By the same token,will a B flat chord be permissible in a song with C key?

Question

C key meanng C major.

Answer 1

C major will remain C major so long as you have the essential chords which define that key. The strongest chords being F major (the IV chord in C major), and G major (the V chord in C major). These chords should also frequently resolve into the home key to emphasize C major: e.g. IV going to I, or the reverse, and V going to I, or the reverse).

Any chord can resolve into any other chord so long as the resolution is smooth.

One Example:
Now because Bb is not a scale degree of C major, one may interpret a Bb major chord to be a sort of "flavor" chord. However, if you want this chord to have some sort of function, meaning that it's not just written in a piece of music for its own sake, but rather because you want it to have harmonic importance in the scheme of your progression, a suggested use of a Bb major chord in the key of C would something like this:

Bb (Bb, D, F) goes to C7 (C, E, G, Bb) which goes to F (F, A, C) which resolves back to C major (C, E, G).

(The chord members are written in parenthesis for your convenience.)
This is perhaps the smoothest use of a Bb Major key which maintains the strongest perception of C major. The Bb note is a chord member of a V7/IV chord (the CEGBb chord mentioned above, a.k.a. the dominant seventh chord of F). Because the movement of the third (D) and the fifth (F) of a Bb Maj chord resolves smoothly into the chord members of the V7/IV chord (CEGBb), you become easily drawn to F major, and as mentioned earlier, F major goes nicely into defining C major.

Another Example:
You could also interpret a Bb Major chord in the key of C to function as a momentary key change (modulation) away from C major. In one case, Bb Major could be the dominant chord (the V chord) of Eb Major! If you want to emphasize C major, but now find yourself in Eb Major because of the use of this chord, this progression leads you back to C major:

Bb (Bb D F) goes to Eb (Eb G Bb) goes to the V7 (G7) chord of C major (G B D F) which then returns to the tonic C major (C E G), the I chord.

In functional harmonic notation, this is indicated symbolically as:
Eb: V I C: V7 I. The V7 (G7, or dominant chord) of C major has such a strong polarity towards C major that one need only insert it into a piece of music to move the key toward a certain direction. If you want to move any piece of music to any key, even to a distant key, just add the dominant (V) chord of the key, followed immediately by the tonic (home) key, the I chord.

If these harmonic progressions are "too safe," just bear in mind that any chord can resolve into any other chord so long as the movement is smooth (and if your intent is to write music which progresses smoothly). Having a Bb Major chord in a C major piece is fine, but just remember that for your music to remain in C major, it has to be full of F major, and G major going to the C major home key (tonic).

Certainly there are other ways of emphasizing C major. Two other moderately strong routes being:
1. D minor 7b (D F A C) going directly to C major
2. D major 7b (D F# A C) going directly to C major then to G major.

But the IV and V chords (or F major, and G major respectively) have the strongest polarity suggesting the home key.

Answer 2

Yes.

B-flat in C Major is the same as having F in G Major.

Any chords and notes that are common to a minor key are also common to its parallel major key.

IE> C minor consist of the scale:

C, D, E-flat, F, G, A-flat, B-flat, C

All those tones and their respective chords are permissible and common in C Major as well.

Answer 3

Yes... B flat chord is certainly permissable in a song in the key of C...
Dude, get yourself a book on guitar theory... It will show you all the relative chords for ANY key...

Answer 4

Yes. Any chord can sound good in any key. It all depends on the effect you are going for. It is all determined by how you set it up and then how you resolve it. Experiment with it until you find a sound that you like.

Answer 5

Yes. Any chord, when properly modulated, can be injected with any key. As an example, strike a Bb, then an F and back to C. It still sounds like home, doesn't it?

Answer 6

Everything is allowed in music. It s a free art. Music theory is about describing music for what it is and labelling the different musical sounds that we can create. It s not a set of arbitrary rules that are there to shape the music.

Here is a video that explains what I m trying to say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49alQj7c5ps

And for the record: A song based on the key of C with a flatted B can be classified as a piece composed in the mixolydian mode (there are exceptions, but it is rather common. Here is a video of a jazz pianist explaining the mixolydian modes as well as the other modes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF47dr8sVyE

Remember that music does not need to sound pleasant . It can sound however you wish for it to sound. Music can be used to create tension, excitement, relaxation, sadness, joy, anger and countless other emotions. Here is another video that explains the use of dissonance to create interesting effects (it s long, but worth the watch!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPypnrXR8iQ

Maybe not something you want in your itunes library, but have a listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwNAwkulMF0

In this particular song, the composer uses all kinds of different musical effects to create a soundscape of fear. It could be used in a horror film for example.

Now keep that in mind next time you re working on a piece of music and remember; If it sounds good, it is good.

Answer 7

Yes, of course! It may be used as a substitute V7 (instead of a G7)!

Answer 8

yes it would....any chord is permissable in any song in any key....

Answer 9

Yes.