These "Smoosh" Chords Create Wonderful Feel-Good Moments

Do you ever get tired of using the same-old, same-old chords in your music?

Do you ever wish you could find some new sounds that weren't so far out in left field that they didn't sound like you at all?

I've got a couple chords for you today that I call "smoosh" chords, or "mash-up" chords.

But, more important than the exact chords themselves is the concept beneath these chords.

You can use this concept to create your own "smoosh" or "mash-up" chords as you continue to develop your songwriting / arranger's voice.

To help us, we're going to look at the opening passage of the 3rd verse in the choral version of "Behold the Wounds in Jesus' Hands."

Let's examine the 3 chords highlighted in yellow.

Firt, we have the pick-up to rehearsal E.

If you look at the bass motion, we have a 5th scale degree going to a 1st scale degree: A up to D. This is clearly some kind of V chord resolving to a I chord.

BUT...

The melody note does NOT belong to the traditional V chord.

Usually, when we see a pick-up to the start of a verse and the melody note is the 1st scale degree, we would assume that the chord is a I chord.

But here we have BOTH a 1st scale degree melody note pick-up AND some kind of V chord simultaneously.

If you look even closer and combine the soprano, alto, and tenor notes in this chord, you'll see that they make a G major chord, a IV chord.

But the bass is on A, clearly the bass note of the V chord. And the G in the tenor is ALSO the 7th of the standard V7 chord.

So, really, we have a bit of a harmony "smooshing" here. A mash-up of most of 2 different chords. ALL of the IV chord with half of the V7 chord as the pick-up.

You can also analyze this as a V¹¹ chord.

Whatever you call it, it's a non-standard chord that functions like a standard chord, but generates a new, fresh sound.

Next, let's look at the 2nd yellow highlighted chord.

The bass has been hanging around on the D for 6 beats while the upper voices move around.

Once we get to the 2nd syllable of "Jesus," we get a C-sharp half-diminished 7th chord (C-sharp, E, B, with a missing G) over the pedal D in the bass.

That's another "smooshing" of the elements of 2 different chords into 1. It creates a unique kind of tension that functions like a normal vii⁰ chord, but sounds new and fresh.

Last, but not least, let's look at the 3rd yellow highlighted chord.

This is the same chord we saw in our pickup.

But, there's a slightly different context and function here.

This time around, the G/A (or V¹¹ chord) happens on beat 3, is re-voiced, and is followed by a traditional V⁷ instead of a I chord.

In its re-voiced configuration, the melody note is on G with the rest of the G chord in the alto and tenor. This sounds even MORE like a real G chord because the melody note is on G. Yet, it has the A in the bass again.

In this configuration, it sounds A LOT like a G⁹ chord (the A being the 9th of the chord). But the 9th is in the bass. And because it's the higher A in the bass this time, it sounds A LOT more like part of a IV chord than a V chord.

This is one of the GREAT things about "smoosh" or "mash-up" chords.

And here's the big lesson...

You can change the context of their function (where they want to go next) by re-voicing them.

This time around, this G/A chord words more like a pre-dominant. Where, where we first saw it, it functioned more like a dominant preparing the tonic (the I chord).

Pretty cool double-use of the same chord.

If you'd like to listen to this exaxt spot in the piece, you can do so by clicking the video below.

(Example at the 2:46 minute mark)

And if you'd like to learn more cool arranging techniques, you might love our upcoming 14-Day Hymn Arrangement Challenge.

To be sure you don't miss it...

Or the special deal for everyone who signs up for this new, improved, and re-vamped challenge...

Click the link below to put your name down on the waiting list.

Only waiting list people will get these extra special goodies for sining up for the challenge.

​https://latterdaymusiversity.kit.com/challenge-wait-list​

That's all for today.

Tomorrow we'll look at another way to help keep a 4-verse arrangement fresh and engaging.

This technique gives the entire piece a much more satisfying arc.

More tomorrow.

Doug "smoosh and mash-up chords to get new creative juices flowing" Pew