New Country-Its all the same chord progression

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 6 Jul 2008 6:28 pm

I just finished a stint with a female wanna be playing all this New Country garbage. Carrie, Underwood, Miranda Lambert, etc. Its all the same chord progression. 1, b7,4,1. Every chorus on every song. All 4/4 rock and blues. We just fired the lead chick and got a genuine dyed in the wool male country singer (Nashville quality). We kept the other female (who was the better singer anyhow) and we are going to do mostly classic country. I will NEVER play that new country crap again to any extent. For any amount of money.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 6 Jul 2008 9:25 pm

Kevin,It seems to me what is really missing is 90 percent of the new songs have NO melody what so ever,almost every thing you hear is almost sung in monotone,listen to some of the biggest songs out there today,no real melody at all,hell you can't even whistle them.some of this so-called country music today is getting so close to rap it's absurd.DYKBC.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 6 Jul 2008 10:38 pm

Kevin Hatton wrote:I will NEVER play that new country crap again to any extent. For any amount of money.

I will NEVER play country music, period.

But I don't mind listening to some of it... older stuff, that is.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 Jul 2008 1:47 am

every song is NOT the same, and every song does not have the exact same progressions. Sure they may have common chords but so do the Beatles songs .Together Again has 3 chords, the same ones as Ramblin Fever and Workin Man Blues. I,IV,V . So whats the question again ?

Shall we list all the traditional songs of yesteryear that have the exact same 3 chords in the exact same progression? Or is it only the NEW artists that do this ?

"Every"..is quite a word. All inclusive.

A great band, a great bunch of Musicians ,can make an average song on the bandstand..GREAT...

Personally, if Carrie or Miranda called me I would be on my way in a NY minute.

"Find" the music, play it and enjoy it, our jobs as SIDEMEN is to play the songs to the best of our ability.

A few years back on the St Louis Big Stage, I think it was Scotty that asked Buddy why he was set up off to the side..Buddy commented.."I am a sideman"...

Steve Morley · Post by **Steve Morley** » 7 Jul 2008 3:09 am

I can see Kevin's point to an extent, but look at how Duke Ellington and his band could make C Jam Blues swing (One Note Samba by Antonio Carlos Jobim, too!). Very simple/boring on paper, but the musicians make it interesting. Another example: When Duane Allman was coming up, he had to play a lot of sessions where the chord progressions were all similar, but he'd find ways t make it interesting - that Vox Sitar/Guitar on Games People Play!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 Jul 2008 4:05 am

Ahh Haa..!! the Duane Allman card !

Imagine for a moment, Statesboro Blues, the same exact 3 chords that everyone on the planet learned, played and are STILL playing it..( me included )

But ..Duane made it his own...even today, it's HIS song...

Classic Duane...on a plain ole' song that everyone plays..

I don't buy into the rut thing, I play, I try to be creative, mixing the signature stuff with embellishments, I try to make it interesting. I can have fun with a ONE note song if need be, as long as I play the right ONE note of course !

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 7 Jul 2008 8:04 am

I have to agree with all the preceding posts, but in fact it all boils down to this; I have a tuner on my radio, I control what goes on my PC and my recorders, I am the guy that determines where the bar goes on the fret board, and what strings to pick. I also am privileged enough to say what band I play in and what songs I Play. So if I'm not capable of choosing any of the above I'm no longer having fun and won't listen or play at all. I know this sounds pretty damned facetious, but it's all fact, and maybe a solution to the new and/or old country quandry. It's mine.

phred

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 7 Jul 2008 8:13 am

"I will NEVER play country music, period."

Leslie, if this is true, what in the world drew you to steel guitar in the first place?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 7 Jul 2008 8:31 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:"I will NEVER play country music, period."

Leslie, if this is true, what in the world drew you to steel guitar in the first place?

For me it was the beautifully tempered intervals that I couldn't get on the piano.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 7 Jul 2008 9:58 am

"For me it was the beautifully tempered intervals that I couldn't get on the piano."

...and those smoooth glissandos!

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 7 Jul 2008 9:32 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:Leslie, if this is true, what in the world drew you to steel guitar in the first place?

The PSG is just another tool in my rock 'n' roll kit. It sounds great overdriven, and I can get some sounds out of it that are way beyond that of a six string electric guitar. When I first heard the sound of an overdriven PSG, I knew I'd have to try it some day. It's much more than just a 'country' instrument.

Dom Franco · Post by **Dom Franco** » 7 Jul 2008 10:44 pm

"Getting back to original premise: IT's all the SAME progression"
There is definite, similarity in texture, chord progressions and vocal phrasing coming out in today's country.
I hear a lot of Root, VI minor IV etc. Yes it's a RUT or a style that many are falling into. BUT it sells! BOTTOM LINE $$$ IT MAKES MONEY.

Decades ago Elvis cranked out dozens of songs with the same tired chord progressions,(Bass part walking I,III,V) but the producers wanted the same sound because it sold records.

Likewise the Beach Boys and other surf bands all had a familiar sound... WHY? $$$$ it sold records and the radio stations wanted to play what was selling.

This "New Country" too shall pass.

Then the next style will have "ALL THE SAME CHORDS"

I am just enjoying every minute of it all, I love any style as long as it's played well, and sang in tune, and not promoting some kind of evil as good.

Sincerly;
Dom Franco

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 Jul 2008 10:58 pm

...all 4/4 rock and blues.

Yeah, that's pretty much what it is. And it's not even good rock and blues... it's mediocre rock and blues. It doesn't have the grit of rock. It doesn't have the soul of Blues. It doesn't have the honesty of country music. It's just a blend of whatever sells.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 7 Jul 2008 11:54 pm

Doug,You the man,Best explanation SO far of new country music I have heard,NO grit,NO soul and NO honesty.You NAILED it.DYKBC.

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 8 Jul 2008 2:15 am

I don't know that I would feel safe making such a blanket statement regarding ALL Country music. It could just as easily be said of every other genre of music at the moment too. We're in a lul, that's all.
Granted, MOST of the new stuff is crap........same thing that's stated and restated time and again in this forum. The Hillbilly bands on the GOO in 1939 thought Monroe's music was too far over the edge as well.
Change is inevitable, and always good. Without it, comfortable becomes a rut. Crap eventually gets flushed.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 8 Jul 2008 7:21 am

What was so different about the chords in OLD country???

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 8 Jul 2008 7:24 am

Bill Hatcher wrote:What was so different about the chords in OLD country???

Ha! It's just that those were the right chords.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Jul 2008 7:40 am

Reminds me of a quote:

Blues is playing 3 chords to 1,000 people. Jazz is playing 1,000 chords to 3 people.

Q. What is classic country?
A. Three chords for an audience dwindling down toward 3 people

.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 8 Jul 2008 7:46 am

Waylon said if the song is strong enough, TWO chords
are aplenty!

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 8 Jul 2008 8:10 am

Doug, thats really my point. Obviously I'm over reacting a bit.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 8 Jul 2008 8:34 am

One of my favorite songs only had 2 chords...Ronnie Hawkins, "Mary Lou"!!(They had to throw in a V chord didn't they!)

Yeah, Yeah I know "Memphis".."Tulsa Time" and quite a few others!! $:\$

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 8 Jul 2008 12:56 pm

It's true a lot of the old classic country songs were three chord songs,BUT most of the songs had a MELODY,and the old artist could sing that melody on key,without studio gimmicks to track them on key.And it's true not ALL of the great artist back in the golden age of country were had great voices like Jim Reeves or Marty Robbins,case in point would be Hank Sr.But you could hear the soul and emotion in his voice,What he had which is VERY RARE today is STYLE.Back then when you heard a song on the radio you knew IMMEDIATELY who it was[it did'nt matter if you liked them or not]you knew who it was,today most[not all] but most sound like clones,no stylist at all.DYKBC.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 8 Jul 2008 2:48 pm

We're doomed.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 8 Jul 2008 3:10 pm

It is not all the same!

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 8 Jul 2008 3:35 pm

Badonkadonk hads 8 different chords in it.

Joe

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New Country-Its all the same chord progression

New Country-Its all the same chord progression

Re: New Country-Its all the same chord progression

Hell, Ya Only Need 2 Chords!