Do you know this chord!?

[papersoul]

Hi guys! I am learning a song a friend wrote for our band and it is in drop D which really throws me off! I can't find myself around the board in drop D for some reason, throws me out of wack. Anyway, this chord is unrelated to drop D but he uses it. Open A, fret F at the 4th string 3rd fret and the Bb at the 3rd string 3rd fret. Anyone know what this is? It goes from a Bb to this chord.

I am also trying to find the key. The chords are the one above, Bb, Eb, F, G, and Ab. Odd, huh.

Can anyone help with that chord and the key? I need to write a lead for this but am struggling with the key unless it changes keys.

Thanks!

I think the key is Eb?

 

[fish78]

Maybe its a "secret chord, that David played...."

 

[Clifford-D]

How about Bbmaj7/D as a choice

 

[Dewey Decibel]

I think he's saying the low D isn't being played. I'd think of it as either an inversion of Bbmaj7 or Bbmaj7/F. Maybe even Fsus in terms of it's function, but of course hearing it in context might change that.

 

[Sunil]

e-----x
b-----x
g-----3 Bb
d-----3 F
A-----0 A
D-----0

not sure if the open D is played or not D F A is a Dm so and Bb is the 6th so Dm6

Actually, a Dm6 chord is D-F-A-B, not Bb. The "6" in a m6 chord refers to a note that's a major 6th above the root in a minor triad, not the interval of a minor 6th. If there is a D in the chord, you could either call it Dm addb6, or Bbmaj7/D as Cliff mentioned. If there is no D, then it's a bit murky, and assigning a name to it would have more to do with where the chord is coming from and/or going to. I'd probably notate it as Bbmaj7 no 3rd (Bb, no D, F, A). No straightforward answer for this one.

-- Sunil

 

[JonR]

IMO, "Bb/A" is the best name for it. The "maj7" is not needed, and might imply the inclusion of a higher A.
Of course (without a D), there's no 3rd...

The other chords - Bb, Eb, F, G, and Ab - suggests a mix of F major and F minor, but if the low D is used a lot, that makes it more of a D minor/D phrygian (even locrian) vibe. (The chord in question would also suggest a D minor key centre.)

A lot depends on (1) what the keynote FEELS like - what chord does the song end on? and (2) how long each of the above chords lasts: what are the primary chords? Can you post the sequence (with the beats per chord)?

Obviously you can put the chord roots together and get a scale: Eb F G Ab Bb = part of the Eb or Ab major scales (or C or F minor).
Add the 5ths (Bb, C, D, Eb, F) it comes out as Eb major/C minor. (This is assuming the chords are all power chords...)
That doesn't imply a key centre, but it does suggest a scale that might work on all the chords.
Over a D key centre, that makes it (on the face of it) D locrian mode. A little unlikely, IMO, but possible.

...oops, that's ignoring the A root in the previously mentioned A and Bb/A chords... That points even more strongly to a D phrygian key centre, with the Ab as (presumably) a passing chord, or derived from a blues b5. Or maybe there's a key change in the middle of the song...

 

[trazan]

Yeah, Bb/A. The chord coming after this one is either a Bb or a G something? Just from the collection of chords, I'd guess the key is Bb, but it's impossible to say without the chord sequences, maybe even melody.

 

[Austinrocks]

Actually, a Dm6 chord is D-F-A-B, not Bb. The "6" in a m6 chord refers to a note that's a major 6th above the root in a minor triad, not the interval of a minor 6th. If there is a D in the chord, you could either call it Dm addb6, or Bbmaj7/D as Cliff mentioned. If there is no D, then it's a bit murky, and assigning a name to it would have more to do with where the chord is coming from and/or going to. I'd probably notate it as Bbmaj7 no 3rd (Bb, no D, F, A). No straightforward answer for this one.

-- Sunil

your exactly right

 

[trazan]

As a Bb chord it lacks the 3rd, preffer to look it as an F chord, F add 4 / A another name you might see for it is F add 11 / A both are used its the first inversion which means the 3rd is used in the bass, there is a second inversion where the 5th is in the bass, and more if the 7th ect.

The thing is, the A is just a "movement", coming from Bb, and drop D people hardly ever use 3rds anyway :RoCkIn

 

[papersoul]

Thanks guys! With all your genorous help, I am slowly getting a better grip on theory, soloing, etc. I am not a huge fan of drop D because it messes with my knowledge of the fretboard. Based on the chords, I thought this would be Eb. I was thinking of those chords as a scale and took those notes of the scale as Eb. However, I see what you all mean, it depends on the note order! I think I am slowly getting this.

Yes, so this is the original chord in question.

e-----x
b-----x
g-----3 Bb
d-----3 F
A-----0 A
D-----x

One chord I forgot(D,A,D) played the bottom three strings together. Do you know this chord? Is this a D chord?

Thinking to myself, this is the main progression. Bb - Bb/A - Eb, Eb (D,A,D) - Eb - F, F - G - Ab.
Then this is before the lead Ab - G -Ab - G - Ab - G.

There is a single note melody over the first progression and I think it is based on a D scale. Something like this F G C D Eb, F G C D Eb F G Eb G Eb F. Again this order is not exact for sure and it is hard to relate the melody.

Sorry I can't notate the rhyhtm or cadence of it all.

 

[trazan]

e-----x
b-----x
g-----3 Bb
d-----3 F
A-----0 A
D-----0

So the the D is played after all? If so, the chord would rather be Bbmaj7/D or Dmin(b6). The key, from what I can hear and see, is Bb.

 

[papersoul]

So the the D is played after all? If so, the chord would rather be Bbmaj7/D or Dmin(b6). The key, from what I can hear and see, is Bb.

Nope, sorry, just changed it above.

 

[Swain]

I knew a Chord much like this one, once. But, that was a long time ago. And I'm still not ready to talk about it.
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