FREE Easy R&B Chord Tutorials – Part 1

Have you ever wanted to play R&B or Neo Soul Chords but never understood the theory. You will be glad to know there are simple ways or formula to explain R&B type chord progressions.

Stay tuned for the FREE R&B Chord Tutorial updates.

Borrowing Chords

You may or may not know the seven chords in a given scale. They are listed below using the C major scale as an example

1. Major – Cmaj
2. Minor – Dmin
3. Minor – Emin
4. Major -Fmaj
5. Dominant (or Seventh) – G7
6. Minor – Amin
7. Diminished – Bdim

Now you can play any combination of the above correct and they will sound correct. However it may be hard to get something to really stand out or have an R&B vibe.

The most simple thing you can do to get a R&B sound is play a chord progression and change one chord from minor to or vice versa. This is call “borrowing chords”. The chord being outside the scale is what gives it the emotion and tension. Try the below

The C minor has notes out side of the scale (D# and A#) which gives it a different mood.

Experiment with other combinations. Try changing Emin or Emin7th to Emaj7th and play the following

Dmin, Emaj, Fmaj or Dmin7, Emaj7, Fmaj7 for more depth.

FREE Easy R&B Chord Tutorials – Part 2