Garlic Owl

Hey guys, I'm new to learning theory and I came across a chord progression in the key of Eb major and in the progression there is one part where it goes from (Abmaj7 which I understand why it is going to be major since it is the 4th note in the key of Eb major) to a Dm7b5 G7. Why does the G7 work in this progression? Is it because G is the phrygian mode? Would anyone care to explain it to me? Thank you

J-Dawg158

What's the full chord progression / song?

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mdc

It's ii-V'ing it's way in to something, it may be interrupted, though...

Study cadences, minor tonality.... and Jazz, young tenderfoot.

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Sweet

Garlic Owl

Sorry, I had just edited it, I left out the chord in between the Abmaj7 and the G7.

The progression is:

Abmaj7 - Dm7b5 - G7sus4 - G7

then there is a section where it is

Cmin7 - Bbmin7 - Abmaj13

mdc

Yep, D - G chords is just a way of extending the progression out a little further. It temporarily tonicizes the Cm chord.

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MaggaraMarine

Well, are you sure that's in Eb major? I don't see any Eb chords so it might not be in Eb major. If the progression doesn't resolve to Eb, it's not in Eb. But about that G in Eb major. The G7 chord is the V chord in the relative minor of Eb (C minor). It's very commonly used. And the first progression sounds more like it was in C minor.

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Garlic Owl

Oh ok, what determines the key of a progression if the resolution isn't on the I chord? Also what key would the 2nd section be considered?

:-D

an owl served with garlic as food or an owl made of garlic?

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Xiaoxi

Key is really a concept of hierarchy within a harmonic structure. Even though there's a main dominant - tonic object, that does not mean it's the only one within a key, just that it's the CENTRAL one. But all the phenomenons that are attributed to the tonic can also be attributed to ALL harmony surrounding the tonic.

You're thinking about this the wrong way in that you're fixated on diatonicism...that is every harmony has to fit nice and neatly into the harmonic system made up of the 7 diatonic notes. Music in reality doesn't work this way. Diatonicism is a merely a backdrop and allows for contrast, tension, and development, which is where chromaticism comes in.

I don't really care what key you're trying to find. But consider that the G7 is a dominant functioning harmony, and it is typical that a subdominant functioning harmony precedes it...that subdominant in this case is the D-7b5.

Also don't bother trying to pinpoint what mode/scale each harmony belongs to. It is utterly pointless.

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stringzzz

All of these chords would fall nicely into C harmonic minor, with the exception of Bb min7.

G7sus4, I would look at as a sub(stitution) for the Dmin7b5. They are almost the same chord.

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Xiaoxi

C harmonic minor is not a key

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Modes and scales are dumb and useless. Stop learning them. No, seriously.

Analyzing Brahms: Insights to Help Us Improve Our Music

Nelsean attempting to pronounce my name lol

I got Last.fm. Don't know why...

stringzzz

Okay, but the harmonized C harmonic minor will give you these chords.

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:-D

ts could you answer my question please

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Garlic Owl

Yeah, I usually don't care what scale/mode each harmony belongs to. I just find what notes work in the progression and go from there. Thanks everyone for the input.

@:-D, owl made of garlic.

:-D

thank you

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mdc

I love garlic.

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Sleepy__Head

I love owls.

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J-Dawg158

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GoldenGuitar

This is standard Jazz harmony, many tunes use this kind of progression
So it starts on
AbMaj7, then the composer shoved a minor ii-V7 in the Key of C minor, Dm7b5 - G7. The G7sus4 is just a suspension that leads the G7 smoothly.
Then from C minor, the Bbmin7 is just used to lead into a I smoothly (AbMaj13 with a natural 11). In bop harmony the 11th is usually raised because it is an 'avoid' note (but there are no such things as those), and that could usually imply that it is functioning as a IV chord, but since in this case the 11th is deliberately left natural to imply a I. But I don't know what period this piece is from, so what I'm telling you is just a guess.