Using the minor five (v) in a Major scale

[Chiwalker]

After I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire in the movie theater, the song Jai Ho stuck in my head for quite some time after (I had heard it before, but was re-enlightened thanks to the movie).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjN_q8feoa4

:48 - 1:03 is the progression that made this song stick with me.

After fidgeting around I labeled it as (what I think to be) a I - v - IV - V progression.

That Gminor chord in the middle of the C major progression really puts a cool Belizian breeze down my spine.

Anyone know any other songs that have a similar feeling?

[zircon]

Very cool track - and a great progression. I-v is pretty common, actually. Off the top of my head, "Clocks" by Coldplay uses it.

Bladiator also used it a bit in the first part of his piano arrangement featured on Voices of the Lifestream, "The Golden Ivories of Gaia".

http://ocremix.dreamhosters.com/songs/ff7/MP3/4-10%20Bladiator%20-%20The%20Golden%20Ivories%20of%20Gaia%20(Various%20Themes).mp3

For example, :31-:33.

[po!]

first thing that came to my head was Setzer's theme from Final Fantasy 6, the slow one with guitar intro... forgot what it was called

[DrumUltimA]

rock on minor v \m/

[Kizyr]

My favorite thing about the video is how it looks like Dev Patel clearly doesn't do much dancing.

That one progression stands out the most, and the bit where it's used is the first part that comes to mind when I think of the song, too. Didn't really realize it 'til having it pointed out, either. KF

[prophetik music]

After fidgeting around I labeled it as (what I think to be) a I - v - IV - V progression.

try a ii instead of a IV, and i think you'll find it fits way better. the minor V works really well in this song because it's the equivalent of doing a i-V-I progression - a picardy third, if you will. for what it's worth, i don't think it's really a minor V chord, i think it's a ii sus chord with the sus in the bass. there really isn't a classical way to write that because it'd break so damn many rules, but it sounds cool - it's popular in modern music only, you'd never see it in traditional writing.

for a guitarist, it'd look like this: B C#sus/F# C#m F#.

B D# F#

F# C# F# G#

C# E G# C# (might be a seven in there, i can't quite hear it)

F# A# C# F#

[CarnCarby]

Minor v in the major mode has a pretty solid presence in sci-fi soundtracks as well. Star Trek: TNG and Seaquest are two themes that leap to mind.

[Dhsu]

first thing that came to my head was Setzer's theme from Final Fantasy 6, the slow one with guitar intro... forgot what it was called

"Epitaph"?

[Moseph]

try a ii instead of a IV, and i think you'll find it fits way better. the minor V works really well in this song because it's the equivalent of doing a i-V-I progression - a picardy third, if you will. for what it's worth, i don't think it's really a minor V chord, i think it's a ii sus chord with the sus in the bass. there really isn't a classical way to write that because it'd break so damn many rules, but it sounds cool - it's popular in modern music only, you'd never see it in traditional writing.

for a guitarist, it'd look like this: B C#sus/F# C#m F#.

B D# F#

F# C# F# G#

C# E G# C# (might be a seven in there, i can't quite hear it)

F# A# C# F#

One could make the case that the minor v is functioning like the the upper three notes of a V9/IV, resolving deceptively to ii. That's how the voice leading would work, anyway (although voice leading isn't really happening in this case). Obviously, B and C# (the lower two members of the hypothetical V9/IV) aren't present, but they were there in the previous chord.

Weird sidenote -- that Youtube vid is tuned down a half-step from the soundtrack CD.

EDIT: Another way of looking at it: In the context of B major, we expect A-sharp to resolve up to B and A-natural to resolve down to G-sharp. In the case of this minor v, the A-natural resolves to G-sharp (in the ii) just as we expect it to.

[po!]

"Epitaph"?

yea Epitaph, this thang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hwnlkf7krY

[spacepony]

I Don't normally dabble in the old theory threads, but I thought I might for a change, because this is a really nice track. The way I hear it:

B

and what a great way to introduce this section, coming from G#mi - a wonderful uplifting sound

F#mi

love the string arrangement in this part

C#mi(add9)

(add9) as a consequence of the melody, try C# - E - G# - D#

F#

the 3rd, (A#), isn't very prominent to my ears, but it definitely has a major feel to it

Its always interesting to see how others interpret this stuff. I've enjoyed reading this thread.

[Chiwalker]

Weird sidenote -- that Youtube vid is tuned down a half-step from the soundtrack CD.

Yeah, I just noticed after you pointed that out - my Cmaj to Gmin is for the song that I have...not the youtube vid

Now everyone thinks I'm tone deaf

try a ii instead of a IV

Yeah it sounds much better with the ii first three chords, but if you play the major IV over the ii (so like C# E G# then I think that is the right feeling.

C#mi(add9)

(add9) as a consequence of the melody, try C# - E - G# - D#

I also definetely hear that D#....so maybe it is C# E G# B D# : whoah

[Chiwalker]

I hate to bring up old threads but....

Donkey Kong - Crystal Caves...WHY DIDN'T ANYONE MENTION THIS!!!!!!

I got so excited when I was playin it on the keys and found out this as part of the progression - then it goes to Ab Maj which is so beautiful b/c it's like Fmin7 without the F and holy shit music is too good.

[Platinum Azure]

Huh. I should listen to some of these... I've heard a lot of i-V but not so much I-v. I bet it sounds all kinds of interesting.