I play clawhammer banjo, and I'd like to be able to improve my ability to identify appropriate chords to play to accompany fiddle tunes (I usually play the melody, but I like to mix in chords or simply play backup for variation).
To give a simple example, let's assume we're playing a D tune. If the melody lands on an F#, safe to assume we can play a D chord. If the melody lands on a B or G, we can play a G chord.
But what about if the melody lands on a note shared by multiple chords, like an A (present in both A and D chords) or a D (present in both D and G chords)? And then my next question is, what about the very common occurrences where melodies don't land on any particular note?
Any advice much appreciated.
In cases where the chord is not obvious based on the melody note, you can experiment. If the note is A, try it with an A chord. Then try it with a D chord. Which sounds more like your source? (Think of this as the scientific method: Form a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, and if necessary, form a new hypothesis, etc.)
Eventually you'll come to recognize the chords by their sound, instead of using the intellectual method described in your original post. (Nothing wrong with intellectualizing, IMNSHO, but for music the sound should be the primary thing.)
I take the opposite approach. When I need to learn a new tune or song, I start with the key and the chords as a first step. I will then take a guess at the likely tuning. G tuning for keys of G, A, etc. Doube-C for keys of C, D, etc. Then I look for the melody. Knowledge of the chords can help me locate the melody notes. Then I recheck the selected tuning to see if it supports playing the melody easily. If not, I may need to try another tuning.
David
The prototypical progression, at least for major keys, is I -> IV -> I -> V(7) -> I. [In the key of D, that's D -> G -> D -> A -> D] Now, that can be mutated in all kinds of ways, including omitting, substituting, or adding/duplicating chords. But the general flow of it (mostly) holds true. It tells us that V is most often followed by I. It tells us that when we have a lot of I in a row, it's common to pivot momentarily to IV. It tells us that V is often preceded by I, but can also be preceded by IV if we skip forward (the opposite case, IV preceded by V, is not common, at least in OT music). It tells us that when a phrase/section starts on IV or V, you can bet money that the next chord will be I.
When you find that neither I, IV, or V sound right at a given spot, try vi (often followed by V). If vi doesn't work, try ii. If it's still none of those, then you are probably dealing with a tune that has a specifically composed chord progression.
But ultimately I agree with Ira, the best thing is to try it out different ways and let your ear decide. Start by treating the whole tune as I. Then see where you might slip in a V -- often right before the end of a phrase. Then work in the IVs -- often somewhere in the middle of a phrase. If something doesn't work, change it. These are common tendencies, not rules.
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