why does non country fans think country is only 3 cords?

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 21 Feb 2008 4:01 pm

"....less is more!!!!"
Tell that to Bill Hankey.

Arch.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 21 Feb 2008 4:05 pm

It seems that Michael is into jazz. He mixes and substitutes his cords acchordingly. Arch don't start your hankey pankey

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 21 Feb 2008 6:35 pm

how much is a million bucks divided by three chords??

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Feb 2008 8:05 pm

Listen to Elvis's "When It Rains It Really Pours." It only has one chord through the whole number.

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 21 Feb 2008 9:06 pm

I remember a Clapton song off his "Backless" album which I believe followed directly behind the "Slow Hand" album. Anyway the song was a blues kind of thing. It was all in one chord with a woman screaming unintelligible vocals. I think it might be a classic now. Too bad I can't remember the title.

I was pretty underwhelmed by it. I think you gotta have at least two chords or whats the point?

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 21 Feb 2008 11:36 pm

I once brought Vance Terry to a Zydeco gig. The kid genius squeeze box player Andre Thierry was pumping out his music over the usual one chord funky grooves. Vance listened for a while and then said:
Damn!! One chord!! Let me play some of that. I could play the $h1t out of that. I wouldn't have to think about the changes!! Simplicity rules.

Mark Treepaz · Post by **Mark Treepaz** » 25 Feb 2008 10:16 am

Jim Cohen wrote:Well, I just hope they're not simultaneously saying how much they like Blues!

Now, THERE ya' go! Excellent point!

Mike Headrick · Post by **Mike Headrick** » 25 Feb 2008 12:54 pm

I've recorded groups who did songs with up to five modulations, and maybe 8 or 9 chords in each key. That's when I'd rather be out fishing. I think it's absurd and very unmusical to move around that much.What would have been the feel of the song goes right out the window.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 25 Feb 2008 1:04 pm

Mikey,
I got ya beat on those cords!

I got 2 on my volume pedal loop, 2 on my effects loop, and 1 straight to my steel, that's ,,,ummm 5 I think, and they're black!

ps. thanks for the help on the Night Life intro thing.

Larry

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 25 Feb 2008 1:59 pm

I don't know, but if they listen to today's country it's more than 3 Cords.

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 25 Feb 2008 2:13 pm

If the song only needs three chords why play more.
You can only play whats needed, Dance the night away= 3 chords.
54 more with two chords
http://www.drbanjo.com/pdf/jam-favorites_54_2chord.pdf

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 25 Feb 2008 2:17 pm

and more
http://www.bloggingmuses.com/archives/c ... 000196.php

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 25 Feb 2008 2:21 pm

I'm just saying play what is needed and more if you feel it needs more.

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 25 Feb 2008 3:39 pm

To me, it's not about the chords. It's about the melody and phrasing. Three chords can be plenty interesting, even complex, in the hands of an expert.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 25 Feb 2008 3:55 pm

All modern American popular music began with the blues. You can really hear it in country up into the 1950's. There's really nothing wrong with 3 chord songs.
And by the way, in my composition classes of long ago, I was taught that there are, in fact, only 3 chords in existance, the tonic, dominant and subdominant. Every single chord, in every single musical composition, is serving one of those 3 functions. There is nothing else.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 25 Feb 2008 4:02 pm

Edward Meisse wrote:, in my composition classes of long ago, I was taught that there are, in fact, only 3 chords in existance, the tonic, dominant and subdominant. Every single chord, in every single musical composition, is serving one of those 3 functions. There is nothing else.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your teacher's philosophy.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 25 Feb 2008 5:15 pm

Holy cow!! Are you in earnest?

No, really. Is there, in fact, another function of which I am unaware?

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 25 Feb 2008 9:21 pm

For the same reason that some people think rock music has only three chords.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 26 Feb 2008 5:30 am

I once heard a band playing 'By The Time I get To Phoenix' with only three chords.

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 26 Feb 2008 5:56 am

I just love it when a band plays three chords...

... all at the same time...

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 26 Feb 2008 9:19 am

"To me, it's not about the chords. It's about the melody and phrasing."

e.g., One Note Samba?

Gordy Hall · Post by **Gordy Hall** » 26 Feb 2008 11:31 am

A local club owner was quoted as saying the difference between jazz musicians and blues musicians was that the blues musicians use 3 chords for 100 people, and jazz musicians use 100 chords for 3 people.

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 26 Feb 2008 11:55 am

HOw long ago was it when Hank Williams Senior played Lovesick Blues on the Oprey?
There are a lot more than three chords in that song.
There is so much variety in Country music.
For instance, there is country blues, country swing, country rock, Bakersfield country, Texas Dancehall country, etc.
I think the bottom line is, either you like country music or you don't.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 26 Feb 2008 12:08 pm

that Vance Terry quote is great. you too Gordy!

I think you have to admit that the majority of country music is only 3 chords (the new stuff don't count)
I think rock'n'roll is generally thought of as three-chord music too, but country is three chords and the truth!

Of course you can take a 3-chord tune and rearrange it and add a bunch more chords. One of my favorite examples is Jeff Newman and Mike Auldridge's version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" from the Slidin' Smoke album.

on the flip side, you can take a song with more chords and trim it down to three. Check out the country version of "Nowhere Man" by Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers (aka Hot Rize). it's great. (I don't think "By the Time I Get To Phoenix" would work quite as well!)

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 26 Feb 2008 12:40 pm

Believe me, Scott - it didn't!!!!!

RR