How to Add Chords to a Melody

[@hamzak2181]

This is the only tutorial that explains finding chords in a methodical manner. All the other videos just tell you to listen and listen and listen and one day be able to figure out the chords magically.

[@seandaniel23]

That’s why you came for THE BEST!

[@alexbruck144]

Give a man a fish (chords) and he will eat for a day (know a song). TEACH a man to CREATE his OWN chords and he will be unleashed with the unique ability to forge a new world in which to go forth ! You have done that, Sean. Thank you !

[@italianobserverbutitsnotas3260]

Give a fish to a man and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you can fuck his wife while he's fishing - Nietzsce or something

[@amg_0302]

This has to be one of the best lessons on this that I have seen. Exactly what I was looking for. You rock, brother.

[@seandaniel23]

So great to hear! Thanks for reaching out!

[@dond8079]

Well thought out and explained. If I want cheap tips and tricks I go elsewhere. This is solid study work. Your lessons are great. This kind of music theory workshop is helping me get closer to creating music instead of just repeating someone else’s arrangements.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much Don!

[@MrArtist1971]

Great, great job bro! I'm 53, playing most of my life and still learning! Keep up the great work.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for checking it out!

[@lavanyaverma1194]

You're an inspiration! :)

[@brycerankin9194]

this was the missing link, i even already knew this but your explaination made me understand it!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to always explain in an informative and easy way :)

[@MrArtist1971]

Just watched this again after a year. I have to say this is one of the best chord melody explanations on YT. You should turn this into a mini-course and offer it bro. Great job. I paid for a chord melody course through Truefire with Frank Vignola instructing. And honestly, your explanation is much more on point and adaptable for coming up with chord voicings over a single note line. Again, terrific job.

[@AyYoSteve]

Thisnis such a valuable lesson. It seems very difficult to find more specific and intermediate based theory lessons on KZbin but this is such a useful tool thank you for explaining this!

[@arihunta]

This is the first time not being strictly diatonic has ever made sense to me, my mind is somewhat blown. It's so insane the way you just casually make stuff make sense! Whenever I hear people say stuff like, "use your ear, do what sounds good," I always feel like that's so ridiculously open ended and daunting. But just hearing you go through these different options, and reiterating how there's no "correct" answer but they all feel different, is so enlightening. Thanks so much!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@BillyReedMusic]

Great lesson, Sean! I like how you did the walk through experimentations, rather than just telling what chord should go with the melody, and only playing that chord. It's nice to hear the other options. Good job explaining!

[@jeffB1172]

Thanks for hitting up this topic. Too few ever clearly discuss this concept in any useful detail. I say you nailed it!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much Jeff!

[@Granjer0]

This is the most clarifying explanation (and demonstration) I've seen about practical applications of music theory. Thank you, it really helped me a lot!

[@seandaniel23]

No problem! Thank you, it means a lot!

[@lxathu]

I'm joining the club of the grateful. I had some guesses about this issue but now it's much clearer. The videos of this channel - and a couple of others of altruists like Sean - are gems to me.

[@youngwon1000]

Granjer

[@genibee4627]

Lovely video content! Sorry for butting in, I would appreciate your thoughts. Have you researched - Riddleagan Blossoming Solo Remedy (search on google)? It is a good exclusive product for mastering guitar scales minus the headache. Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my cousin after many years got great success with it.

[@pikiwiki]

@@lxathu the club of the grateful.

[@nmchugh1]

Arguably one of the best guitar teachers on the net! Along with David Taub and Danny Gill!!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much! Those guys are great!

[@themanjaebla]

Pat 68 of my

[@basudevadhikari22]

check out licknriff channel.. that's best

[@Kleyguy7]

@@lamper2 definitely anyonecanplayguitar is one of the best channels out there. It is a shame he is not more popular.

[@titaseafell6520]

Agreed :) But let's not forget about Paul Davids :)

[@swirling5418]

Come on man, how good of a teacher ARE you?? all of your lessons are so detailed, it's 🚫 wonder why I keep coming back 🤜💥🤛

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for saying so!

[@robb3652]

Great job, especially the note inclusive chord layouts on top of each other to give a visual of notes where they are and how the flavor can be changed by minor, 7th, etc.

[@RayStein]

That's one of the best theory lessons I've ever seen. Thanks!

[@deltafour1212]

What a godsend! All my life I wanted to know how to do Chord Melody but it seems everyone who teaches it, makes it way too complicated. This is the first time it's actually explained where I finally get it. You lit a fire under me. Thank you, Sean!

[@seandaniel23]

So happy it was helpful!

[@DrayK118]

My first music theory teacher to inspire me was my college theory professor Ms. Summers. She told me that the reason you learn all of the rules of theory is so you know how to break all the rules later on. Second wind of inspiration is coming from you and Ian. Thanks Sean for helping me expand my musicianship and for getting some good laughs in. You guys are great.

[@seandaniel23]

I am so flattered. It means a lot that I could be your inspiration. Thanks for the support :)

[@itzikvil1]

your way of explaining really makes things clearer at least to me and i can`t find lot of theory teachers on the web that clarify and explain in such a method which is clearer to me such as you. good work mate and keep em coming ;)

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for reaching out! I'll keep em coming!

[@chadwardlaw2613]

Very informative lesson. Don't know why but had never approached playing an established song with the varied chord options over the melody quite like that before. Just a beginner/ intermediate guitar player with some theory under my belt . Thanks for new way to look at it

[@seandaniel23]

Happy it helped out!

[@No1Particular]

Most helpful and informative video of yours I've seen yet! Hope you do more stuff like this. Thank you very much Mr. Daniel

[@DonVal86]

Glad to know that there are still a few OG’s left. Great lesson. 👌

[@patriots5628]

YOU & your 3 videos I just watched has instantly helped me to tremendously. Your explanation helped me to take pieces of theory i picked up on but did not understand what to do with them and put them together. i didn't realize to know the notes numbered with location to add or remove to form chords. I'm still a dummy to this but picking up slowly. lol thank you very much.

[@seandaniel23]

So cool to hear the vids are helping! Thanks for reaching out and saying so!

[@roscmon]

I'm totally new at guitar and I found out that I don't like songs that are just a series of strums all the way through. I like fingerstyle and I've wondered... if I can pick out the main notes, how do I add other notes (just learned they're called harmony)... and you just explained it in way I can understand. I'm a long way from being able to do this but I feel like you just gave me a missing link to understanding. THANK YOU!!

[@seandaniel23]

So glad it was helpful!

[@Kkiikkee10]

YOU SIR ARE A GOOD TEACHER. you hit solid points and were clear thanks, helped me alot and gave me confidence to continue to improve my skills.

[@Andrew-cu9lf]

Wow! I can't believe how good your lessons are. I've been boiling my brain in front of music education videos for what seems like forever, and just now I've serendipitously found yours. Sooooo awesome. Just what I've needed. Thank you!!!!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for saying so man!

[@yeesenchai]

Simplest lesson to learn chord melody basic on youtube while leaving room for applying our own chord voicing, tyvm sir... you are a great teacher.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for saying so!

[@heddyrogue4187]

Sean is my Sensei, all my music theory knowledge is his blessing. Arigato Sensei!!!

[@OMGhowtheF]

I am new to guitar and always wondered how sungha jung made it sound like his guitar was singing and also providing the background music. Now it makes sense! Thanks!

[@seandaniel23]

He's such a beast!

[@michaelcraig9449]

This is cool, practical use of music theory. Too often people just explain it, but there is no explanation of how to actually use music theory, especially for guitarists. Often they just relate it to piano. I am hoping you can do more of these useful theory videos like this, leading from this cool basic stuff, up to real advanced guitar theory, and how to actually play it! This is great. Thanks.

[@seandaniel23]

More useful theory videos will be posted in the future! Thanks for watching :)

[@juana1483]

You have just exactly what I've been looking for-----playing the melody + chords. I've heard classical guitarists do this plus finger picking...Sounds Soooo Classy. Thank you.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@AlexSanchez-gu2ib]

If it would not have been for this guy living that thug life I would have gone elsewhere

[@ajcook7777]

His personality reminds me so much of Alex Honnold, it's crazy, maybe they are from the same area...

[@Seltaeb_]

OMG! Today at work I was thinking about covering Carol Of The Bells, but I didn't want to just look up the chords under the melody! STOP READING MY MIND, SEAN! xDDD

[@seandaniel23]

It's difficult not to!

[@Ly2744]

You've nailed it for me. I've been reading theory for a while and this really has helped me understand more.Thanks!

[@seandaniel23]

So great to hear!

[@wodeyaeric5351]

This is a breakthrough for my musical appreciation. This takes me away from imagining a song composition in terms of I IV V chord progression . It brings out the real factory of Chording.

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@adonaimorales3560]

I’ve been waiting for someone to make this video without knowing how to ask the question. Thank you

[@Andrew-vj7gw]

Small step for Man (Sean), huge leap for Mankind (Us)!! You also seem to be reading my mind as just today I started working on "Over the Rainbow" and was feeling bored relying on written scores and wanted to do something creative with the song. Even though I've learned a lot of music theory over the past year, fact is I really didn't know how to start doing that. Thanks for opening that door for me and putting song writing tools in my grasp!! While this is essentially the flip side of your (and Ian's) writing songs in Em lesson, this is even more powerful as it's all put to work on one instrument.

[@seandaniel23]

Your welcome :) It means a lot.

[@atticusstark5197]

Dude, fantastic video and explanation. exactly what I needed. I feel like as a musician I'm advancing to the point where I can create, but this was a hurdle that I was super inconsistent with. I appreciate the effort you put in here, thank you 🙏

[@moniquewrites9046]

You have a gift. Give God glory for it. He has blessed you.

[@seandaniel23]

+Felicia Ingram Thanks so much Felicia!

[@tiffanyericawilliams]

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I needed in my life! Your videos are amazing!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help Tiffany!

[@michaelsmith-obrien3850]

As a beginner, I keep coming back to your lessons which give life to the challenges of the eternity of the applied music adventure! thanks!

[@Metahuman-tk4ub]

Damn good. Definitely got mojo. Can't say how many times my bestie roommate comes up with a sung melody and I have no clue how to really turn out a progression that fits it so we have a song in the end. This is a solid push in that direction. I hope you are able to do this full time, like KZbin and maybe giving IRL lessons/instruction that let you quit your day job. Of course, teaching is great, but you probably have all sorts of musical aspirations as well: That is where balance comes into play: Between being such a top notch instructor and guide and following your own creative vision - a balance you have hopefully discovered. No doubt you already have a clamoring bunch of guitar welps like myself looking for more and more tutorials like this. Keep em coming 😁

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much man! And yeah I'm definitely doing it full-time so I appreciate the support! Glad to hear it's helping you rock out with your friend!

[@shawncotton1052]

Thanks for this! This put a couple pieces of the puzzle in for me! It was cool watching you make different decisions and explain the thought process. Thanks again!

[@seandaniel23]

Always happy to help.

[@alexadi1]

Brilliant Lesson! You make everything in music theory so wonderfully clear.Thanks

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for saying so!

[@dibyajotibanik9804]

best video ever ... i dont comment usually but this was really great... learnt a lot .. I must appreciate you... The best thing about this channel is that you are not only a great guitar player you are also a great teacher. I like how you explain everything not just "baby" the viewers. The end your strumming/down stroke on chords note string and picking the chords according to that was key information. I assume if the strumming ends on up stroke then the chords original note should end towards the top. I also find if original not is placed (if possible) on both the top and bottom string it sounds great. I want to learn more about the emphasis trick with dissonant A you used.I am going to watch all your videos now!! Thank you This helped so much more than any other video I saw.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for reaching out and saying so!

[@dannahbanana11235]

I watched this video for a minute and a half and realized what you were going to explain in the video! I'm proud of myself haha. Thank you for all of your videos, I watch videos by many different people, but I think yours are the most useful to me.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much Dannah! I'll keep em coming!

[@charlietwigg5139]

Your offer immediate insights of constructing chords to complement a melody....I was clueless how to proceed until I watched your video. Thanks.

[@nihalnayak5483]

One of the best lessons I have come across on KZbin!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much!

[@nasreennazir3495]

This was an excellent lesson, really well explained!

[@finestthoughts1485]

That was honestly a good lesson, thank you very much!

[@seandaniel23]

+Finest Thoughts Thanks so much for reaching out and saying so!

[@daMyahStar]

one of those essential lessons... ill be back time and time again

[@sanntint8802]

Thank you very much and I think I would be able to play this lovely song beautifully thanks to you !

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help! Keep on rocking that guitar!

[@Buddhabellie]

I just wanna say I really appreciate you and your work...you just get out there and go...love it

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks Lauren!

[@IWario1]

This is mind blowing stuff 🤯, thanxx so much for sharing this

[@franzxaver6671]

thanks for this video! that made songwriting and improvisation a whole lot easier!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help :)

[@silversurfer4195]

I guess I am still in the "daunting" stage. Lots of work to do but now - thanks to Sean - with concrete goals: identifying the triads for all chords and tryingto learn them. Quite a long way to go... :-D

[@seandaniel23]

You'll get there before you know it!

[@user-zi3ej1gm2j]

It’s been three years since the video came out and even to this day this video has always been soooooo easy to understand.

[@derekjohnston1183]

All of this excellent lesson from Sean can also work with playing this song or any other song fingerstyle. Arpegiating notes as infills between the mellody. You can use your ear, especially if your theory knowledge isn't complete.

[@waleedqazii4543]

I cant tell how much iam thankful to you for this. I knew this deep inside but was never sure😂. Thank you so much Sean for turning my uncertainity to surety. Definitely you are the best teacher on youtube.

[@godfreytan1001]

Very enlightening and explained in a matter of fact fashion. Clear and simple. Thank you.

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@_hoshikuzu_]

I just want to say thanks for this video, I don't know if you had this planned for a long time but I did request this not too long ago and it was really nice to see this pop up in my notification feed!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help Alec!

[@accessory2008]

Very helpful Thanks. I learned music theory by learning piano and write some songs, but not sure how to do it on guitar. This is what I really need.

[@kartik8704]

This has been such a roadblock for me and for such a long time! Loved this lesson!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@chandraiyer1710]

This is probably the most important thing I’ve learned this year

[@gauradas108]

Excellent lesson. Thank you very much Sean. I really want to learn how to build jazz chords around a melody. I only know how to play by ear. I don't have theory. I guess there are no short cuts

[@seandaniel23]

Just start being thoughtful about it and it'll come very quickly!

[@slash1988ify]

Anyone else see Ryan Renolds?? hahah awesome lesson Sean! Thank you very much

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@par4ezTroy]

You know, the first thing I thought when I came across your KZbin channel instructions was, "This is one rough a$$ OG MoFo!" Seriously, your presentations are so understandable and applicable. Keep 'em coming. Oh, and with this lesson you've earned the tear-drop tattoo! 'Cause you slayed it!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much :) I'm flattered

[@acousticknights9654]

Awesome video. This is a great breakdown of how to not only get chords into a melody but how to experiment with adding different rises and falls of emotion and really give a song depth. It's something that could immediately transition into taking your own music a step further. I'm definitely going to watch this video again and give you a shout out to a couple of friends.

[@paulharris6899]

Thanks a lot Sean, great lesson. When there is so much to remember this just helps so much. Glad you're staying safe!

[@suzannebracker4049]

Thanks for your generosity in sharing your expertise. Learned a lot from this video and others.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for saying so!

[@slowdanser]

JUST so good and sooo exciting..........do this whole lesson again with another tune, maybe in minor. Great Lesson!!!!!!!! TKU

[@marioalvarez4256]

The best lesson ever god blessed you man

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much Mario!

[@doncharters1018]

I am impressed and i am looking forward to considering and perhaps trying out your suggestions when i have more time.

[@lorenzowynberg]

Thanks Sean, as usual great lesson. Loved the whole going out and quickly coming back in, especially the F - Fm -C part :)

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for the support!

[@carmelinstitutions7925]

hey Sean, thank you for helping me to learn this...I had been trying to learn this from 1 month...but this explanation and practical teaching helped me to clarify all the doubts...thank you...

[@seandaniel23]

+CARMEL INSTITUTIONS So great to hear it! I'll keep the vids coming!

[@carmelinstitutions7925]

Sean Daniel thank you

[@johnc.8298]

Taylor is the best Mexican guitar I've ever played. My buddy just missed getting an American one. He bought his the year after they started making them in Mexico. He likes it quite well.

[@seanmchugh8442]

Even after decades of playing, chords over melodies has been a mystery for me. That is so even though, for nearly as long, I have worked out chords by ear. I couldn't understand what it actually was that made one chord sound right and others sound wrong. This video has finally confirmed something that I only very late began to suspect. There are no absolute right chords. If you only have the melody to go by, there are non-fits, good fits, better fits and fits to taste. But there's a catch and that is what confused me. Often we have more than the melody. With some popular hit songs of which we listened to on the radio and bought records, we, at some level, carry the sound of their particular chords around in our heads. If we want their sound, we want their chord. A jazz player doing that hit song would probably want substitutions to get a different and more dissonant sound. But for example, if we wanted to play the Beatles ''Hard Days Night" and include the opening, we would want to try to duplicate its opening chord as closely as possible. Otherwise the opening wouldn't be recognisable. Anyone who doesn't know about that famous chord , you can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/najJeWylds6DfpI Surprisingly, performing it with just one guitar, the favoured and credible substitution is G7sus4. The point is, though we might want to duplicate the original chords in playing a song, the band who wrote the song could have hypothetically selected quite different chords to play over its melody. So if we are working out a favourite song that was done by a familiar band, we might try chords which we frustratingly determine to be wrong, that might be musically OK, just not the chords they chose. That right/wrong is something that bugged me for a long time. Perhaps it has bugged others. Anyway, Sean, thank you very much. I believe it's the most lucid treatment of this subject that I have seen.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much!! I appreciate it!

[@phiddler1]

wow this is a good lesson i finally understand building chords from this scale position thanks again for the freebee

[@inescapablestud]

I wouldn't mess with Sean if he came at me in the alley

[@seandaniel23]

Smart man!

[@Millez]

Very sharp minor

[@MyStarPeopleExperiences]

Change of philosophy: Anyone coming at you in ally makes the biggest mistake of their life.

[@Omar-yi2mv]

@@Millez underrated comment big brain

[@irvwayshort9566]

Having never played a "nice" guitar before I got to play this exact guitar at the store today. Loved it. Flat out fell for the Koa wood model though.

[@jeanvieve5290]

This lesson helped me a lot. It’s going to be easier to compose music after learning this, thank you very much!

[@niptodstan]

Well explained. I’m 59 and have played rock since I was 11! But I’ve never done theory. I was gigging at 14 and it was all by ear. Even though I know what I’m playing, I’ve never looked at it like you explained. I just hear it and play it. When it comes to lead playing, the biggest mistakes and let down Is poor vibrato and bad bends. I’d love to teach or even mentor a young band.

[@seandaniel23]

Great comment. Keep on sharing that wisdom my man!

[@lukeli8750]

You explained what I've been looking for all the time and nobody else could articulate it. Great lesson.

[@rwen]

I play the piano and your lessons helped me a lot, thanks man

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@doggzwg7939]

Really good structure he speaks where I am coming from after 18 months I have just managed to Learn All the C's and now things are coming together

[@seandaniel23]

So cool to hear man! Happy to help!

[@downhill240]

Great lesson Sean. I put it on my Google+page, entered it in my music theory playlist and "Liked" it too!

[@seandaniel23]

Thank you! That means a lot :)

[@seolyd]

This is the lesson that I have been looking for my entire life. Thanks and I def need more of this kind. Can anyone recommend something like this?

[@seandaniel23]

+YONGDUK SUH Happy to help! Feel free to check out more of my vids!

[@georgerichardson7728]

What a great constructive lesson for any guitarist, thank you Sean.

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@georgerichardson7728]

@@seandaniel23 You've helped me tons man, all the best , from Scotland

[@JM-do2zt]

I'm lucky i found your channel. Better later than never. Thanks.

[@lgp4960]

THANK YOU Sean! Watched this 4 times now and would like to see a few more examples. Keep up the excellent topics.

[@seandaniel23]

No problem, I will!

[@vaner9283]

Best lesson I've seen in a long time!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much!

[@thethinker-nn1fu]

Hi Sean! Just to note ´bout the fact that behind everything we do, lies a lot of "little traces" that depict our personalities. I just want to higlight "the power of concentration"; that´s what makes the difference. Art lovers share that CHARACTER-istic. Greetings! thanks a lot, please keep on.

[@juanjrivero]

This is a a great lesson on a something with which I've been struggling for a long time. I'm wondering, though, whether the process is the same if you don't need to carry the melody on top of the chord, because, say, a vocalist or another instrument is doing it. Let us say your melody note is the C. Do you still look for triads with the C on top? Is it better to look instead for triads with the C elsewhere? Or do you look for triads that only imply the C without including it? I imagine that those are all viable possibilities. But I'm wondering what typically changes in the process when the guitar is operating primarily as accompaniment.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

Sean is the most laid back and least pretentious guitar teacher on KZbin. I cant figure if I wanna have a jam with him or have a beer with him.

[@anukuldas7816]

U r great Sean coz becoz of u I hv understood some unknown concepts....

[@seandaniel23]

+Anukul Das So awesome to hear! Thanks for reaching out!

[@anukuldas7816]

Sean Daniel......Thanks 4 replying 2 my comments......the theoretical knowledge that u give is just awesome

[@Flippy042]

When someone says the word "thug" I immediately think of Sean Daniel.

[@seandaniel23]

All about that life.

[@jamesadcock5235]

I remember when I first started playing guitar reading a slash interview where he said writing sweet child happened really quickly. "We just needed izzy to work out the chords for the solo and the song was done" he said. I remember thinking how do u work out the chords for the solo. I thought u had to be a genius or something haha

[@seandaniel23]

I remember when it was all a complete mystery too! I never thought I'd understand :)

[@josephsnakespear2724]

When I first started watching I was bad but since I found your channel Im not as bad anymore 😂🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🎵🎶🎵💯

[@Dantotherivertosilenceme]

Amazing video. Should be everyones go to video for music theory

[@seandaniel23]

+Dan O thanks so much Dan!

[@luciustitius]

That's a small vid for Mr. Daniel but a giant leap for me (hopefully soon not so anymore) crappy guitarist. Thank you!

[@seandaniel23]

So awesome to hear Klaus!

[@peterlyon185]

Your videos are very very helpful. Thanks buddy :)

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for watching!