Forever Young - Use simple chords to make a smash hit - Tutorial
The smash 80s hit "Forever Young" by Alphaville is a prime example on how the simplest of chords, pretty much repeated throughout the whole song, can be the most beautiful and effective way to make a great song.
With a great singer on top and the vocals going higher in register as the song progresses the impact is of an epic journey.
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In this tutorial I show how the chords work together. I go through all the chords and how certain words in the lyrics end up on a minor or major chord to emphasise impact.
Finally I go through my own alternate version on how to perform this song with more mellow Major7, minor 7 and 11' chords to give the whole a more melancholy jazz/pop feel. All chords and finger settings go along. I've simplyfied many of the chords as using all fingers isn't really necessary on the more complicated chords. The root key plus three fingers on the right hand is usually enough. There's also some "spur of the moment" chords inversions, but these must be experimented with to find what sounds best.
Many of the techniques and tips in this turorial are primarily for beginners in the world of composition and for those who do not yet fully understand the importance of more complex chords and chord progression.
Listen to more of my music on: www.espenkraft.com
My tracks pay homage to all synth-pop acts of the 80s like Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, The Human League, Erasure, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, OMD, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Yazoo, Giorgio Moroder, Jean Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer, Alphaville, A-ha and many more.
I use the following synths, samplers and drum machines in my studio at the moment:
Roland JX-8P synth
Roland Alpha Juno 2 synth
Roland D-550 synth
Roland TR-626 drum machine
Roland S-10 sampler
Roland S-550 sampler
Roland MKS-20 Piano module
Yamaha DX7 synth
Yamaha TX802 synth
Yamaha A3000 sampler
Yamaha RX11 drum machine
Akai S1000 Sampler
E-MU Emax II sampler
E-MU ESI4000 sampler
Novation MiniNova synth
Elka EK22 synth
Elka EM22 synth
Korg DW-8000 synth
Korg DDM-220 digital percussion
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Пікірлер: 416
This song always speaks to me - the simple days of childhood and early teens in the 80's. It strikes a minor chord with me especially because i had met a cute girl at summer camp who loved this song (played it incessantly on her walkman), and a couple of years later i found out she had committed suicide :(. I will continue to feel the irony of this song every time i hear it, because it was her anthem, and to me she will always be forever young. Great work Espen! Love the chord progression and enjoyed your analysis.
The whole album is brilliant. Still my favourite track is 'Summer in Berlin'.
Espen, as someone born in the 90's with a fascination for synth heavy 80's music, I'm so glad I stumble across your channel. Much love from Pittsburgh
Don’t understand I’m a beginner pianist and I’ve never seen these chords before, your G chord starts in the D note and so dorth
My wife baked a beautiful cake today,,,,, delicious 😋😋😋
I believe Jerusalem from Alphaville is the best Pop song ever!Nothing sounds as good as old synth 80's pop.
Verry good 🙂
Your version at the end is like the Pet Shop Boys would have written the song. Like both.
Nice.... thanks!
Super🇱🇺👍
You forgot to talk about the great, iconic ending to the song!
I'm old now but forever young. A privileges for us teens back in the 80's
This song hits me right in the heart every time I hear it anywhere. I’m so blessed to have been a teenager in the 80s.
One of my all time favorites of the 80s, whenever this song comes on I stop what I'm doing and soak it in, I like the dance version better and I love the killer trumpet solos!
So simple, and yet so complex... I have not formerly realised how beautiful and sumptuous this chord progression can be...
I remember two years ago, on our city laid, Alphaville were on of the music acts. Great to see them live and
Amazing remake!!! Forever Young is one of my favorite "Canon in D" progression songs. And, you've really brought it alive in this deconstruction 🙏
Lets not forget the first pop star, Pachebel, and his cannon in D. his chord sequence goes back to the late 17th century. and countless songs have been written from it. I love Forever young but found your chord sequence even better somehow.Thank you for sharing. Very inspiring.
A great pop hymn back in the days when I was really much much younger. Now those days are far away and gone. But thanks, sir, for bringing them back through your synth lessons. Bless!!!
Epsen, your teaching style is unique and amazing and never seen it even in my university music course. You don’t slap the music to face of the listeners. You bring every piece of emotion from the listeners and connect them to the every single note of the music. Listening to music with no connection is like having best delicious meal when you have cold and all your tasting senses are blocked. You just gave us a piece bread in a forest with all our senses and acceptors open. Thank You.