What chord progressions make a song feel certain emotions?

[helenjon]

already know that chords and chord progressions can make a song have an emotion. I don't want entire progressions but what chords should I use for happy feelings, sad feelings, funny, angry, scared and calm but progressive feelings

[cosmic gumbo]

Major-happy
Minor- sad

[milesfandavid]

As Frank Zappa once said:

“If it’s an augmented chord, it’s a mysterious climate. If it’s a diminished chord, its a little tenser. If it’s minor, it’s serious. If it’s major, it’s happy, If it's major 7th, you’re falling in love. If it’s augmented 11th, it’s bebop."

[Jazzaluk]

Nice Zappa quote. It all works for me!

[danmessore]

i feel that it is a balance of many factors that creates the emotion in music. there is no equation just that which is and that which is yet to be.

[gingerjazz]

Helenjon, i think you should listen to some music that that makes you feel a certain way and then analyse the progression, try listening to ed bickert playing send in the clowns, i cant do it without it bringing a tear to my eyes.Someone pass me the tissues, im off again.

[Jazzaluk]

Originally Posted by gingerjazz

Helenjon, i think you should listen to some music that that makes you feel a certain way and then analyse the progression, try listening to ed bickert playing send in the clowns, i cant do it without it bringing a tear to my eyes.Someone pass me the tissues, im off again.

Ed Bickert really knows how sounds work together. He is a great interpreter and "Send in the Clowns" is such a well composed tune. Can you tell me which album it's from? I thought I had most of the Bickert stuff but I can't find that tune.

[gingerjazz]

Im so sorry i dont know why i put ed bickert i meant ted green .IT Is the middle of the night over here though and my brain is not working so fast.By the way its of his album solo guitar by TED GREEN(Get it right ginger.)

[Jazzaluk]

Originally Posted by gingerjazz

Im so sorry i dont know why i put ed bickert i meant ted green .IT Is the middle of the night over here though and my brain is not working so fast.By the way its of his album solo guitar by TED GREEN(Get it right ginger.)

I thought you might have meant Ted. That is an amazing version. But, darn...I was hoping there was a Bickert take.

[docbop]

Originally Posted by gingerjazz

Im so sorry i dont know why i put ed bickert i meant ted green .IT Is the middle of the night over here though and my brain is not working so fast.By the way its of his album solo guitar by TED GREEN(Get it right ginger.)

and it Ted Greene, 'E' on end of his name. He was a phenomenal player and teacher.

[jefchan]

Send in the Clowns/progression: Eb Ebsus Eb Ebmaj9. How might I address the major to suspended 4th, to maj9 for improvisation/scale practice? i.e. Is there a note/degree within each chord that I can focus on?

[jster]

One problem with the Zappa quote is that bebop isn't an emotion, at least not in the first instance.

Not sure if the question is about chords or progressions. I guess chords, but the title threw me.

[Gerard45]

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Major-happy
Minor- sad

And the first three chords of "Samba Triste" sounds very sad:

2x121x (F#dim)
1x010x (Fdim)
00220x (Am9)

[Astronomer]

Originally Posted by jster

One problem with the Zappa quote is that bebop isn't an emotion, at least not in the first instance.

It's Zappa humor

[uncletele]

Here's interesting spin on this that I remember from college music class. Lots of composers have this condition where they see music and emotion in terms of colors, called synesthesia. The Duke had this, so did Franz Liszt, Billy Joel and many others.

Synesthesia, or synaesthesia,[1] is a condition where the brain mixes up the senses.[2] People who have synesthesia are called synesthetes.
Some musicians and composers have a form of synesthesia that allows them to "see" music as colors or shapes. This is called chromethesia.[2] Mozart is said to have had this form of synesthesia. He said that the key of D major had a warm "orangey" sound to it, while B-flat minor was blackish. A major was a rainbow of colors to him. This may explain why he wrote some of his music using different colors for different music notes, and why much of his music is in major keys.

[dmt]

Originally Posted by jster

One problem with the Zappa quote is that bebop isn't an emotion, at least not in the first instance..

He's being funny, saying that things can get a bit ridiculous.

[TruthHertz]

Originally Posted by Jazzaluk

I thought you might have meant Ted. That is an amazing version. But, darn...I was hoping there was a Bickert take.

There WAS a Harry Leahey version, so beautiful. Harry studied with Johnny Smith and is a master of the chord solo.

YouTube Video

David

[Pat Clare]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

There WAS a Harry Leahy version, so beautiful. Harry studied with Johnny Smith and is a master of the chord solo.
David

+1 for the Harry Leahey version, I was listening to it the other day, a real masterfull version.

[JonnyPac]

Chords in isolation have interesting colors (emotions), but it really gets happening when there are changes...

A simple I chord is "happy" (if we must use the term)

A simple iii chord is "sad"

Together the progression I iii is "bittersweet" and very evocative. Play G and Bm back and forth and hear it rise and fall.

There are nearly countless progression combinations, but I feel like having control over all of the common ones in a given genre is "a must". We get way too hung up on ii V's in jazz, IMHO- There are many other functional and nonfunctional changes worthy of deep practice.