Tinkering with the following chord progression: | Dm7 | G | A | A | ... sounds nice to my ear on a slow synth setting on "Chordbot", a cool android app for looping chords.
After a while noodling over it, I decided to then try theorise it out.
So to my ear, at least, there is a strong resolution to the key of A.
And spelling out my chords...
Dm7 :- D, F, A, C
G :- G, B, D
A :- A, C#, E
... I could see that whilst it sounds cool to me.. it flies in the face of any diatonic progression or scale that I'm aware of.
My workings lead me to spot the C# suggested the D major scale held some clues...
D,E,F#,G,A,B,C#,D
... and that with the perceived key of A resolution perhaps A mixolydian mode variant was being utilised.
Now had the opening chord of the progression been Dmaj7, thus bringing in the F# and C#, we'd be back on safe diatonic ground; but it doesn't.
So going out on a limb here, is it fair to say that this modulates from A minor (C Major) to A mixolydian (D Major)?
As an aside, I'm thoroughly enjoying this journey in theory, although my learning is totally unstructured, I reckon whilst its cool to know some of this stuff, sometimes you should just relax and trust your ear ;-)
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..but if the 7th chord stays, the C note adds confusion to the mix.. and the D melodic minor doesn't suggest an A key sig tonality...
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
I've heard this in many a ballad, in particular I think Journey's Loved By You.
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
It is - for me it's on the A, which is the tonic. I think you're hearing it like something like Twist and Shout, but in d minor key, whereas I initially had it as a sort of Still Got the Blues (with some chords missing but it's the best I can think of) in a minor, but actually doing a tierce de picardie so that a minor (tonic) becomes A major at the end. Or like Arvo Pärt's Fratres but finishing on the major.
Though I have to confess, now I've got twist and shout's rhythm going round, I can't get d minor as the root out of my head!
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Btw... babooshka !!!
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
Lol yeah mate, I was agreeing with you on the twist and shout. It's very natural. I was coming round to your way of thinking, not disagreeing with you, do you see what i mean now? Hearing it again, I hear it more and more like the twist and shout, where the D is the tonic. I'm just saying that I didn't stumble across that first time, I sumbled across the the other alternative like Still Got the Blues, which, as I'm sure you know, is in a minor, despite starting on the d minor. It starts on the IV. Not like parisienne walkways.
Btw I find it interesting that a 2/4 or 4/4 rhythm seems to favour the d minor as the tonic and the 6/8 favours the A minor (or major) as the tonic.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Minor harmony is much more interesting than Major Harmony, as you probably already know, the three basic scales to choose from are: Natural minor, Harmonic minor and Melodic minor. You can combine any or all of the three minor harmony types. Create the basic chords by stacking every third note of each scale.
Your progression:
Dmin7 : D F A C (the one chord from Natural minor harmony)
G : G B D (the four chord from Melodic minor harmony. A subdominant chord)
A : A C# E (the five chord from Melodic and Harmonic minor harmony. (For Jazzier, add 7th and an added b9 in the chord?))
Using minor harmony, it's a I IV V (1-4-5) progression.
Even without any theory and just using my ear, I'm hearing D minor as the tonic because:
"A" Chord :- A, C#, E
"Dm7" Chord :- D, F, A, C
The "A" chord will pull towards resolving to Dm7 because:
1.) The notes A down to D is a perfect fifth, the strongest resolution by human ear.
2.) The notes C# to C is a semi tone, semi tones are the other very strong resolution movement.
3.) The notes E to F is another semi tone, yet another very strong resolution movement.
Dm7, G, A x 2... I still hear A.. but agree that a D melodic minor is "best fit"... I guess I should record what I'm jamming to and see what you guys think too...
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
Avoiding playing a "C" in "D Dorian" over the "C#" in AMaj?
Try to outline some of each chord's notes in your melody, so it seems you know what you're playing?