In Any Key. What do you think is the most important chord ?

[Storm Rosson]

Really is kinda dumba** question in reality...of course it's just my opinion...ho-hum...Stormy

[b0b]

I agree, Storm.

[Stuart Legg]

Would it be considered disingenuous posting a frivolous topic asking a silly question that you already know the answer to?
Perhaps that is only viable when you start with a well researched topic of substance and then get derailed by false accusations and innuendo.

[Doug Beaumier]

Really is kinda dumba** question in reality...

I agree. Everyone knows that the most important chord is G. And the most important number is 8. And the most important color is red. Everyone knows that.

[Jim Cohen]

Now that we've settled that, what is the most important note? (Hint: it's my favorite of the 12...)

[Bill Mayville]

I forgot that most players play in small bands.
My Bad.
There is a big difference,that I forgot about.
With any question,there are players without a clue to any music what so ever.
Most players on this forum,have lots of experience.
Doesn't mean they are good,and stay with the 3 chords.
Some will not play minors at all.Some only play the melody,which is incredibly easy compared to the bandstand backup.
For those that find it so Whacky,take the two minor out off the chart,try a song or two,including you,Bob, and see what it sounds like.

All comments are excepted. Even the===
Bill

[Stu Schulman]

The last chord...It's a Lincoln thang!

[Twayn Williams]

For those that find it so Whacky,take the two minor out off the chart,try a song or two,including you,Bob, and see what it sounds like.

You can always use a IV chord in place of the ii7, or if you want to jazz it up slightly, IV6 == ii7.

Dm7 = D-F-A-C
F6 = F-A-C-D

iim7 chords inevitably function as lead-ins to the V7 chord, or conversely you can view them as extensions of the V chord:

G7 = G-B-D-F
Dm7 = D-F-A-C
G11 = G-B-D-F-A-C or G-B-F-C

[Jim Cohen]

For those that find it so Whacky,take the two minor out off the chart,try a song or two,including you,Bob, and see what it sounds like.

Good suggestion. Then, so you have something to compare it to, take out all the 1 chords. Compare and contrast your results.

[Mike Neer]

For those that find it so Whacky,take the two minor out off the chart,try a song or two,including you,Bob, and see what it sounds like.

Good suggestion. Then, so you have something to compare it to, take out all the 1 chords. Compare and contrast your results.

That's the thing about the I chord, Jim--you can take it out, but ultimately it doesn't matter, because you can hear where it's supposed to resolve anyway because all the preceding chords. Replace the I chord with the ii chord and you've got a problem. Replace the ii chord with V7 and you're still good.

The only chord that resolves to the ii chord is the VI7 (in the case of Dmin, A7), which is not even a diatonic chord, but is a secondary dominant of the ii.

[Jim Cohen]

Yes, Mike, you can hear it in your head. But I don't think we'd care much for the result of not being able to actually hear it played. (Kinda like hearing, "Shave and a hair-cut" but not hearing it followed by "Two Bits!" You know it belongs there but it's torture not to hear it!)

[Mike Neer]

What I meant was the resolution is so strong that you can't stop it. The I chord is the center of the diatonic universe.

If the diatonic scale was the solar system, the Tonic (I) would be the sun, the Mediant (iii) would be Mercury, the Submediant (vi) would be Venus, the Subdominant (IV) would be Earth, the Supertonic (ii) would be Mars, the Dominant (V) would be Jupiter, and the Leading Tone (vii) would be Uranus...haha. Can't accommodate Neptune and we all know Pluto ain't a planet anymore, Jack.

[Brint Hannay]

Take out the ii chords;
Take out the I chords;
Take out the V7 chords.

Which matters most? Which can be replaced with something that functions very similarly? The ii chord can be replaced with a IV chord without changing the feel of the progression that much. What can substitute for the I or V7?*

So if one wants to get into the silliness of ranking chords for importance, the ii would seem to be one of the less important chords.

But of course the whole thing is silly.

I'll stick with my previous, quite serious, answer.

Bill, if you find yourself having to play with people who "will not play minors at all," you have my sympathy.

*(I know, bII7 can substitute for V7, but only in a context where altered V7 is appropriate.)

[Jim Cohen]

What I meant was the resolution is so strong that you can't stop it. The I chord is the center of the diatonic universe.

If the diatonic scale was the solar system, the Tonic (I) would be the sun, the Mediant (iii) would be Mercury, the Submediant (vi) would be Venus, the Subdominant (IV) would be Earth, the Supertonic (ii) would be Mars, the Dominant (V) would be Jupiter, and the Leading Tone (vii) would be Uranus...haha. Can't accommodate Neptune and we all know Pluto ain't a planet anymore, Jack.

Well, we all know it ain't rocket science!

[Ronnie Boettcher]

Maybe I just fell off of the turnip truck, or I do not understand this threads question. Sorry, I have had classes on music theory, and everything in music, but it makes no sense to me.

[Jim Cohen]

Maybe I just fell off of the turnip truck, or I do not understand this threads question. Sorry, I have had classes on music theory, and everything in music, but it makes no sense to me.

Well, that's your problem right there; you're overeducated for this thread.

[Stuart Legg]

Let me get this straight. Everyone would skip right over a 2m and not play it in a song unless someone wrote it down or told them it should be there.
Perhaps we should renumber the chords in the order of their importance. So instead of the(I)representing the tonic it now represents the previously known as(ii)followed by the rest, you know those insignificant chords.

[Helmut Kuppert]

The Nashville Sex Number System ignores: 69

Thanks for nothin!

[Roual Ranes]

THE ONE YOU CANNOT FIND.

[Eric West]

It's the one you don't play..

There.

Youse happy now?



EJL

[Barry Blackwood]

In my experience, it's that "extra" IV chord so many bands play in the bridge of "I Fall To Pieces," and also in "Together Again."

[Scott Henderson]

CHORDS???????? MOST IMPORTANT CHORD???????
I'm more worried if the lead singers boots and shirt match...
It's all about them isn't it?????
The most important chord is the one the rythm section is playing. If they're right I can play what ever I want....(We were talking jazz right?)

[Les Anderson]

Chords are just a series of landmarks on the road to a destination, which in itself might just be temporary. Think of the chord progression as a road trip--you want to get to where you're going, but take in all the sights on the way.

Mike, great way to describe it. We have a bass player in our band who uses every inch of his fret board on almost every piece we play. I don't think he realizes that his playing bass is not a contest to see how many chords he can hit during his chord progressions. Many times he is distracting the other band members.

[Mike Neer]

"I heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord.
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
It goes like this the fourth, the fifth,
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah."
--Leonard Cohen

[James Morehead]

We have a bass player in our band who uses every inch of his fret board on almost every piece we play. Many times he is distracting the other band members.

Where I'm from, we call that playing "lead bass", and it's grounds for getting run off.