Originally posted by noticingthemistake

What's tricky about it?? When this idea is used in music, the harmony and the melody are two separate ideas that play opposite but share some common idea, like counterpoint. As long as the melody progresses like it normally would. Meaning it can stand alone, have a singing tune, and be musical. The harmony is only a contrast and has little effect on the melody. When it does, it's not hard to quickly resolve the unwanted dissonance by moving up a step (b3-3, b5-5, or b7-7) or better remedy the harmony. Like I said it does take a lot of practice and some theory, but it's not difficult.

- There's a little thing called phrasing which can take years to develop. The old analogy: It's not what you say but how you say it...makes the difference between the professional and the novice. What you stated in the above paragraph can take years to accomplish with efficiency and conviction.

Often when this idea is used, the harmony is somewhat altered. In a major key the IIIm is usually bIII, and the VIm is sometimes bVI.

- I don't consider this Major scale harmony. To me this is taking a Pentatonic scale and building major chords off the notes within the scale. These progressions are desinged to be shredded to pieces by minor pents.


Most rock music uses these chords anyways. Same with the VII chord which is altered as bVII. I don't know what's wrong with the IIm chord?? These are very common in rock music but in the end they don't alter the key, it's still major.

- Applying the parrallel minor over top of the 2 chord can be tricky...the #9 of the pentatonic is a flat 2nd to the minor ii. There is no root of the ii within the pent. to resolve to, again making this a sticky situation for novice.

Why inappropriate? If it can be done, it's not inappropriate.

- What can I say, I guess this comes w/age...there is a time and a place for everything. The older I get the more "authentic" I become in my playing.
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