THOSE MAGIC CHANGES 1 – 6 – 4 – 5 Musical Improv Comedy, How to Play The Game

Have you seen the stage version of GREASE, THE MUSICAL. There is an entire song dedicated to this glorious chord pattern of old that keeps coming back for more. In fact the back up singers sing the chord pattern – C, a minor, F, G7 – makes THOSE MAGIC CHANGES the perfect teaching song. Learn this pattern in various keys and styles and you are ready to rock out to 1000s of songs.

The 1 – 6 – 4 – 5 chord combo is one of the most recognizable progressions in history. You can trace it back hundreds of years. Anyone that has ever played the piano might recognize the Heart & Soul chords usually played by four hands (the song Tom Hanks dances on the BIG piano). You might recognize as the classic chord pattern behind numerous doowop songs and golden oldies ballads like Earth Angel, Duke of Earl, Blue Moon, Unchained Melody, Stand By Me, and All I Have to Do Is Dream. (Don’t confuse this with the I – 5 – 6 – 4 chord pattern of Don’t Stop Believing, U2’s With or Without You, etc.).

More recently you might recognize the chords to Justin Bieber’s BABY BABY BABY, Dolly Parton’s (Whitney Houston) I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

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A full verse…

Here is a sample verse for the KEY of C. Play the 1 – 6 – 4 – 5 pattern four times to create a VERY easy A – A – B – B or A – B – C – B rhyme scheme for each player.

B SECTION

Here is the “BRIDGE” to EARTH ANGEL. The B section is when the song changes. Traditional 1 – 6- 4 – 5 oldies tunes give you 2 verses, a BRIDGE and 3rd verse. This has the same number of bars so, a 3rd player can do their “verse” over the bridge.

OLDIES IMPROV GAME

Bring this chord pattern into your musical improv shows and jam sessions.
As a stand alone song, have each player take a FOUR LINE VERSE or BRIDGE.

A – A – B – B Rhyme Scheme

This is the most common rhyming scheme for a four line song. We also use it in our blues and march songs. If you break it down, the Irish Jig also takes on tis patter, BUT we say THE JIG has a A B C B to avoid confusion as to how break it up via the singers.

• LINE ONE – 8 counts sets up line two for a rhyme.
• LINE TWO – 8 counts rhymes with line one.
• LINE THREE – 8 counts sets up line four for a rhyme.
• LINE FOUR – 8 counts rhymes with line four.

A – B – C – B Rhyme Scheme.

• LINE ONE – 8 counts establishes a story
• LINE TWO – 8 counts sets up line four for a rhyme.
• LINE THREE – 8 counts forwards the story
• LINE FOUR – 8 counts rhymes with line two.

FULL GAME

• VERSE
• VERSE
• BRIDGE
• VERSE
• End with a vamp scat session, repeat the final line for player four, add a 5th verse where four players break up the A A B B.

STYLE & VARIATIOHNS

Try mixing up the rhythms. Listen to the numerous versions of BLUE MOON. Originally a Broadway Ballad, the Marcels kicked it up a notch adding a funky bass vocal and up tempo drive. I grew up loving the New Edition version. You can swing, like the triplet patter I have above,or simplify it. This one chord pattern can be delivered in 1000s of ways.

Many songs take the classic 1 – 6 – 4 – 5 an flip it around, substitute chords and more.

Songs like DAMMIT JANET chorus from Rocky Horror Picture Show start in the middle, F – G – C – am. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS starts with a 1 – 6- 4 – 5 than has fun with the second half of each verse.

Listen to a lot of music and play with your own versions. Try turning the a minor chord into a A major 7, then substitute the F chord for a d minor or D7. The resulting 1 – 6 – 2 – 5 chord is a little more jazzy, more indicative of 1940s big band, or even 1920s dixieland.

CHANGE KEYS

Here are a few other keys you can play in.