonight, so I'll just leave the comp alone now and when you're on AIM, lemme know, aright?

if you're trying to harmonize with D here a three options and they're all regular chords so the notes I speak of are above the D. DF#A (major), DFA (minor), ACE (d5), AC#E (P5)

Hmmm, maybe that's been my problem. Thanks drake

Am I to assume that all chords, if you want to harmonize them, start at that note?

amphibian wrote:Hmmm, maybe that's been my problem. Thanks drake

Am I to assume that all chords, if you want to harmonize them, start at that note?

No, there are inversions. You can start a chord from a third for instance. You may also not need to play the root note in a chord if it's being played by the bass or the melodic line.

As a fellow theory slacker,
I often test out several notes and chord arrangements before settling, also changing note velocity for a comfortable feel. IF you're using FL, there's a function which will highlight all the notes in the pianoroll that are in key with your progression, that helps a bit. Note** Sometimes things that sound good don't show up as "In key".

Certain synth patches will have one oscillator several semitones above the other. Therefore, if you're writing certain chords, it will naturally sound out of key because certain oscillators in the patch are out of key. I'm not saying that's your particular issue, but it's something to be aware of.

i did a bit of theory at college, but dont really take much notice of it, or think about it when making tunes except for like, i thought that you have a scale, and then everything your track has, should be in that scale? so you could have say take C major/ A minor. obviosuly its according to what notes you start with in your melody which either gives it the major or minor feel, but then aslong as everything else is from that scale is should fit? so you could have a melody playing one thing, a bassline playing another and then chords, but if the notes played in the melody and bassline, and notes which make up the chord are all from that scale it should fit?

like people talk about if your melody has a d or whatever then the root note of the chord has to be d, but aslong as everything is in the same scale it shouldnt sound off? i just try and mess around with chords until i get something that fits and portrays the feel i want for the track.

I remember this, not a single time since downloading this have I made a tune without it!