Workshop 26 mini-test

1. What makes Cm(maj7) emotionally different from Cm7?

2. What is B°7 relative to G7♭9?

3. Why can diminished harmony sound highly directional rather than merely dissonant?

4. What are the three especially useful altered colors over G7 into C minor?

5. What does E♭ become when held from G7♭13 into Cm?

6. What happens when B is held from G7 into Cm before resolving?

7. Why does a chromatic melody note not necessarily require a new chord?

8. Why should altered notes usually be connected to a destination?

9. What should you often reduce when the melody itself contains strong chromatic tension?

10. What is the deepest lesson of Workshop 26?

Answers

1. Cm(maj7) contains B natural, a leading tone only a half-step below C, so tonic itself contains unresolved tension; Cm7 contains the more relaxed B♭.
2. B°7 is the rootless upper structure of G7♭9.
3. Its notes commonly move by semitone or step into stable chord tones, so the ear hears concentrated resolution pressure.
4. ♭9 = A♭, ♯9 = B♭, ♭13 = E♭.
5. It changes from ♭13 of G7 into the minor 3rd of Cm, without needing to move.
6. B changes from the 3rd of G7 to the major 7th of Cm, then finally resolves B→C.
7. It may simply function horizontally as a passing tone, neighbor, suspension, or appoggiatura over an unchanged underlying harmony.
8. Because destination transforms chromaticism from arbitrary “outside” notes into perceptible tension and resolution.
9. Inner-voicing density. Let the chromatic melody remain audible.
10. Dissonance becomes beautiful when the listener can hear what every important tension is leaning toward.

The central lesson of Workshop 26 is:

A chromatic note is not expressive because it is unusual. It becomes expressive because of the journey from tension to destination.