Am I ripping some song off with this progression ..?

GibbyPrague · #1 07-05-2012, 01:48 PM

I had this little funky, summery progression in my head which I wanted to have a crack at trying an original track with my singer ... but I have this voice in the back of my head that it sounds vaguely familiar, and Im wondering if Im just re-hashing something subconsciously .... (not that there's anthing wrong with that of course )

Does it sound familiar to you, and if yes .... who ??

Here is short sample of couple rounds of verse, pre-chourus and chorus.... havent worked out the bridge yet but will probably throw in some flattened, darkened chords to mix it up a bit ..

cheers
GB

backing track
http://soundcloud.com/euroaussie/sum...ingie-song-wip

with vocal melody update

http://soundcloud.com/euroaussie/sum...ong-with-vocal

Bern · #2 07-05-2012, 02:48 PM

Doesn't seem that way, but there are millions of songs out there...

Put a melody to this thingy.

Hotspur · #3 07-05-2012, 05:35 PM

I hear a little piece of U2's "One" in there, but not a lot of it. Do you have some sort of i IV VI going on there?

But it doesn't matter.

Because a song is its melody and a melody is a song.

If you put an original melody on top of this, it's an original song. A change or two, or even a whole set of verse chords, don't define a song.

There are at least two dozens songs which have a I V vi IV progression. (See this for a rather comical take on that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I )

You see this will all sorts of chord progression. U2's "Desire" doesn't sound much like The Who's "Won't be Fooled Again" but they're both build round I bVII IV. So is Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love," BTO's "You Ain't see Nothing Yet" and Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" - yet none of those songs sound like they're ripping of each other.

But the flip side of "A song is its melody and a melody is a song" is that you don't really have a song until you have a melody. RIght now you just have a chord progression.

upsidedown · #4 07-05-2012, 06:05 PM

As my friend said to me once when I had the feeling I was unconsciously lifting a melody, "do you think Howlin' Wolf worried about that when he wrote Spoonful?!?"

(and yes, I know Howlin' Wolf didn't write Spoonful. that's part of what makes the story so funny!)

Neal · #5 07-05-2012, 07:48 PM

Their hasn't been an original progression since David and the harp, and most likely well before..

Yours is familiar, and gee, I wonder why? But it's still original to you. Put some words and it'll be as new to all.

GibbyPrague · #6 07-06-2012, 12:17 AM

Thanks guys, and youre absolutely right, its the melody that makes the track ... a track. The link Hotspur gave is a great, great example, funny too ..

OK, better hand it over to my singer so he can work on a melody for it ...

Bob1131 · #7 07-07-2012, 04:52 PM

Doesn't sound familiar to me, but I also agree with the others that have pointed out that it's the melody and lyrics that make the song! Go for it and I look forward to hearing what you guys come up with!

Basalt Beach · #8 07-08-2012, 08:30 AM

I would offer up this possible explanation, that it may simply sound familiar because it sounds good. And, when our ears hear something we like, we sometimes discount the originality of a piece, and assume it is similar to something else we like. Love your strum on this...thanks for sharing.

tstrahle · #9 07-08-2012, 10:11 AM

Not hearing anything in particular. Like others have stated, songs are melodies or hooks. No melody or hook there yet so you are good.

GibbyPrague · #10 07-08-2012, 01:42 PM

Just as a follow up to the 'am i ripping off somebodys song' thread, I had a bit of a go at a vocal melody.

I sent the file to my singer to have a go but I thought I would try some melody also, and came back with this sort of Dinosaur Jnr style, its just what came naturally.

The original is capoed on 2nd, but I brought it back to tone to A minor, and also slowed it down.

There are no words, just mumbling stuff, but anyway, this is a first effort for first half of the track.

Any thoughts, ideas always welcome as always ...lets build this traeck together .. :-)

http://soundcloud.com/euroaussie/sum...ong-with-vocal

GB

Basalt Beach · #11 07-09-2012, 10:20 PM

Nice style on the vocals....he sounds very much like Mark Knopfler. I believe you are on the right track!...love to hear the finished product, so keep posting....

GibbyPrague · #12 07-10-2012, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the encouragment, will be interesting what the real singer comes up with though .... !

cheers,
GB

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basalt Beach

Nice style on the vocals....he sounds very much like Mark Knopfler. I believe you are on the right track!...love to hear the finished product, so keep posting....

Ranger1964 · #13 07-13-2012, 06:36 AM

I'm a little late to the party, but the thing about melodies and chord progressions is that usually if you are playing a chord progression, the melody is in your head and the listener has no clue what you are hearing in there! I like the updated version with the melody, it sounds cool and will fit well with what your band plays. One tip I'll give you is to write for Ray's vocals. He has a great range, so it may sound embarrassing to you if you feel like you're "screeching out notes that you can't hit", but Ray will nail them. Otherwise, you'll just be writing in YOUR comfort zone. That's fine if you are writing for you, but let Ray rip on it!! Anxious to see how it progresses.

GibbyPrague · #14 07-13-2012, 03:24 PM

Im pretty interested too Roy what he will come up with. The line I did is just an idea, he has an open book how to proceed with it with both lyrics and melody. Dont have anything from him yet and Im away for vacation for a week, so hopefully after, will keep you posted !

Have to say its nice to be going through the songwriting process and working on our first ever DoubleShot track !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger1964

I'm a little late to the party, but the thing about melodies and chord progressions is that usually if you are playing a chord progression, the melody is in your head and the listener has no clue what you are hearing in there! I like the updated version with the melody, it sounds cool and will fit well with what your band plays. One tip I'll give you is to write for Ray's vocals. He has a great range, so it may sound embarrassing to you if you feel like you're "screeching out notes that you can't hit", but Ray will nail them. Otherwise, you'll just be writing in YOUR comfort zone. That's fine if you are writing for you, but let Ray rip on it!! Anxious to see how it progresses.

saxonblue · #15 07-14-2012, 02:09 AM

Following basic principles of what makes a logical progression it can only go around so many times before the same progression or riff gets revisited and there's millions of tunes out there.

I've been playing the old Allman Bros. classic "Melissa" a lot lately & then this morning on the radio I heard Paul Kelly's "How to make Gravy" (which you may well know as an expat aussie) & OMG the opening stanza's identical! In all fairness PK may well have had no idea himself. Either that or Melissa was locked that far back in his memory he was channelling those 3 chords without realising the origin.

Having said all that when I played back your tune I initially thought of Pete Murray's "So Beautiful" (but the similarity didn't last long) & when I first heard that song I thought of U2's "One" as somebody else suggested with yours so go figure I suppose. It all goes around.

As others have said the melody makes it unique so make it your own.

Cheers, Mick.