Song Seedlings 17 & 18: Warm & Poignant Chords in D, a Plummeting Hard-Rock Riff in Em

Can you recognize that this is a very simple progression that involves D-Bm-A?  Give them new chord voicings and tried-and-true chords can still sound fresh enough to inspire a song — listen to the contrast when I switch to the “regular” way these chords are played.  There’s so much smooth yet poignant vibe here that I’m sure I can write some awesome melodies on top of that.  Be sure to mute the top 3 strings though, and if using electric, play with clean-ish tone.

The main chord here may be spelled like Em7#13?  It’s basically an E minor with a Bb/A# thrown in, so the notes from the bottom are E-B-E-A#-D-E.  I love this chord and use it often, as it has this really intense, desperate vibe to it.  Pound on it and then throw a G-F contrast, and I think this would make an awesome hard rock tune.  It may be a little too intense to pair it with painful words, though, I can hear it wanting some swagger elsewhere, whether it be the chorus or the lyrics.

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