5190 / 18210 · Workshop 35 — “Stella by Starlight”: Ambiguous Function, Deceptive Resolutions, Local Key Centers, and Navigating When the Harmony Refuses to Behave← prev⊞ allnext →
35.7Smoothness can override expected function
Your ear accepts a lot of harmonic surprise if:
- common tones remain
- voices move by semitone
- melody fits
- bass line is convincing
This is why guide-tone thinking is often more useful than insisting on one Roman-numeral explanation.