writing songs

[ezekielpacman]

im confused as to what chords you can use if you were writing a song in say c major for example...
would it be all the notes in that scale allowed in any form(diminished, major, etc), or would it use the MmmMMmd formula limiting you to 7 chords, or something completely different?
please help
thanks

[cyberfret]

A major key is just one sound. There are minor keys, and modes etc. There is no quick answer to the question. Even within a major key there can be deviations from just the chords that can be built from that scale. But as a start, take a look at the lesson on major key harmony. At the end of the lesson is a list of all of the chords that can be built from each degree of a major scale, while still sticking with only those 7 notes. MmmMMmd is just the basics of the major key, there are actually other possibilities.


Major Key Harmony
http://www.cyberfret.com/theory/major-key-harmony/index.php

--Shawn