--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to find nice chord changes, that's…" description: "\"I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a song, knock it into shape.\" — Jeff Lynne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png" --- # I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to… ![“I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a song, knock it into shape.” quote by Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png) > “I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a song, knock it into shape.” [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a creative process that begins with exploring chord progressions, then shaping them into complete songs. **In simple terms:** Start with chords, then build a song. Key Takeaway Focus on musical foundations before full composition. Themes creativity songwriting process Mood inspired reflective Type artistic instructional When to use this quote - studio sessions - personal songwriting - collaborative writing Key Concepts music theory iteration structure Questions to Reflect On - How do chord choices influence your song's mood? - What steps follow after finding a good progression? A Different Perspective May overlook lyrical development early on. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I knew if I wanted to improvise over chord changes, I'd have to figure out all the scales that went with all those chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-holdsworth/i-knew-if-i-wanted-to-improvise-over-chord-changes-i-d-have-to-figure/) [Allan Holdsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-holdsworth/) > [I thrive on change. That's probably why my chord changes are weird, because chords depict emotions. They'll be going along on one key and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/i-thrive-on-change-that-s-probably-why-my-chord-changes-are-weird/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [There are certain choices you make as a songwriter, based on vowel sounds and melody and chord changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/there-are-certain-choices-you-make-as-a-songwriter-based-on-vowel/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [Everything repeats itself. There ain't but so many notes on the scale, there ain't but so many chord changes, for real, and there ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/everything-repeats-itself-there-ain-t-but-so-many-notes-on-the-scale/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I like inventive melodies and chord changes, a little bit of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-shattuck/i-like-inventive-melodies-and-chord-changes-a-little-bit-of-creativity/) [Kim Shattuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-shattuck/) > [I'm definitely responsible for coming in with some basic chord changes, or ideas. Everybody in the band looks to me to come up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/i-m-definitely-responsible-for-coming-in-with-some-basic-chord/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [I loved Jimmy Reed, the chord changes, the lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/i-loved-jimmy-reed-the-chord-changes-the-lyrics/) [Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/) > [I've always been attracted to odd chord changes and interesting melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-odd-chord-changes-and-interesting/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I got bored with the old way - it came too easy. I worked until I could play and chord changes at any tempo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ellis/i-got-bored-with-the-old-way-it-came-too-easy-i-worked-until-i-could/) [Don Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ellis/) > [I don't need to hear Bill to go through a song. I need to hear Keith to go through a song. I know Bill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-watts/i-don-t-need-to-hear-bill-to-go-through-a-song-i-need-to-hear-keith/) [Charlie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-watts/) > [When we do reggae, it's normally a one-chord or a two-chord, or whatever it is. With Sting, there'll be chord changes, key changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/when-we-do-reggae-it-s-normally-a-one-chord-or-a-two-chord-or/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [The Beatles changed music forever. They took rock n' roll from a medium that was about cars and girls and gave it context, interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-spitz/the-beatles-changed-music-forever-they-took-rock-n-roll-from-a-medium/) [Bob Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-spitz/) > [John Prine in particular... just the chord changes combined with the words. He definitely can make you cry a little bit. Just a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/john-prine-in-particular-just-the-chord-changes-combined-with-the/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) > [The way jazz works is that we take a theme, and then we write using the same structure, same chord changes, and then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/the-way-jazz-works-is-that-we-take-a-theme-and-then-we-write-using/) [Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/) > [Bird's mind and fingers work with incredible speed. He can imply four chord changes in a melodic pattern where another musician would have trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-feather/bird-s-mind-and-fingers-work-with-incredible-speed-he-can-imply-four/) Leonard Feather ## More by Jeff Lynne > [I just realized how long it was since the last album, and where did the time go? You know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-just-realized-how-long-it-was-since-the-last-album-and-where-did/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [When you do a song new live on stage, it's kind of a bit weird until it gets worn in, you know, like oiled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/when-you-do-a-song-new-live-on-stage-it-s-kind-of-a-bit-weird-until/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [I like the natural sound of a room. All the rooms have their own sound, so it's a matter of putting it where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-like-the-natural-sound-of-a-room-all-the-rooms-have-their-own-sound/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [There are a million people who can come up with little bits. The hard work is making those bits into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/there-are-a-million-people-who-can-come-up-with-little-bits-the-hard/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [The first band I saw were Mike Sheridan and The Nightriders, in their brown mohair suits, in 1966.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/the-first-band-i-saw-were-mike-sheridan-and-the-nightriders-in-their/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [There's not much you can do with a ukulele that doesn't sound happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/there-s-not-much-you-can-do-with-a-ukulele-that-doesn-t-sound-happy/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [It was so simple in the old days. You put out an album, people promoted it, it got in the charts, and you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/it-was-so-simple-in-the-old-days-you-put-out-an-album-people-promoted/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [It was dark and misty for 2 weeks, and I didn't come up with a thing. Suddenly the sun shone and it was, 'Wow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/it-was-dark-and-misty-for-2-weeks-and-i-didn-t-come-up-with-a-thing/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [As you get older, the days have gone, and the years have gone, and it's 'whoosh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/as-you-get-older-the-days-have-gone-and-the-years-have-gone-and-it-s/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [Yes, I love to play drums and bass and guitar and piano. Those are the main instruments I play. That is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/yes-i-love-to-play-drums-and-bass-and-guitar-and-piano-those-are-the/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [The hairs stand up on the back of my neck at certain music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/the-hairs-stand-up-on-the-back-of-my-neck-at-certain-music/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [Old music is the same as new music - it's just a different way of delivering it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/old-music-is-the-same-as-new-music-it-s-just-a-different-way-of/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [It all comes down to what you truly love doing, and what I love doing is overdubbing and making new sounds out of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/it-all-comes-down-to-what-you-truly-love-doing-and-what-i-love-doing/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [Live shows are fun - sometimes. But you have to practice for months on end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/live-shows-are-fun-sometimes-but-you-have-to-practice-for-months-on/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [I think from the age of thirteen, I really wanted to be a producer and I've always thought that the producer was the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-think-from-the-age-of-thirteen-i-really-wanted-to-be-a-producer-and/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) [Explore all 22 Jeff Lynne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a song, knock it into shape.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Lynne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s-how-i-love-to-start-and-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s-how-i-love-to-start-and-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/jeff-lynne-25944_change_i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s_1564052.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I try to find nice chord changes, that's how I love to start, and then I start trying to knock it into a…” — Jeff Lynne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeff Lynne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I try to find nice chord...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s-how-i-love-to-start-and-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-try-to-find-nice-chord-changes-that-s-how-i-love-to-start-and-then/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```