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Jul 17, 2024
Jul 17, 2024
Jul 17, 2024
[Songwriting Ideas] Songs that only use one chord
[Songwriting Ideas] Songs that only use one chord
[Songwriting Ideas] Songs that only use one chord
A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas.
A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas.
A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas.
Nathan Mai
Nathan Mai
Nathan Mai
Product Manager
Product Manager
Product Manager
production tips
production tips
production tips
3 Min Read
3 Min Read
3 Min Read
Songs that only use one chord
If you want to start making music but find chord progressions challenging, try creating a song using just one chord. A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas. Many hip-hop songs are based on a simple two-bar loop, focusing on one chord. The emphasis in rap songs is typically not on harmony but on lyricism and rhythm.
Perhaps the most popular recent example of a "one chord song" is Kendrick Lamar's "Humble." The use of a minimalist, repetitive piano riff helps underscore Lamar's lyricism and rhythmic intensity.
ian - Magic Johnson
The recent underground-turned-Tiktok-rapper ian’s viral hit “Magic Johnson” leverages a catchy, trap-inspired synth loop and is also built around a single chord, proving that simplicity can carry a song.
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
A staple of 1990s alternative rock, “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys is characterized by its aggressive guitar riffs and frenetic vocals, all while maintaining one chord throughout the whole song.
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" stands as a groundbreaking piece in the history of popular music, marking a significant departure from traditional song structures and embracing avant-garde experimentation, influenced by the sounds of Raga (Indian classical music) and The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
"Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley and the Wailers holds profound cultural and social significance as an anthem of resilience and protest against oppression, emphasizing a message of unity that is reinforced through the repetitive chord structure.”
If you’re having trouble with chord progressions, please check out eapy to generate MIDI samples using our multitude of chord progressions, tailored to your moods.
Songs that only use one chord
If you want to start making music but find chord progressions challenging, try creating a song using just one chord. A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas. Many hip-hop songs are based on a simple two-bar loop, focusing on one chord. The emphasis in rap songs is typically not on harmony but on lyricism and rhythm.
Perhaps the most popular recent example of a "one chord song" is Kendrick Lamar's "Humble." The use of a minimalist, repetitive piano riff helps underscore Lamar's lyricism and rhythmic intensity.
ian - Magic Johnson
The recent underground-turned-Tiktok-rapper ian’s viral hit “Magic Johnson” leverages a catchy, trap-inspired synth loop and is also built around a single chord, proving that simplicity can carry a song.
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
A staple of 1990s alternative rock, “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys is characterized by its aggressive guitar riffs and frenetic vocals, all while maintaining one chord throughout the whole song.
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" stands as a groundbreaking piece in the history of popular music, marking a significant departure from traditional song structures and embracing avant-garde experimentation, influenced by the sounds of Raga (Indian classical music) and The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
"Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley and the Wailers holds profound cultural and social significance as an anthem of resilience and protest against oppression, emphasizing a message of unity that is reinforced through the repetitive chord structure.”
If you’re having trouble with chord progressions, please check out eapy to generate MIDI samples using our multitude of chord progressions, tailored to your moods.
Songs that only use one chord
If you want to start making music but find chord progressions challenging, try creating a song using just one chord. A single chord can be the foundation of your songwriting ideas. Many hip-hop songs are based on a simple two-bar loop, focusing on one chord. The emphasis in rap songs is typically not on harmony but on lyricism and rhythm.
Perhaps the most popular recent example of a "one chord song" is Kendrick Lamar's "Humble." The use of a minimalist, repetitive piano riff helps underscore Lamar's lyricism and rhythmic intensity.
ian - Magic Johnson
The recent underground-turned-Tiktok-rapper ian’s viral hit “Magic Johnson” leverages a catchy, trap-inspired synth loop and is also built around a single chord, proving that simplicity can carry a song.
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
A staple of 1990s alternative rock, “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys is characterized by its aggressive guitar riffs and frenetic vocals, all while maintaining one chord throughout the whole song.
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" stands as a groundbreaking piece in the history of popular music, marking a significant departure from traditional song structures and embracing avant-garde experimentation, influenced by the sounds of Raga (Indian classical music) and The Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
"Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley and the Wailers holds profound cultural and social significance as an anthem of resilience and protest against oppression, emphasizing a message of unity that is reinforced through the repetitive chord structure.”
If you’re having trouble with chord progressions, please check out eapy to generate MIDI samples using our multitude of chord progressions, tailored to your moods.
