Chords for How Coldplay Writes A Melody | The Artists Series S1E6

_ [Gb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ The way the music industry is structured today, you're lucky if you write just one song that
reaches the charts.
_ But imagine what would have to happen for you to stay there for 15 years, to sell 80
million records [Bm] and to become one of the most successful bands in the world.
This doesn't [G] happen just like that.
There's clearly a concept behind all of this that's worth [Bm] analyzing.
So today, we're taking a look at Coldplay.
_ [G] Seven albums, 45 singles.
It's hard to be around this long and not somehow change, whether that's from a marketing
[Bm] standpoint or artistic [G] boredom.
Starting out as a post-Britpop band, Coldplay went through an alternative rock [Bm] phase, then
ard rock, pop rock, [G] and now pop.
_ While their early image mostly revolved around depression and [Bm] dealing with one's emotions,
their later work shifted its attention [G] outwards.
As with 21 Pilots, they started to use their angst for good.
[Bm] And so frontman Chris Martin changed this [G] from lonely outsider to philanthropist.
In interviews, [Bm] he strikes a new tone.
_ I don't want to go through the whole of my life feeling shitty about [G] myself, because
it's not making anyone happy. _
_ _ _ This shift in [Bm] image and personal creed can be seen [G] in their new videos as well.
The colors get brighter and connecting people from around the [Bm] world becomes the core philosophy
of the band.
[G] Now 10% of everything Coldplay makes goes to charity and the band is connected to Oxfam
Amnesty [Bm] International and Teenage Cancer Trials.
[G] _
_ Coldplay's focus has gone from Chris Martin's personal problems to politics and humanity.
[Bm] _ And with this focus change, [G] the music changes as well.
Brian Eno takes over as a producer and introduces the anthemic [Bm] sound we associate with Coldplay today.
_ [G] Viva La Vida adds an orchestra to the band sound.
Long reverb tails remind the listener of a message [Bm] _ reverberating around the world.
[G] The band goes from garage band to stadium rockers.
[Bm] What's easy to forget is that at the core of it is still that same single with [G] the same
predispositions towards certain melodies. _
So let's [Bm] start with what hasn't changed.
_ [B] Listening to Coldplay's singles over the past 20 [G] years, to me two things stick out right away.
Chris tends to [B] start his melodies on the [Bm] major third and he often follows it up by an [G] ascending line.
Listen to this.
I used to be lost [F] and rusting [Dm] in _ [Fm] rubble.
I [Db] used to _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _
be blue.
_ _ _ _ [B] _
Look at the _ stars, look how they shine [Gb] for you. _
_ [C] _ [G] Fixing up a car, driving it again.
[D] Searching for the water, hoping for [Gm] the rain.
[Bb] Stole a key.
[D] _
[A] How long before I get [Em] in, [A] _
in my [Abm] place, in [Dbm] my place.
[G] So what does this mean?
[Bm] The major third is a warm, happy interval, whereas [G] descending lines have the opposite effect.
They give a melody a darker sound than [Bm] stationary or ascending lines.
In an interview with the German paper Der Spiegel, [G] Chris said something that reflects
this way of writing melodies.
_ You have to [Bm] consider the tragic events going on in the world, but at the same time [G] you
have to ask yourself, where's the good?
_ It's this mix [Bm] of happy and sad that we hear a lot in Coldplay's writing and I believe
it's one of the [G] reasons why so many people can enjoy these tunes.
_ Here's another [Bm] example.
Listen carefully.
_ [F] _ _ _ _ Come up [Bb] to meet you, _ tell ya I'm [F] _ soft.
[Bm] _ Okay, let's see if you paid attention.
[G] Was what you just heard in major or minor?
Pause the video now to figure that out on your own. _ _
_ If you're like me, you probably said that the scientist is in major.
And of course, we both were wrong.
[F] Listen again.
_ _ Come up to [Bb] _ meet you, _ tell ya I'm [F] _ soft.
I'll tell you why you were wrong.
Look at the melody here.
Chris sings the [Cm] major triad of [G] the relative major key.
I call this an implied [Bm] chord, when the melody begins to outline chords of its own.
[G] If you're a jazz player, you'd probably just go ahead and call this an upper structure.
But to me, that's just not what it sounds like.
[Bm] The scientist sounds like a [G] song in major.
Now, Chris has gone on record saying that he can't read music.
But [Bm] what if it's this mix of happy and sad that [G] spoke to him when he wrote the melody
for the scientist?
From my last videos, I've gotten some comments from people saying they're sure [Bm] that artists
don't think about which [G] scale degrees they're using in their songs.
_ And I agree with that to a certain extent.
[Bm] But isn't it possible, or even likely, [G] that we make musical choices subconsciously depending
on our personality and emotions? _
In the case of Coldplay, we know that Chris wasn't aware of which scale degrees he was
singing, but still we get something that fits his character.
[Bm] _ Just like in this interview on BBC [G] where Chris was asked to come up with songs on the fly
based on intentionally boring lyrics.
Even [Bm] in their rough shapes, the personalities that spring from this [G] are very much Coldplay.
[Am] It was a _ _ gorgeous day, _ _ [Em]
everything's going my way.
[B] But then Chris eases [Bm] up and starts joking around more, and naturally, his [G] melodies begin
to revolve around the first scale degree.
Listen to this.
[B] As Chris focuses more on a [Bm] punchline, his melodies also start [G] sounding funnier, and
less like Coldplay.
[Am] _ _
My wife said, Tom, _ [Dm] _
you look so [G] scary.
In other words, whether artists are using [Bm] certain scale degrees consciously or unconsciously
doesn't [G] really matter for our discussion.
_ There's another aspect of Coldplay's more [Bm] recent image I want to talk about, and that
is colorfulness, which here symbolizes [G] diversity and acceptance. _
Their recent album [Bm] covers reflect this, as do their live shows and music videos.
And [G] again, there's a musical pendant.
Martin's melodies use the full [Bm] major scale and frequently linger on its most colorful
notes, [G] the 2, 6, and major 7.
_ This is unusual in [Bm] pop music, and plays a huge part in Coldplay's [G] sound. _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _
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_ [Cm] _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ [F] _ _
_ [Gb] _ _ _ _ _ [Ebm] _ _
_ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _
_ [Gm] _ _ _ _ [Cm] _ _ _
[Db] _ _ [B] _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ _
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_ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
_ [D] _ [Bm] One of the arguments I [G] often hear against creating an image for yourself is that it'll
only put you in a corner.
It's seen [Bm] as a creative castration of some sorts.
But [G] as you can see with Coldplay, an image doesn't have to limit you.
See it as a plan, [Bm] an idea you have of yourself. _
See where it takes you.
[G] You'll be wiser when you're writing your second album. _
_ _ If you [Bm] enjoyed this video and would like to see more like it, please like, share, and subscribe.
And also leave a comment down [G] below telling me which artist you'd like me to do next.
We have six more [Bm] episodes to go until the season finale, and the rules change, so [G] choose
wisely, my friends.
This is Guido from Fintask Programmistic Songwriting, and thanks for