Been noodling around on my electric recently and I’ve come up with a nice opening Riff which uses A major to G major chord progression.
Just wondering how I would express this once I’ve come up with the rest of the chords.
Technically the chord should be a G#diminished chord in the key of A so would it be written as a b vll ?
Are you playing in key of Amaj? To me if you want to switch over from A to G would be better to play in key of D perhaps so from V to IV.
Yes A maj
I did think about the key of D but the riff very much revolves around the A to G progression.
Not sure a 5-4-1 progression is right in the Key of D Maj…?
Two major chords a whole tone apart …
could be the IV and V in a major key progression …
could be the I and bVII in a mixolydian modal progression …
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Thank you Richard
Could you help With explaining the difference between the A mixolydian and simply staying in the key of A maj and using the G Maj as a borrowed chord?
I’m guessing a b vll in the melody…?
If your progression is in the key of A, then the diatonic chords will feature heavily … A, Bm, C#m, E, F#m and the G as a borrowed chord will make fleeting appearances and be notable for the alteration in the overall sound it brings which will cause your ears to prick up a little at something unexpected.
If your progressions is modal in A mixolydian, it will bounce back and forth between A and G a lot, tend to have just a few chords, perhaps Em too (as it contains the b7 note of G). Try playing the A as A7 and the G as Gmaj7. If that fits the vibe and sound then you’re surely playing Mixolydian.
This progressions with a borrowed bVII is in Ab with the Gb borrowed so half a step down from yours, the logic applies the same though - Using borrowed chords - introduction + examples
Mixolydian: Modes Parts 1 - 7 - #108 by Richard_close2u
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I’m with Richard when you said G to A, 7b to Root is what I saw but I have this Mixo thing going on !!
Why ? Because it just sounds soo good… Add a little 6 b7 1/Root run here and there all will be good.
@Strummer_of_69
Are you playing full chords or power chords?
If your using full chords mixolydian.
If you’re playing power chords it’s a I Ii vamp in G.
Root to second is very common.
But with only 2 chords it’s hard to say without hearing it.
Understood Richard
Thanks for your help. I’ve got a free weekend so I’ll spend some time on it and see if I can develop it into a full composition.
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I’ve been using full E shape barre chords stitch.
My little finger comes down to the third string on alternate bars to make a Sus chord.
1 bar of A then 2 beats of A Sus then back to A for 2 beats. Then the same on the G.
I throw in some 16th note strumming to jazz it up a bit.
Richards idea of swapping for 7th Chords brings a new sound too.
Sounds cool going from A7 to A7 Sus.
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Thanks Toby
I’ve got quite a nice sound developing.
Just one question Richard…
I can see how the E minor chord fits but I don’t understand how the note B is a b vll?
Can you explain?
My bad - of course I meant the note G in the Em chord - as opposed to the note G# which would appear in a key of A major progression and be the V chord. In A mixolydian it is the v chord. I will correct my error.
That makes sense Richard
Thanks 