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I have the following progression (using F-minor scale): Cmajor > D# Sus2 > A# sus2 > F sus2 > D# Sus2.

Initially, the Cmajor was a Cmin...but I didn't like how it sounded or transitioned. So I changed that chord to minor.

Is this okay? No scale (I could find) contains those chords.

Mike Barwick
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    If you are basing the progression off of F minor, you relly should use flats to name the chords so instead of C - D#sus2 - A#sus2 - Fsus2- D#sus2, it would make more sense as C - Ebsus2 - Bbsus2 - Fsus2- Ebsus2. – Dom Mar 28 '20 at 05:30
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    Of course it's o.k. Why shouldn't it be o.k? There are so many questions here similar to this, that seem to be based on the presumption that a key must only contain diatonic notes.(As, in fact, this example does!) We are all aware that this just isn't the case in reality. Who is it that keeps on revitalising this myth? And, why? – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 06:23
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    You're using the word "scale" where you should be using *key.* – phoog Mar 28 '20 at 12:41
  • It would be so much easier to read if you used *flats* for F minor - key signature of four flats - Eb Bb F are easy to read descending fourths. A# to F is a descending _augmented third_ why make it so hard to read? – Michael Curtis Mar 30 '20 at 16:42

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If you are basing your harmony off of F minor, this chord progression makes a lot of sense especially wanting to use C major instead of C minor. This is very rooted in the traditional study of harmony by weaving though the 3 minor scales which are F natural minor, F harmonic minor, and F melodic minor which gives the following sets of notes:

F natrual minor            - F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
F harmonic minor           - F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E  F
F melodic minor (asending) - F G A♭ B♭ C D  E  F

This is a very common scenario when dealing with minor keys and is very traditional in nature. I suggest reading up more on the different types of minor scales to get a better grasp on how they are used:

As a closing note, not everything needs to be contain in one scale and you'll find a lot of the more colorful progressions venture pretty far outside of just one set of scales that defines them.

Dom
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    True, the whole point in using *chromatic* notes does make it more *colourful* - hence the name..! – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 06:19
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No scale (I could find) contains those chords.

Well, one scale that definitely contains those chords is the chromatic (12-tone) scale. You're free to use all those notes in whatever way you want!

It's also likely that there's a way to see your progression in terms of diatonic scales too, if that's important to you. But to answer your question directly, If you like the sound of something, it's okay.

Нет войне
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    Could OP be confusing *scale* with *key*? – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 07:49
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    @Tim well, they're not universally thought of as particularly different concepts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(music) - "the key of a piece is the group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a music composition". I don't think that's a very useful definition, but then I don't think keys are a very useful concept... – Нет войне Mar 28 '20 at 07:56
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    It sort of gets round the issue with that phrase. Some of the problem with that is in a *minor* **key** there are several different 'groups of pitches', and if we include minor modes, the plot thickens... It's quite a grey area, and I don't think there's any clear-cut solution to define any further. Or is there? – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 08:09
  • @Tim To me 'key' means something like "tonality defined in terms of major and minor scales". Which becomes messy quickly, given that we often want to go outside of the major or natural minor scale. Never been a fan. I'd much rather that *key* just meant " + ", so you could talk about 'the key of C blues' or 'the key of D Dorian'. It would be good if we didn't have to use the word 'minor' to mean both the natural minor, and also all the different groups of pitches you mention.... – Нет войне Mar 28 '20 at 08:55
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    'Key' can be an important factor, to me at least. When I'm sitting in or jamming with a band, the most important thing to know is the 'key' of the next piece. Often signed using fingers (which most other people don't seem to be aware of!), but even that doesn't tell me if it's A or A minor. From that info - basically as you say, the tonic or root - I can usually work out what chords are likely to be needed. – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 09:04
  • @Tim well sure, we need something to do that job of indicating the basic tonality, but I don't think keys as they tend to be used are the best possible tool for that job. Saying that a piece is in 'A major' when it's actually A blues-mixolydian crossover, or 'A minor' when the tonality is actually Dorian, isn't very helpful - it can seem like a dumbing-down of tonality. – Нет войне Mar 28 '20 at 10:34
  • The problem may be more with modal stuff, as to me something in A Dorian, whilst yes, minor, would have a key sig. of 1#. So, still could be G or Em, so a check along the rest of the piece, and the final chord, gives enough clarity - usually (with tonal stuff - atonal can't count here!). – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 11:02
  • @Tim ...though of course when jamming, the final chord might come a bit late! – Нет войне Mar 28 '20 at 11:11
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    Ha ha ha! It often does! Although half the time we never know *when*. I actually referred to dots, which are raely forthcoming at jam sessions! – Tim Mar 28 '20 at 11:18
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Write the enharmonic equivalents of D# and A# (=Eb and Bb).

Then you have the progression V-bVII-IV-I. Eb is a borrowed chord of f-minor. (As the other chords are are sus4 we even don’t know whether they’re major or minor. But if you are soloing in f-minor, it will be f- minor - or you have blue notes in mind ...).

Is this o.k.?

Every pthing is o.k. that sounds fine.

Albrecht Hügli
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If your root note is C, you could play the flamenco scale. Basically phrygian with an added major 3rd. If your root note is F, you can use a mix of harmonic and melodic minor. Anything is ok if you like the sound, there is no music police who will arrest you ;-)

Gregorian70
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