{"id":12604,"date":"2016-02-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-28T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hearandplay.com\/main\/?p=12604"},"modified":"2024-10-10T07:40:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T15:40:38","slug":"key-relationships-enharmonic-keys-parallel-keys-relative-keys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearplaymain.wpenginepowered.com\/key-relationships-enharmonic-keys-parallel-keys-relative-keys\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Else Wants To Understand These Key Relationships? (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once you put the concept of key relationships within your grasp, you’ll have an incredibly better understanding of how music works.<\/p>\n

Listening to jazz many years ago and trying to analyze the chords was a difficult feat. This was because although the chord changes were fantastic, I couldn’t fathom the relationship between them.<\/p>\n

Those were the days when a chord movement in the key of C, from the C major sixth chord:
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\n…to the F minor ninth chord:
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\n…would get me wondering why chord 4 (the F minor 9) included Eb and Ab tones:
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\n…despite them not being part of the C major scale.<\/p>\n

After I got familiar with several key relationships, the reverse became the case. I was able to analyze and properly explain the relationship between the chord changes. Story of my life!<\/em><\/p>\n

In this post, we’ll be covering three basic key relationships that can help you understand how all keys are related: enharmonic keys, parallel keys, and relative keys.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Enharmonic Keys<\/h2>\n

The term enharmonic<\/em> is a word that represents the relationship between notes (two or more) that are spelled differently but occupy<\/em> the same finger key on the piano.<\/p>\n

The notes C#:
\n
\n…and Db:
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\n…even though they are spelled differently, occupy the same finger key on the keyboard and, as such, are referred to as enharmonic notes.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the spellings “C#” and “Db” are also referred to as the enharmonic spelling<\/em> of a particular finger key on the piano.<\/p>\n

Keys that are related by this enharmonic relationship<\/em> are known as enharmonic keys. For instance, the major scale in the keys of C# and Db are practically going to utilize the same set of seven notes on the piano, but with different letter name spelling.<\/p>\n

While the C# major scale:
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\n…is spelled C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#, the Db major scale:
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\n…is spelled Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db.<\/p>\n

Here’s some of the major differences between the keys of C# and Db…<\/strong><\/p>\n

The third tone of the C# major scale is E#:
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\n…while the third tone of the Db major scale is F:
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\nE# and F are two different spellings entirely. However, considering that both notes sound alike, it is possible for you to play some C# chords while in the key of Db. This is called enharmonic relationship.<\/p>\n

Application<\/h3>\n

In the key of Db major, where the Gb major triad is chord 4, it’s possible to use a C# dominant seventh chord:
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\n…as a passing chord to the Gb major triad:
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\n“What is the relationship between C# dominant seventh and Gb major triad?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Although there’s no C# tone:
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\n…in the Db major scale:
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\nThe C# dominant seventh chord is chord 1 in the key of C# major, and it has an enharmonic relationship with the key of Db major.<\/p>\n

(Note: Realize that most would reference and spell this chord in the key of Db as a Db7. However, there are much more practical places in the key of Db where you might want to use tones from the C# major scale. Think about the b6 tone (flatted 6). Would you rather explain to someone that you’re playing a Bbb diminished 7 (B double flat diminished seventh) or simply reference it as an A diminished 7? Believe it or not, this passing chord is very popular on the b6 degree and most would take the easier enharmonic spelling for simplicity’s sake.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Parallel Keys
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

In music, there are two key centers (aka – “tonalities<\/a>“) – the major key and the minor key.<\/p>\n

C major vs C minor:
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\nDb major vs Db minor:
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\nD major vs D minor:
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\nEb major vs Eb minor:
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\nE major vs E minor:
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\n…and so on and so forth.<\/p>\n

There are 24 keys in music (if you do the math), considering that every finger key (aka – “pitch class<\/a>“) on the keyboard has its major and minor key.<\/p>\n

There is a parallel relationship between a major key and minor key that share the same tonic (first tone of the scale). For example, the C major scale:
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\n…and the C minor scale:
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\n…are two two different scales, however, they are said to be in parallel relationship because the first tone (aka – “tonic”) of both scales is C.<\/p>\n

Remember that parallel lines never meet…<\/strong><\/p>\n

The C major and minor keys are two parallel lines that never meet.<\/p>\n

While the C major scale consists of all white notes from C to C:
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\n…the C minor scale:
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\n…consists of three flats:<\/p>\n