Chord Suggestions

Sinister Chords

– “Sinister” can be just the way one Chord Sounds on its own 

– for Example Major Augmented Chords with Notes C, E, G# with an Added Major Seventh or Minor Seventh (B or Bb) 

– or Minor Augmented Chords with Major Sevenths with Notes C, Eb, G#, B = Crunchy 

– Notice that an Minor Augmentation Results in a Major Starting with the “Augmented” Note, for Example C Minor Augmented (C,Eb,G#) is  G# Major (G#,C, Eb)

– Parallel Minor Triad Progressions built over a Diminished Triad are Great for Sinister Tracks

Example in the key of a-minor: a – c – e(flat) – g(flat)

– Another thing to Evoke a “Sinister” or “Epic” Vibe is to Remain for a Short Time in an Ambiguous Mode using 4ths and 5ths

– in other words avoid that 3rd Scale Degree which defines Major/Minor or only pass through it briefly (when the Minor Chord finally Kicks in, it’s Epic and Sinister)

– It’s also Effective to Remain for a Short Time in a Major Key… conjure a Moment of Lightness / Hope, before Dashing it with a Huge Minor Chord propelling the Listener into Darkness and Despair 

– Without a Tremendous amount of Harmonic Movement, a Dark and Sinister feel is achieved through Subtle use of Chromaticism and (Implied) Diminished/Augmented Triads built over Major, Natural Minor, and Whole-Tone Scales 

Three Chords often used for Epic Progressions

– in Music Theory the 3 Chords are i – VII – VI in Minor (Aeolian) or I -II – iii in Major (Hypolydian)

– or in Key F Major = Bb – C – Dm

– or in C Minor = Cm – Bb – Ab

– usually, these follow a Set of Patterns

Starting on Major (Hypolydian)

▪ Upwards and Down, I – II – iii – II

▪ Upwards and Stop, I – II – iii – iii

▪ Upwards and Substitute, I – II – iii – vii* (also, V or vi (Uncommon)

▪ Upwards Jump and Down, I – iii – II – vii

Starting on Minor (Aeolian)

▪ Downwards and Up, i – VII- VI – VII

▪ Downwards and Stop, i – VII – VI – VI

▪ Downwards and on, i – VII – VI – v* (also, V or iv (Uncommon)

▪ Downwards Jump and Up, i – VI – VII – v* (also, V or III)

Moving Triads in Thirds (Chromatic Mediants)

– Play a Cm to Em for Example – where E Note is the Major 3rd Step in C Major 

– or A Major to C Major and back (C being the Minor 3rd of A)

– this includes also a Half-Step “Tension” when Inverted the Chords Change (in Example Cm to Em either play with Eb and D along with Cm or Eb to E along with Em)

– can also be used for Cadence or Suspension – keeping C in the bass I would move between C and Ab major where Ab “acts” as a altered V Chord