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scott mccormick

teacher telling student about borrowed chords

Use borrowed chords to add drama, depth, and variety to your music

January 13, 2023January 13, 2023 Scott McCormick

Looking to spice up your chord progressions? Why not borrow a chord or two from a different mode or scale? Borrowed chords are a tried-and-true way to add an unexpected touch to songs. Read the post.

guitarist playing diminished chords

Add zest with diminished chords

December 6, 2022January 13, 2023 Scott McCormick

While major and minor chords get all the attention, don’t neglect music’s lovely diminished chords. They can spice up your boring chord progressions and add drama to your songs. Read the post.

a new songwriter trying her hand to start writing songs

How to start writing songs

November 14, 2022January 13, 2023 Scott McCormick

Have you got the music in you and want to start writing songs? Here’s a no-nonsense primer to getting your songwriting career started. Read the post.

singing bassists

Who says it’s impossible to sing and play bass?

October 21, 2022October 21, 2022 Scott McCormick

Being excellent at your instrument takes a lot of work, and being a stand-out vocalist is rare, indeed. But combining the two? Let’s learn from 10 singers who also play bass. Read the post.

sailboat sailing the Southern Cross

“Southern Cross” — From unreleased leftover to enduring classic

September 21, 2022September 22, 2022 Scott McCormick

Here’s a fascinating look at how Stephen Stills took an unreleased leftover and turned it into the enduring classic, “Southern Cross.” Read the post.

A Hard Day's Night and London Calling covers

Mystery chords: “A Hard Day’s Night” and “London Calling”

August 26, 2022August 26, 2022 Scott McCormick

Ever sit down to learn a song and find that no matter what chord you play, it’s just not right? We investigate two mystery chords in two classic songs. Read the post.

man playing a power chord

What makes power chords so powerful?

August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 Scott McCormick

Power chords might not be chords, but they’re powerful intervals — especially when mixed with distortion. Read the post.

pianist playing the lydian mode

The Lydian Mode can give your song a lift

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022 Scott McCormick

In music, a mode is a formula for creating a musical scale. The Lydian Mode’s formula (W–W–W–H–W–W–H) can give your melody or progression an uplifting and yearning feeling. Read the post.

guitarist playing a major mediant chord

The major mediant chord can add an unexpected surprise

April 13, 2022April 13, 2022 Scott McCormick

While the mediant (iii chord) isn’t as structurally integral as the tonic, dominant, or subdominant, employing its major variation can provide an unexpected surprise that will make listeners’ ears perk up every time. Read the post.

guitarist playing a song with one chord

Can you write a song with just one chord?

March 9, 2022March 10, 2022 Scott McCormick

While it might be difficult to keep a song interesting if you limit it to one chord, it can help create tension, highlight your lyrics, or drive a hypnotic groove. Read the post.

Acoustic guitarist playing a pedal point

The pedal point: A quick study

February 3, 2022February 4, 2022 Scott McCormick

A pedal point can make a standard progression more interesting or ground a complex progression in something familiar. Read the post.

two chords

Can you write a song with just two chords?

November 8, 2021February 3, 2022 Scott McCormick

These songs from decades past show us that you can do a lot with just a little. Let’s explore the magic of the bVII-I progression and how two chords can make a song. Read the post

alternate guitar tuning

Alternate guitar tuning can inspire your songwriting

October 4, 2021October 5, 2021 Scott McCormick

Let’s explore some common — and some of the more obscure — alternate guitar tunings to inspire you to write your next musical masterpiece. Read the post

suspended chords

Using suspended chords in your songs

September 10, 2021September 27, 2022 Scott McCormick

Suspended chords work as substitution chords, can smooth out chord progressions, and add tension to your music. Here are some great examples of how to use suspended chords in your songs. Read the post

eleventh chord

Eleventh and thirteenth chords: How to play them on guitar

August 27, 2021August 27, 2021 Scott McCormick

For some extended guitar chords — like a fully voiced thirteenth — there are more notes in the chord than there are strings. That’s where slash chords come in … with a little help from your bassist. Read the post

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