Would you play a I to iii chord change?

[dead of night]

Hi. I'm wondering if the I to iii chord change is too obvious, insipid and predictable. Would some of you play the III major chord or III7 instead?

How do you feel about strictly diatonic chord progressions that use the triads only?

[Guitar Josh]

Santana made a living out of it.

[uncle looie]

Van Morrison has probably gotten as much mileage out of I-iii-IV as anybody.

[willhutch]

depends where you want to go.

I-iii is a well-known, conventional sound.

I-III7 is a well-known, conventional sound. However, this one takes us in a more blues/gospel/jass (african) direction. It tugs the harmony into a new key center.

[gennation]

depends where you want to go.

I-iii is a well-known, conventional sound.

I-III7 is a well-known, conventional sound. However, this one takes us in a more blues/gospel/jass (african) direction. It tugs the harmony into a new key center.

Georgia on my Mind: G->B7

Sitting On the Dock of the Bay: G->B(B7)

I'm just agreeing with you.

[Aj_rocker]

i know a few pop songs which use I to III to good effect.

Aj

[dead of night]

I think a lot of these great songwriters changed the iii to the III because it sounded... a little harder, less obvious.

[dewey decibel]

Hi. I'm wondering if the I to iii chord change is too obvious, insipid and predictable. Would some of you play the III major chord or III7 instead?



Are we taking about improvising or songwriting? Either way the answer is no...

I can see why you'd think the I and iii are similar (especially if you've been reading the Tag/Benson method threads) but they're not the same thing. For one thing, don't underestimate root motion. Let's say we have this:

G | B/G | C | D |

I guess if you're painting with braod strokes you could say the first two are the same chord, but they're definitely not to me- that root movement is very important. If we're talking just triads and we have this:

G | Bmin | Amin | D |

You could have a melody that pivots on the root/major 7th-



A Cmin
1)3----------2
2)-----3-5
3)
4)
5)
6)



That could be a very effective device. It's like Jeff says- don't just judge the chords by themselves, it's what the melody and chords are doing togetehr that matters. If you're taking a Tag point of view you might think, "Well, the III is better as it creates more tension..." whch makes sense if our goal is to just shred over a tune. But if you're writting or trying to play within the tune it might be better to just work with what's there.

I think a lot of these great songwriters changed the iii to the III because it sounded... a little harder, less obvious.

Those songs that have a I - III move I don't think used it in place of a I- iii, they used it because they wanted that sound, not as a sub. I wouldn't think of a III as a sub. When you have that chord you'll see one of two options for a following chord 95% of the time:

G | B | C....

or

G | B7 | Emin

When you change the iii to III yo're adding a lot of tension, so you better resolve. That's why you'll see it followed by those two chords 95% of the time.

How do you feel about strictly diatonic chord progressions that use the triads only?

I feel great about them! When it comes to songwriting (or improvising) don't get scared off just because something seems basic or easy. Most of the best music, even the hipest music, is simple.

[Bryan T]

I think it is a very useful change, especially if you get beyond the typical barre chord voicings.

ex. G (in first inversion) to Bm
7x57xx
7x47xx

Bryan

[Clifford-D]

Georgia on my Mind, Santeria - ish

|..I..|..III7..|..VIm7.V7..|..IV etc.

A different route

|..I..|..III7..|..IV7..|..#IVdim7

Just blend I with III

Gmaj9
|-----|
|---3-|
|---2-|
|---5-|
|---2-|
|-----|

[Old Tele man]

... I to iii is also (basically) the first two chords of ONE NOTE SAMBA...think about it.

[cameron]

I think this is a very strange question.

Use any changes you want. It's your song - or your arrangement, or whatever you're doing.

There are no wrong chord changes. Sometimes "insipid" or "predictable" is exactly what sounds good in context.

[jzucker]

I agree it's a strange question. It's like saying, Would you ever play a Gb?

[Bryan T]

Would you ever play a Gb?

No!

[scottlaned]

The Band's The Weight is I iii IV. Like said earlier, aug5 to get that gospel feel on the III chord. Both are very used and classic sounds.

[cameron]

Would you ever play a Gb?

It's much more interesting to make the enharmonic null substitution and play an F#.