From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2013 #1216 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe:mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Website:http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Tuesday, August 27 2013 Volume 2013 : Number 1216 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Minor chords [Dave Blackburn ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 07:40:50 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Minor chords Jim, and others, comment on Joni's use of minor chords from time to time and the music teacher in me goes "ooh, ooh, ooh!" If I may... What she often employed, like Lennon and McCartney and numerous other songsmiths is the use of the Parallel Minor in the context of a major key song. For example a song in the key of E using chords native (diatonic) to E major could employ an Eminor chord (the parallel minor means the root note is the same but the tonality changes.) This creates a pronounced mood shift. The ear accepts the transition readily as the tonic note has not changed: only the tonality or mood. I Had a King is a good example, as is My Old Man ("He's a dancer in the DA-RK.") The Dawntreader does it the other way - going to the parallel major chord (D) in a song that establishes itself in a minor key (Dmin). McCartney's Michelle and Penny Lane are some more fine examples of the technique. Joni innately understood the emotional pull of certain chords and voicings, for which she is duly praised, and she employed interesting harmony with great taste as she does most things. As we know, her theory knowledge was and maybe still is pretty scant but her ear led her to use techniques like Parallel Minor/Parallel Major interchange because they are effective. She does similar things with rhythm, introducing odd meter bars in the context of even meter compositions, and uneven phrase lengths, but that topic is for another post! Dave ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2013 #1216 ****************************** ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------