An excellent and well researched presentation from David Bennett:
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It is always interesting to have someone point out that which is self-evident but we don't generally take notice of. Most of the "one chord" songs presented are well known to most of us. I don't think we normally think in those terms.
I defiantly knew this "one chord" idea was associated with certain blues artists but I never made the connection with purely vocal music and the lack of any obvious harmonic structure.
This defiantly is a songwriting idea worth exploring. This idea could continue through the whole song or only in a certain section.
I have been trying to teach myself the single bass note drone on guitar. It requires a high degree of attention to timing and is not so easy to learn. It appears to be easy at first glance. It is anything but easy when done correctly.
Timing is the definite hallmark of a good blues player.
Thank you for the link. Fascinating. My favourite DRONE song You Won't See Me by The Beatles. OK, Macca played a running riff Bass but back in the day WE played the main theme as a constant A note Bass. Just to be different. If you listen to the backing vocals - its the A note as a vocal drone. Bests Ian
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OK, I'm just going to say, this idea bothers me a little, in that it seems to be missing the point.
"Within You Without You" is not a "one chord" song. Indian music is not "one chord music". This is music that doesn't use chords, at least not in the sense of chord-change-based progressions (to be fair, the video guy does say something like this.)
Really, imagine someone looking to play "Within You Without You" and buying a chart that told them to just strum an E major. That would make for a very disappointing performance, if they didn't know better.
I guess what bothers me is that "non-chord-change-based music" is SO broad a category, it sounds, I don't know, kind of reductive to me to describe it all as "one chord music".
I actually like the idea of droning to a single chord/harmony...I never tried to compose with less than 2 chords, but that must a soon to come challenge. I'm not sure BIAB is an ideal tool for that. :-)
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Hi, most one-chord songs are very familiar to a large number of people. I knew that this "one chord" idea was associated with certain performers, but I'd never think to associate it with purely vocal music or a lack of any clear harmonic structure. I once tried to learn to play single chord tunes on the guitar using music distribution platforms music distribution platforms, as I thought it would be a breeze of a job. Well… turns out it kind of was . No wonder some of them cracked the Billboard 200.
This guy has great videos and I love how he shows examples across many epochs of music and cultures as well.
I do think some of the examples stretch the definition of what a chord is. Anything with a pedal note and drone could be considered multi chordal where the two notes; the pedal note and the other simultaneous note in the melody hint at different chords.
Regardless, it’s clearly a songwriting tool we can learn from.
This is the first song I can recall being a one chord song. I guess the main reason is I was learning to play the guitar at this time and CCR was high on my play list. I recall some of the others of that era mentioned in the video. Interesting and cool stuff. I tunes out on the hip hop/rap part.
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The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
An excellent and well researched presentation from David Bennett:
Around 8:53, David starts talking about sidelining harmony to give other song elements space. One of my favorite 1-chord songs that does this is Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme that uses a 1-bar ostinato in F major.
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
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Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
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. No wonder some of them cracked the Billboard 200.
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