I agree parallel minor keys do not come up much, and a lot of people probably have not heard about them, but I have used them a few times them when arranging, or re-arranging, a song’s chords, that some of the regular chords, in a specific key, just do not seem to fit.
Have you ever looked at the chords in a song and seen a chord that is not one of the seven normal chords associated with that key? This is how I found out about parallel minor keys many years ago.
I have seen parallel minor keys also called parallel natural minor, but am not sure if that term is correct, even though I used the term in a previous post.
I’m not surprised that they have not come up in this discussion. This was a discussion of basic major/minor scales and why they are what they are. Adding in anharmonic chords from the parallel minor is an advanced technique using chords and notes that are not enharmonic with the main scales being used in the progression.
Parallel minor keys are probably most familiar to individuals either composing or arranging chords for a song.
I do a lot of arranging, and re-arranging, for the four jam groups I play with, make that played with prior to Covid. This is how I was introduced to them.
When I first started playing drums in a brass band, when I was seven, I picked drums for two reasons.
1 - All kids like drums and 2 - I thought drum music was all just one note on the musical staff. Then I saw the music score for timpani and discovered timpanis can play more than one note. I guess that was my learning experience for that day
I believe you never stop learning on the musical journey.
I guess what I am saying is - I don’t think they are especially relevant to a discussion of the basics of major and minor keys. They are more of “what are some cool ways I can ‘break the rules’ for specific feelings in songs”. A really large number of songs never use them at all.
Yes, thanks for elaborating, @Celticstar, and, yes, that was a slip, @HowLowCanYouGet - I meant to write “ionian” (note to self: don’t reply to that kind of stuff late at night )
My apologies for creating any unnecessary confusion!
I’ve come a bit full circle on how much theory a beginner “needs” to know. I think they need to understand scales, at least the main three, why they exist, and what is and is not diatonic. From there it’s really useful to understand chord progressions and the chords at intervals of the scales (and why they are what they are).
But that might be it, for beginners anyway.
In other words - more or less what Josh teaches in the course
That’s enough to carry them all the way well into intermediate territory, where they can start wondering how and why musicians break these rules they learned to good effect
I don’t generally care why things work, only that they do Scott does a good analysis of Autumn Leaves on SBL. Modulating from a minor chord to the parallel major is pretty common, like using a Picardy Third to end a song.
I go by how things sound, just like in photography where i go by how things look. Theory is something I only bring out when things aren’t working.
Simultaneously, like you have the horns play in one key and the strings play in another. Have a look at Mozart’s “A Musical Joke” it ends in 4 different, discordant keys simultaneously. Not something you would “normally” do
There was a forum post the other day on some theory, cant remember if it was here or reddit but by 1/2 way through, even i was confused! So I could only imagine the poor “beginner” who had originally asked a relatively simple question
It reminds me of several years ago when i used to teach photography at a local club. I was out on a group shoot and one of the photographers, who was also also a painter said something like “oh, your composition is actually really good” like she was surprised that because i had such a good technical understanding of photography, i wouldn’t also be artistic. When i go out shooting photos, i don’t use theory, i use my eyes; when i compose music, i use my ears. Theory is what i use to fix things that don’t work mostly i just experiment with a lot of things to improve my understanding, just like a child would do.
I dig that, and can totally relate to it! However, in my previous musical life, I feel I have been winging it too much, and this time around, it could be nice with a better understanding of some of the underlying principles
The best way to learn anything is to start with a problem first, that’s why i come here
The biggest problem i see with people when they’re learning theory, is they learn theory as an abstract, not as something they can use and how to use it. People should be asking “what do i want to do and what do i need to do it”. If you were winging it in a previous life then you already have some experience conducting your own experiments… that’s a good place to start using theory then.
Most people are pretty musical, they can come up with a tune in their head and whistle or hum it. Most people inherently understand music structure from many years of listening to it. The biggest problem most people have is getting the music from their head to the instrument or written down and probably not how to use modal interchange and chord substitution.
It all depends what one’s goals are… music theory is great but it doesn’t write a melody any more than grammar writes a book
Thanks!!
Scott does a good analysis of Autumn Leaves on SBL. Modulating from a minor chord to the parallel major is pretty common, like using a Picardy Third to end a song.