Can someone explain the theory behind the changes in Superstition by Stevie Wonder?
I'm learning Stevie Wonder's Superstition on guitar (an awesome song) and I'm really curious about the theory behind the changes in the chorus. The intro and verse are just a riff in E minor pentatonic. From the chord charts I've seen that's sometimes shown as over E7#9 and other times over Em7. Then the chorus is ...
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
B7 C7#11 B7 Bb7#11 A7 B7#9
... before returning to the next verse riff on E7#9.
Can someone help me to understand that chord sequence in the chorus from a music theory point of view?
Thanks.
theory composition
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
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Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I'm learning Stevie Wonder's Superstition on guitar (an awesome song) and I'm really curious about the theory behind the changes in the chorus. The intro and verse are just a riff in E minor pentatonic. From the chord charts I've seen that's sometimes shown as over E7#9 and other times over Em7. Then the chorus is ...
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
B7 C7#11 B7 Bb7#11 A7 B7#9
... before returning to the next verse riff on E7#9.
Can someone help me to understand that chord sequence in the chorus from a music theory point of view?
Thanks.
theory composition
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
2
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm learning Stevie Wonder's Superstition on guitar (an awesome song) and I'm really curious about the theory behind the changes in the chorus. The intro and verse are just a riff in E minor pentatonic. From the chord charts I've seen that's sometimes shown as over E7#9 and other times over Em7. Then the chorus is ...
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
B7 C7#11 B7 Bb7#11 A7 B7#9
... before returning to the next verse riff on E7#9.
Can someone help me to understand that chord sequence in the chorus from a music theory point of view?
Thanks.
theory composition
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm learning Stevie Wonder's Superstition on guitar (an awesome song) and I'm really curious about the theory behind the changes in the chorus. The intro and verse are just a riff in E minor pentatonic. From the chord charts I've seen that's sometimes shown as over E7#9 and other times over Em7. Then the chorus is ...
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
B7 C7#11 B7 Bb7#11 A7 B7#9
... before returning to the next verse riff on E7#9.
Can someone help me to understand that chord sequence in the chorus from a music theory point of view?
Thanks.
theory composition
theory composition
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
asked 5 hours ago
Alan DaviesAlan Davies
311
311
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Alan Davies is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
2
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
2
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago
Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
2
2
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
Very basically, it's a huge perfect cadence. A page of the tonic (Ebm), a move to the dominant (Bb7), then back home to the tonic.
In more detail, the Bb7 section is decorated by sliding up and down - a musical term could be 'planing' - up a semitone to Cb7, back to Bb7, down a semitone to A7, down again to Ab7, back to Bb7.
(The actual chords are a bit more funky than those basic descriptions. But same idea.)
Apart from the overall Tonic - Dominant - Tonic plan, we're not looking for functional harmony here. Yes, Cb7 COULD be a 'b5 substitution for the dominant-of-the-dominant', but it really isn't. It's just the next chord up. The sort of thing your fingers slip easily into on a keyboard or fretboard. Don't over-think it! Not every chord progression has to be functional.
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
add a comment |
V - VI - V is a very common change chord variation of the dominant in minor (in major the bVI would be a an enharmonic reinterpretation of the augmented IV56 - so called “mozart fifths”
V - bV - IV (resp. (V - #IV - IV) is a popular passage of measure 9 to 10 in the 12 bar blues pattern
finally:
IV - V the last sequence is part of the well known cadence
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
add a comment |
The C7♯11 is really just a re-spelled augmented-sixth chord that moves right into V7. If we think of C B♭ as C A♯, we see how easily these two pitches push towards the root of the B7.
And depending on how it's voiced, the B♭7♯11 is really an altered dominant of the succeeding A7. E7, the standard dominant of A, is E G♯ B D. The B♭7♯11 is really a tritone substitution of this E7, since the B♭7♯11 has E (that's the ♯11), G♯ (but spelled as A♭, which is the 7), and D.
As such, this progression is really just:
- V7
- Extended augmented sixth
- V7
- Altered V7 of IV
- IV7
- V7♯9
- I
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
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votes
Very basically, it's a huge perfect cadence. A page of the tonic (Ebm), a move to the dominant (Bb7), then back home to the tonic.
In more detail, the Bb7 section is decorated by sliding up and down - a musical term could be 'planing' - up a semitone to Cb7, back to Bb7, down a semitone to A7, down again to Ab7, back to Bb7.
(The actual chords are a bit more funky than those basic descriptions. But same idea.)
Apart from the overall Tonic - Dominant - Tonic plan, we're not looking for functional harmony here. Yes, Cb7 COULD be a 'b5 substitution for the dominant-of-the-dominant', but it really isn't. It's just the next chord up. The sort of thing your fingers slip easily into on a keyboard or fretboard. Don't over-think it! Not every chord progression has to be functional.
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
add a comment |
Very basically, it's a huge perfect cadence. A page of the tonic (Ebm), a move to the dominant (Bb7), then back home to the tonic.
In more detail, the Bb7 section is decorated by sliding up and down - a musical term could be 'planing' - up a semitone to Cb7, back to Bb7, down a semitone to A7, down again to Ab7, back to Bb7.
(The actual chords are a bit more funky than those basic descriptions. But same idea.)
Apart from the overall Tonic - Dominant - Tonic plan, we're not looking for functional harmony here. Yes, Cb7 COULD be a 'b5 substitution for the dominant-of-the-dominant', but it really isn't. It's just the next chord up. The sort of thing your fingers slip easily into on a keyboard or fretboard. Don't over-think it! Not every chord progression has to be functional.
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
add a comment |
Very basically, it's a huge perfect cadence. A page of the tonic (Ebm), a move to the dominant (Bb7), then back home to the tonic.
In more detail, the Bb7 section is decorated by sliding up and down - a musical term could be 'planing' - up a semitone to Cb7, back to Bb7, down a semitone to A7, down again to Ab7, back to Bb7.
(The actual chords are a bit more funky than those basic descriptions. But same idea.)
Apart from the overall Tonic - Dominant - Tonic plan, we're not looking for functional harmony here. Yes, Cb7 COULD be a 'b5 substitution for the dominant-of-the-dominant', but it really isn't. It's just the next chord up. The sort of thing your fingers slip easily into on a keyboard or fretboard. Don't over-think it! Not every chord progression has to be functional.
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
Very basically, it's a huge perfect cadence. A page of the tonic (Ebm), a move to the dominant (Bb7), then back home to the tonic.
In more detail, the Bb7 section is decorated by sliding up and down - a musical term could be 'planing' - up a semitone to Cb7, back to Bb7, down a semitone to A7, down again to Ab7, back to Bb7.
(The actual chords are a bit more funky than those basic descriptions. But same idea.)
Apart from the overall Tonic - Dominant - Tonic plan, we're not looking for functional harmony here. Yes, Cb7 COULD be a 'b5 substitution for the dominant-of-the-dominant', but it really isn't. It's just the next chord up. The sort of thing your fingers slip easily into on a keyboard or fretboard. Don't over-think it! Not every chord progression has to be functional.
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
edited 31 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
answered 1 hour ago
Laurence PayneLaurence Payne
34.3k1563
34.3k1563
add a comment |
add a comment |
V - VI - V is a very common change chord variation of the dominant in minor (in major the bVI would be a an enharmonic reinterpretation of the augmented IV56 - so called “mozart fifths”
V - bV - IV (resp. (V - #IV - IV) is a popular passage of measure 9 to 10 in the 12 bar blues pattern
finally:
IV - V the last sequence is part of the well known cadence
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
add a comment |
V - VI - V is a very common change chord variation of the dominant in minor (in major the bVI would be a an enharmonic reinterpretation of the augmented IV56 - so called “mozart fifths”
V - bV - IV (resp. (V - #IV - IV) is a popular passage of measure 9 to 10 in the 12 bar blues pattern
finally:
IV - V the last sequence is part of the well known cadence
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
add a comment |
V - VI - V is a very common change chord variation of the dominant in minor (in major the bVI would be a an enharmonic reinterpretation of the augmented IV56 - so called “mozart fifths”
V - bV - IV (resp. (V - #IV - IV) is a popular passage of measure 9 to 10 in the 12 bar blues pattern
finally:
IV - V the last sequence is part of the well known cadence
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
V - VI - V is a very common change chord variation of the dominant in minor (in major the bVI would be a an enharmonic reinterpretation of the augmented IV56 - so called “mozart fifths”
V - bV - IV (resp. (V - #IV - IV) is a popular passage of measure 9 to 10 in the 12 bar blues pattern
finally:
IV - V the last sequence is part of the well known cadence
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
edited 38 mins ago
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
answered 58 mins ago
Albrecht HügliAlbrecht Hügli
2,033219
2,033219
add a comment |
add a comment |
The C7♯11 is really just a re-spelled augmented-sixth chord that moves right into V7. If we think of C B♭ as C A♯, we see how easily these two pitches push towards the root of the B7.
And depending on how it's voiced, the B♭7♯11 is really an altered dominant of the succeeding A7. E7, the standard dominant of A, is E G♯ B D. The B♭7♯11 is really a tritone substitution of this E7, since the B♭7♯11 has E (that's the ♯11), G♯ (but spelled as A♭, which is the 7), and D.
As such, this progression is really just:
- V7
- Extended augmented sixth
- V7
- Altered V7 of IV
- IV7
- V7♯9
- I
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
add a comment |
The C7♯11 is really just a re-spelled augmented-sixth chord that moves right into V7. If we think of C B♭ as C A♯, we see how easily these two pitches push towards the root of the B7.
And depending on how it's voiced, the B♭7♯11 is really an altered dominant of the succeeding A7. E7, the standard dominant of A, is E G♯ B D. The B♭7♯11 is really a tritone substitution of this E7, since the B♭7♯11 has E (that's the ♯11), G♯ (but spelled as A♭, which is the 7), and D.
As such, this progression is really just:
- V7
- Extended augmented sixth
- V7
- Altered V7 of IV
- IV7
- V7♯9
- I
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
add a comment |
The C7♯11 is really just a re-spelled augmented-sixth chord that moves right into V7. If we think of C B♭ as C A♯, we see how easily these two pitches push towards the root of the B7.
And depending on how it's voiced, the B♭7♯11 is really an altered dominant of the succeeding A7. E7, the standard dominant of A, is E G♯ B D. The B♭7♯11 is really a tritone substitution of this E7, since the B♭7♯11 has E (that's the ♯11), G♯ (but spelled as A♭, which is the 7), and D.
As such, this progression is really just:
- V7
- Extended augmented sixth
- V7
- Altered V7 of IV
- IV7
- V7♯9
- I
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
The C7♯11 is really just a re-spelled augmented-sixth chord that moves right into V7. If we think of C B♭ as C A♯, we see how easily these two pitches push towards the root of the B7.
And depending on how it's voiced, the B♭7♯11 is really an altered dominant of the succeeding A7. E7, the standard dominant of A, is E G♯ B D. The B♭7♯11 is really a tritone substitution of this E7, since the B♭7♯11 has E (that's the ♯11), G♯ (but spelled as A♭, which is the 7), and D.
As such, this progression is really just:
- V7
- Extended augmented sixth
- V7
- Altered V7 of IV
- IV7
- V7♯9
- I
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
answered 37 mins ago
RichardRichard
40.7k689174
40.7k689174
add a comment |
add a comment |
Alan Davies is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Alan Davies is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Alan Davies is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Alan Davies is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Can't hear the chromatic Bb chord between B and A, although I've played it with it in, in a couple of bands.
– Tim
4 hours ago
2
Also bear in mind that if you want to play this with others, they may well be in the original key of Ebm - Stevie liked black keys.
– Tim
4 hours ago
@Tim - Your point about the song being in Eb is well made. I wrote the chords as if I was playing in regular tuning but I'd tune down to Eb for an actual performance.
– Alan Davies
4 hours ago