A chord is composed of multiple notes played simultaneously on one fret. Frets are strips of metal placed along the neck that allow players to easily finger individual notes for playing chords.
If the chord appears as “PM,” use palm muting (i.e. laying your right hand’s edge across its strings to dampen them with your fingertips) for playing it.
Scale Tones
As musicians, we tend to group notes into chords or scales. But it is essential to remember that any notes from the chromatic scale can compose a chord since semitone intervals exist between any two pitches regardless of which key they belong in.
Mac DeMarco’s song Another One offers an example of such an approach to chord progression. Though written in G major, its bridge begins with a non-diatonic Fmaj7 chord which incorporates elements from parallel minor keys for a dramatic change in feel.
Other methods for adding contrast in the bridge may include shifting register of melody or pitch changes; for instance, Paul Simon’s songs often employ melodies that soar higher during their bridge sections than they do during verse sections – often combined with modulations into a parallel minor key (as in The Beatles’ We Can Work It Out), creating dramatic and striking changes that stand out as noticeable and unmissable.
Rhythmic Tones
One chord tone contains within it the potential to create various other tones thanks to harmonic series. For instance, one fundamental guitar note alone creates an entire set of fifths and minor sevenths; when two separate notes are struck simultaneously they produce even more intervals because the fundamental is still present.
Intervals play an invaluable role, as they allow musicians to add texture and interest to chord progressions. Chord tones may also be played as melodies or riffs – most frequently they provide contrast against rhythm section and melodic lines in songs.
An effective method for creating contrast is modulating the key of the bridge to differ from that of the song as a whole. This can help alter its emotional color and add drama, such as when Simon & Garfunkel’s Eleanor Rigby moves from C major into Bbmaj7 for its bridge, giving it a dramatic feel.
Emotional Tones
As well as using chord tones and rhythms, the guitar can also add emotional resonance by playing melodic tones – this technique is known as ornamentation and it can be applied to all chord progressions – making bridges sound more engaging. Adding ornamentation can also make them stand out amongst their peers!
Change the key of the bridge to add variety and contrast, or brighten or darken its atmosphere – either way it should captivate listeners and keep them listening! Done correctly, listeners will find themselves drawn in.
Red Hot Chili Peppers employ this technique on their song, “Under the Bridge.” Their bridge begins with a C minor chord which is then enhanced with a G# major chord – providing an arresting contrast with its otherwise upbeat and upbeat melody while hinting at what emotions will surface later during chorus time.
Key Changes
One way of creating tension and interest in a song’s bridge is modulating to a different key, which can raise or lower energy levels and serve as an exciting contrast with verses and choruses.
To do this, start from the original song’s key and use the circle of fifths to move up or down until you find your new key – for instance if singing G minor would modulate to its relative major key (C major).
This technique can also be used to shift the mood of a song, though be wary not to overuse it as listeners could get tired of hearing sudden and abrupt changes between sections of one song. If you decide to try this approach, be sure to create a chord progression suitable to its new key and ensure the melody flows harmoniously along its sequence.