Minor Sixth Chord Options in Major Scale.

[DelvisM]

Hello All, 

Love the site.  I've been coming here for a couple of years now and this is the first time that I post.  I have learned so much from all of you and would like to thank you.  (T-block and others)

 I would like to know what Minor vi chord is generally safe to play in common progressions in major scales?. 

This might come across as a dumb question,  but keep in mind that I'm a beginner. 
I know it depends on what the melody calls for and allows,  but I know that they're always a couple of safe options.

The only Minor sixth chord that I tend to play is  vi b7, or vi.
When I try to play vi add 9 in block voicing or open voicings,  it doesn't sound as nice as the other add 9th chords ( I, ii, IV, V)

Can you guys share a couple of minor vi chords and voicing that you use often in the easier progressions? 

I appreciate any feed back,  thank you.

Delvis

[T-Block]

You can use the minor 6th chord in a variety of different ways.

Key C  LH/RH

1. Use it as is:  A / A-C-E

2. Add the 7th and make it a m7 chord:  A /A-C-E-G

3. Pair it with a 2 in the key of C in the bass:  D / A-C-E

4. Pair it with a 4 in the key of C in the bass:  F / A-C-E

5. Pair it with a #4 in the key of C in the bass:  F# / A-C-E

6. Pair it with a 2 and a 4 in the key of C in the bass:  D-F# / A-C-E  or  D / F#-A-C-E

[Blessingss]

Love this topic very much, can we spread it a bit i.e also do the minor ii & iii.

[floaded27]

im confused. was the OP asking how to use the minor 6 triad? or what minor chord voicings can be played on the 6?

[musallio]

Unfortunately I pressed some button I don't know and what I had typed for the past 20 minutes disappeared

In summary, I was explaining to Floaded that there was some ambiguity in the question, but the way that T  answered is the best way to answer [generically, so that one can apply the tools anywhere instead of a specific song.]

Let me give an example:

T said on the 2nd point that you can add a m7:
I had given an example of Majesty by Bishop T.D. Jakes:

eg, Bishop T.D. Jakes' Majesty
in Eb

Cb/F-Ab-Cb-D
C/G-Bb-C-Eb I  [instead of  C/G-C-Eb ]   (to make the chord sound phatter, you can play C-G-Bb/G-Bb-C-Eb)
D/Bb-D-F wor-
Eb/Bb-Eb-G  -ship 
Ab/Eb-(G)-Ab-C   You  etc

Then there are many other subs one can make. For example:
1. Instead of the minor triad, you can play a diminished chord that gives you the melody note on top. In this song's case, that is the Gb dim6 chord:

eg, Bishop T.D. Jakes' Majesty
in Eb

Cb/F-Ab-Cb-D
C/Gb-A-C-Eb I  [instead of  C/G-C-Eb ]   alternatively, you could play Adim/C  [C/A-C-Eb]
D/Bb-D-F wor-
Eb/Bb-Eb-G  -ship 
Ab/Eb-(G)-Ab-C   You  etc

2. You can play a quartal. some quartals are very obvious, some come with practice. I've just discovered that you can sub most chords you play with a quartal. The key is to have the melody note on top [or at least have it somewhere on the quartal. But I prefer to have it on top- much safer. the same with the song example. only that the quartal is not so obvious, but I believe it's there [master teachers, you can correct me if I'm wrong]:

eg, Bishop T.D. Jakes' Majesty
in Eb

Cb/F-Ab-Cb-D
C-G-Bb/Eb-Ab-Bb-Eb I  [instead of  C/G-C-Eb  ]   (quartal 1)
D/Bb-D-F wor-
Eb/Bb-Eb-G  -ship 
Ab/Eb-(G)-Ab-C   You  etc


or

Cb/F-Ab-Cb-D
C-G-C/F-Bb-Eb I  [instead of  C/G-C-Eb  ]   (quartal #2)  or  C/F-Bb-Eb
D/Bb-D-F wor-
Eb/Bb-Eb-G  -ship 
Ab/Eb-(G)-Ab-C   You  etc

I've just been learning how to apply the power of quartals in my playing, it's fun. was it not for time, I would share with the fam how you can easily transform almost any basic triad into a sweet sounding chord by just playing simple quartals.

3. This option is only for special occasions- where you play a major triad instead of the vi chord. It is to be used with caution and chosen correctly for it to have a positive impact.

eg. in the same song, it has been successfully used in a 6-2 progression.. you can practice this progression and fiigure out other areas you can effectively ue it in [I know that in jazz circles they use a major 3 triad very powerfully and I've discovered many songs where I can use it to take the song to the next level.

Here is the 6-2 progression in Majesty:

Bb/Bb-D-F
C/C-E-G
F/C-F-Ab  You are
G/Bb-Eb-G   ro-
Ab/Ab-C-Eb   -yal-
Bb/Bb-D-F -ty    etc

Again, some theory can help you predict what type of subs you can use to get the sound you need.

for example, in the same song above, I could still get away with using the theory of tritones and say, instead of playing C, I can play its tritone partner , so Gb/G-C-Eb. Alternatively, I can take the 7th and 3rd and put it all together, so Gb-Eb/G-C-Eb.

Alternatively, I can use any note of the related diminished chord the bass. So we have used the Gb, C and Eb  [the 6 and 1 bass notes can be used interchangeably most of the time]. The remaining note is the A.
So we have A/G-C-Eb. This is how T got that F# as a bass note in his example. Again, this proves that by teaching generic concepts, you cover a whole lot more than giving a specific example for one song.