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Original message:444 days 9 hours 24 minutes ago

Member: jttrussler

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ENHARMONIC SUBSTITUTION

So simple. When I tell you, you say "oh! so simple!"

A triad is built in thirds. Let us start with 'C'. A C major triad is composed of a C, followed by a major third (E), and a minor third (G) <--- a perfect fifth total. An A minor triad is composed of an A, followed by a minor third (C), and a major third (E). Hey look at that they have an E and G in common! Wow I bet you could like make those like chords like interchangeable. Wait, but check this out: an E minor triad also shares TWO NOTES (with a C major triad). So hey wouldn't it be cool if we just made this the same for every key, major and minor.

The simple simple version:
In the place of a tonic, or I chord, one might play: a mediant chord (III chord), or perhaps a submediant chord (VI chord)
In the place of a supertonic, or II chord, one might play: a subdominant chord (IV chord)
In the place of a dominant chord, or a V chord, one might play: a subtonic chord (VII chord)

So simple. You make one million dollar.

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Reply:439 days 9 hours 52 minutes ago
Member: Captain Fantastic

- 2

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Stop trying to scare people Trussler with your crazy talk. It's all weird and crazy! Look Out...

Something else, that I think we talked about over crumpets, was the use of the Diminished iv (F�) chord. Your post used the key of C major for your explanation of enharmonic subs, so we'll continue, but know that I won't do a gig unless all the tunes are transcribed for 5 flats or greater. *thick satire*

The usual 4 chord, F A C, can be substituted by borrowing the iv chord from the parallel minor, F Ab C. This a huge McCartney-ism that draws you, and hopefully your listener, tragically toward the I chord. The Ab of the iv (Fmi) chord yanks you toward the G of the I (C) chord. That pull is so heavy, like sailors to a cliff wall amidst a Siren's song.

Even heavier is the iv� (F Ab Cb). The Cb, or as it functions here, B, is the leading tone that also pulls towards the root of the I chord (C) while the Ab still resolves to G. The result is beautiful contrary motion with the voices of the tense iv� to the consonant I.

Then, for spanking a sick melody out of this, experiment with using the Ab whole tone scale over the iv�. I love it!

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I enjoy skinny skiing, heckling figure skaters, flamenco guitar, the blue stuff you put your combs in, good drummers, focaccia bread and coffee out of a french press

Reply:439 days 8 hours 3 minutes ago
Member: Zombre

752
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You guys are ill to say the least...

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http://www.scottkerrmusic.com

Reply:439 days 7 hours 43 minutes ago
Member: johnmarkh

154
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why not throw in an E double flat in to the F dim. F Ab Cb Ebb . there we have a fully diminished. and if you've dealt with fully dim, you can see that F to Ab = min3 Ab to Cb = min 3 Cb to Ebb (b-d) = min 3rd and most importantly Ebb (D) to F is a minor third.

What does that say for the inversions of that chord? whoa man...now you can move to more than just C min...Ab enharmonic G# moves to A minor, F (enharmonic E#) moves to F# minor (A major), Ebb (enharmonic d) moves to Eb minor (Gb major)

etc...

what i like is altering notes. say you borrow from the minor again...ii*. D diminished. but instead of playing D, play Db; making your chord major. it likes to resolve ii* V i though going back to the major 1 works. though you may want to stay away from it sounding too spanish sounding depending on your song, and using the first inversion helps that.

ah...the neapolitan chord...i wondered why it sounded good...and i thought about it for a little...and it makes sense this way.

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Reply:438 days 10 hours 14 minutes ago
Member: jttrussler

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Borrowing from other keys is the prime rib of composition. My favorites are the ii� and the far too overused bVII.

The ii�, like john mark said, moves nicely to the neapolitain chord (bII). This chord can function as a V chord as it pulls you towards the tonic chord (whether it is I or i). Say your neapolitain chord is Dbmaj (Db F Ab C). Everything resolves in half steps to its respective scale degree. A bit boring, but fun nonetheless. Now let's play with a Db dominant chord. Now the Cb (B) can stay as a common tone while everything else moves down. Okay boring. But thats the beginnings of Neapolitain chords.

Now the bVII chord. Bb D F A. Good contrary motion here, although you kinda just have to do it. The bVII can use the Bb to move up to C, the D up to E and the F up to G. But who needs that. How about the Bb up to B, the D down to C, the F down to E, and the A down to G. But who needs a 5th. Let's make the A move up a minor third to double the root. Or the A stays. Now we have a very nice Cmaj6.

That was not very interesting. But I'm gonna leave it anyway. You never know what help it may provide. And this bII talk has led me to decide to write new thread about neapolitain chords. Cheers.

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Reply:374 days 9 hours 22 minutes ago
Member: Captain Fantastic

- 1

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One of my favorite deceptive resolutions is moving, in key of two sharps, from Emi11 to Ebmaj9#11 to Bmi7. The voices in the first two chords can't move in opposite directions fast enough to get out of their own way to make room for the D maj chord, but then the unassuming stalker "Bmi7" shows up with a fifth of something special [place favorite spirited beverage here].

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I enjoy skinny skiing, heckling figure skaters, flamenco guitar, the blue stuff you put your combs in, good drummers, focaccia bread and coffee out of a french press

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