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Non-muso muso question
nobloodyname:
Just wondering if someone might be able to explain what's going on here!
Standard chord sequence on guitar: Am, G, F, E. My research leads me to believe this is the key of A minor. I've been playing the A harmonic minor scale over it. I've noticed that if I play G# from that scale, it sounds really quite dissonant when it's played on top of anything other than the E. Is this working as intended, ie a 'feature' of the harmonic minor?
Indiscipline:
Let's put it this way:
Am, G, F are chords built on the notes of the A natural minor scale (i.e. the C Major Scale): A, B, C, D, E, F, G
When the progression goes to E, it's borrowing a dominant chord (parallel sostitution) from the A harmonic minor scale, which features A, B, C, D, E, F, G#
So, if you are constantly using the A harmonic minor scale, G# is a chord tone only on E, hence a reliable note to lean on melodically, while on the other chords it tends to sound "better" as a quick passing tone.
nobloodyname:
Ah, that's brilliant, thank you! So if I played the A natural minor scale, everything would sound fine.
...and I've just realised that it would be Em in the key of A minor, not E major. Ooops! But the E major sounds really nice :biggrin:
Indiscipline:
--- Quote from: nobloodyname on February 14, 2024, 03:23:36 AM ---Ah, that's brilliant, thank you! So if I played the A natural minor scale, everything would sound fine.
...and I've just realised that it would be Em in the key of A minor, not E major. Ooops! But the E major sounds really nice :biggrin:
--- End quote ---
"Sounds fine" is totally up to you, mate. Those are explanations to things happening, the only rules are what you like to play!
nobloodyname:
Indeed. My issue was the E being of major variety rather than minor variety, just because I thought it sounded good* in the sequence. So it's either switch that E major to minor and use the natural minor scale or keep the E major and save that lovely lingering G# for when I'm on the E major.
No idea how on earth you and others remember all this stuff. Music theory knowledge always impresses me!
*and there's nothing wrong with that, I know
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