[Paulski]

Ever notice that a bridge's chord progression can go almost anywhere as long as it leads back into the song? I'm currently writing a bridge that jumps through a chord progression that seems almost unrelated to the chords/key in the rest of the song, but because it ends up on the tonic of the original key it leads nicely back into the verse (which starts on the dominant). I suppose a more educated musician would say my progression is a "known path" back to the original key but it surprised me that it led there.

Paul

[tboswell]

I try and have fun with bridges like that 

Usually you need to modulate (go to another key) to make it effective but the going back is the fun bit. Sometimes it feels like a wonderful return home, sometimes it sounds like a new world even though it's the same key you started in.

There are endless ways to move keys, some smooth and some abrupt. All can be really useful!

[tone]

Paul Simon says it better than I can, and demonstrates with a half-written 'still crazy after all these years' on a TV chatshow

[Paulski]

I try and have fun with bridges like that 

Usually you need to modulate (go to another key) to make it effective but the going back is the fun bit. Sometimes it feels like a wonderful return home, sometimes it sounds like a new world even though it's the same key you started in.

There are endless ways to move keys, some smooth and some abrupt. All can be really useful!

Yes - mine ended up in the original key but it sounded like a lift when it came out of the bridge I hope to post it soon to show what I mean. Prob sounds like crap to others hehe.

[seriousfun]

I have been to the bridge to nowhere.

It was built a 100 or so years ago deep in the Whanganui outback when the government attempted to open up the rugged and isolated area for farming. A road was planned from Stratford through to Pipiriki, a couple hundred miles. They built the bridge first and before they could complete the roading project all of the pioneers walked off the land they drew in the ballots as t proved to be un-farmable so the whole thing was canned. Now the bridge stands all alone in the wilderness and is a tourist attraction requiring a 1 hour jet boat trip up the Whanganui River followed by a 1 hour bush hike to view it and walk across it as it stretches high above a ravine.

So like the bridge you describe this one certainly takes one away but regrettably does not deliver one back.

[adamfarr]

As some may have noticed, I love a good bridge! But I think that's the point - it can't go nowhere, it has to bring us back. But while you are there you are almost contractually obliged to go "somewhere else" that you've not been before in the remainder of the song!