Question regarding progression starting with C chord

[beausejour_boy]

Hello...new forum user here....

I am attempting to play the Ferlin Husky version of Story Weather, but I am stuck trying to figure out the second chord in the intro and verse. The chord roots are C-C#-D, and I am playing a C natural chord, some fudged version of a C with a C# root and then a D minor 7th. The C with the C# root sounds terrible...sort of dissonant. Could someone please share their expertise and fill me in on what the second chord should be.

Sorry to ask a question that perhaps has been asked many times here, but I did a forum search and did not come across anything similar.

Thanks...

Doug
beausejour_boy

[bako]

I don't know Ferlin Husky but I'll venture 2 possible guesses.

C#dim C#GBbE

or

A7/C# C#GAE

Re C/C#: in the right context it's a great chord
By itself it is C#dimMa7 C#EGB#
Most commonly used as a A7#9 chord (rootless) 3 5 b7 #9
or Eb13b9 (rootless) b7 b9 3 13

Here's a I VI II V I sequence using it with darker chords all around.

Cma7+ C G# B E
A7#9 C# G B# E (C/C#)
D9/Ab Ab D F# C E
G7b5 G Db F B F
CMa6/9#11 C E A D F#

Welcome to the forum

[GuyB]

You could try :

Cmaj7 / C#dim7 / Dmin7

[mr. beaumont]

it's a C# diminished.

[beausejour_boy]

Thank you all for replying. The C#dim sounds like a million bucks. I have always played a progression similar to that using keyboards, but I never could quite figure it out on the 6 string. Now I can't stop playing the C-C#dim-Dmin7 prog...it is wonderful. Thanks again...

[mr. beaumont]

good deal.

it's pretty common to link diatonic chords via a passing diminished, but that C#dim here is also working as a sub for an A7 (VI7)--which is what bako was getting at with his examample of an A7/C# (essentially a C#dim)

so what you got there is the I, VI (yes, it's usually a vi, but you can do a dominant sub there) ii progression that will end nicely on a G7 (or some G dominant sound--i like a G7/6 there a lot...)

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I agree, it's a sub for the A7. I suggest you play different variations to get the different possibles sounds in your head.

Suppose the initial chord progression is:

CMaj7 Amin7 Dmin7 G7 (to choose basic chords)

You could play this:

Cmaj7: 8x998x
Amin7: 8x798x
Dmin7: [10]x[10][10][10]x
G7: 7x576x

The Amin7 there sound bland, eh? Subbing a dominant A7 makes the progression stronger, and you get the bass line moving: C-C#-D

A7: 9x798x

Adding the b9 (Bb) takes it up a notch:

C#dim7: 9x898x (= A7b9, rootless)

And why not add the root by playing both these chords in the progression:

A7b9: 9x89[10]x -> 9x898x