NoMinor1

NoMinor1 - Welcome to Nominor1 GLORY.

There’s NoSuchThingAsMinor1.

It’s 6, 3 or 2.

It’s all about parallel motion, Cmaj to Cmin, 6 of Ebmaj. It’s the relative motion but in the parallel key. 6, 3, or 2 of the parallel minor keys: Ebmaj, Abmaj, Bbmaj, respectively. We constantly borrow from the 1, 4, & 5 keys, even ‘in minor.’ Minor 2 5 1’s = 7 3 6.

::::: In my opinion there is no such thing as imin!

I know the jazz police are gonna come after me but who cares! Rather than imin, you end up hearing it as a vimin MOST of the time, aka relative minor. The other two options are from the iimin or the iiimin which are not as common and when it does happens (refer to minor 2 5 1 lecture) it is mimicing a vi chord from the perspective of IV and V key or chord. It's BLUES!

Remember, ii is the relative minor (vi) of IV and iii is the vi of V. Therefore, doing a minor 2 5 1 to those keys are gonna sound really nice since it is only a fourth away in each direction subdominant and dominant.

For example, a song like 'Summertime,' which is in a 'minor key' is really playing from the vimin or relative minor. Notice how when on the bandstand and someone calls a minor tune but only says 'A' instead of A minor, the next question is always A major or Aminor? This is exactly what I mean. You have to clarify my exact point. Are we playing from the Imaj or are we playing from the vimin?

Now take a minor blues. We are all taught that a minor blues is imin ivmin bVI7 V7 imin. Now I’m not saying you can't hear it like this! I just think it is helpful to clarify what your ear is actually hearing. Your ear is hearing vimin iimin IV7 III7 vimin. That's what a minor blues is playing from!

Now take something like 'You Don't Know What Love Is.' This is a perfect example of a tune that is from the perspective of vimin (Fmin). Then the bridge goes to Abmaj (Imaj) which is the relative major of Fmin (vimin).

Another great tune to show this is 'Black Orpheus.' This is a classic minor song and is really playing from the vimin. Halfway through first A section you resolve to the true Imaj (Cmaj). Then the second half of the tune goes to the iimin (Dmin).

'Besame Mucho' is another great tune that is in minor and never goes to the relative major of Imaj chord. Despite this, you can still really hear how this tune is from the perspective of the vimin chord. Relative minor (vi) is a strong sound and sounds like imin, and it is, but I think it is more beneficial to hear this as the vi chord. This way you are hearing it as a imin AND vimin chord. It is important to hear ‘minor tunes’ from this perspective so that you are truly hearing the harmony in the right way and can then improvise to the full extent of the harmony.

Now it is important to realize that when your ear hears vimin then iimin it has the exact same root motion as imin ivmin. This is exactly true, but in my opinion should ALSO be heard from the perspective of vimin going to iimin.

There are a lot of other options of tunes that are good examples of this idea and I will add them to this lecture in time.

Really look at minor tunes and MORE IMPORTANTLY, hear them from the vimin. You'll start to see that all the tunes that are in minor are playing from the vi chord.

Tunes: How Deep Is The Ocean, Summertime, You Don't Know What Love Is, Black Orpheus, Autumn Leaves, Sno Peas, Segment, Mr. P.C., Cantaloupe Island, Afro Blue, I Hear A Rhapsody, Gibraltar, Lullaby Of The Leaves, Everybody Loves The Sunshine By Roy Ayers, Nica's Dream, Daahoud, The Way by Jill Scott, It's Love by Jill Scott, Rock On by Gregory Isaacs.

'Slow Down' by Skip Marley and HER is a great example of a tune that is playing from a Bmin (vimin) aka Dmaj (Imaj) perspective but the chords in the actual song go iiimin to iimin ( F#min to Emin). Take a look at the melody and notice how it is all in Dmaj or Bmin aeolian and focuses on the C# over the F#min giving it this really nice overall sound of Bmin9 but never really going there. I love this kind of play with harmony and melody as it gives it this really unique sound and our ear loves it. Thought this was a nice example of a tune that NEVER goes to the relative minor aka vimin (imin).

'So What' by Miles Davis is an example of a tune that is NOT from the vimin and is instead very dorian or the iimin7 chord. Another way to hear 'Autumn Leaves' is that is starts on the iimin7!

'All Blues' is a great example of how a blues is both major (Imaj = Gmaj) and minor (vimin = Gmin). It even does the minor blues turnaround by going Eb7 to D7. Be sure to watch the 'blues' Lecture and video. Our ear hears blues as both from Gmaj in this case and Gmin or vimin of Bbmaj known as Aeolian. This is the essence of the blues and hearing minor in the right way.

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Nominor Summary

NoMinor1 Motion: A Comprehensive Summary of the Theory

The NoMinor1 theory (also known as "There's NoSuchThingAsMinor1") reinterprets all music through the major scale's lens, rejecting the notion of independent "minor keys" or a true "i minor" chord. Instead, minor tonalities are always derived from the 6th (Aeolian, vi min—most common), 3rd (Phrygian, iii min), or 2nd (Dorian, ii min) modes of parallel major keys. This "parallel motion" views minor elements as borrowings from parallel minors (e.g., C major to C minor, where C minor is the vi of Eb major). It extends the traditional relative minor concept but applies it in parallel fashion, constantly borrowing from the I, IV, and V keys—even in so-called "minor" contexts. The blues exemplifies this, blending major and minor to highlight that "minor" is an illusion of parallel shifts, with the b6 interval as the "gateway to parallel minor."

Eliminating "i Minor": It's Always vi, iii, or ii

At its core, the theory asserts there's no standalone "i min"—it's perceived as vi min (relative minor) most often, mimicking a "minor key" sound but rooted in the major key's vi chord. Less commonly, it manifests as ii min or iii min, which act as vi chords from the IV or V perspectives (ii is vi of IV; iii is vi of V). This creates smooth resolutions a fourth away (subdominant or dominant directions), enhancing harmonic flow. Hearing "minor tunes" from the vi min perspective allows for fuller improvisation, as it unifies the sound as both "i min" and vi min, revealing the true harmony.

- Root Motion Insight: Progressions like vi min to ii min have the same root movement as i min to iv min, but should also be heard from the vi-to-ii viewpoint for deeper understanding- a tradition minor blues like Mr. P.C is a good example.

Blues as the Foundation

Blues harmony and mentality underscores this: C major blues mixes C major and C minor notes, borrowing from parallels like Eb major (6th), Ab major (3rd), and Bb major (2nd)—aligning with I-IV-V. "Minor blues" (e.g., i min - iv min - bVI7 - V7 - i min) is reinterpreted as vi min - ii min - IV7 - III7 - vi min, emphasizing the vi perspective. All Blues (in G) blends G major (I maj) and G minor (vi min of Bb major, Aeolian), with a minor turnaround (Eb7 - D7) borrowing the b6 dominant

Reinterpreting Minor ii-V-i as viiø7-III7-vi

Minor ii-V-i progressions are reframed as viiø7-III7-vimin7 in a major key, derived from parallel borrowings:

- In C major: Bm7b5 - E7 - Am7 (to vi min) borrows the b6 (G#/Ab) from C Aeolian (vi of Eb major).

- To iii min (Em): F#m7b5 - B7b9 - Em7, as viiø7-III7-vi m7 in G major (V key).

- To ii min (Dm): Em7b5 - A7b9 - Dm7, as viiø7-III7-vi m7 in F major (IV key).

This "Min3rd motion" (minor-third cycles) mirrors relative minor relationships but via parallels from I, IV, V.

True Phrygian and True Lydian: Borrowings from the Subdominant (IV)

Extending the parallel borrowing concept, "True Phrygian" is often experienced from the vi min7 perspective (not always, but frequently), rather than as a standalone mode. Common progressions involve vi min7 to bVII maj#11 (e.g., in Eb major: Cmin7 - Dbmaj7#11, as in Blue Bossa). While Phrygian is the 3rd mode of a major scale, it's borrowed from the subdominant (IV) key—not the home key.

- Why It Works: In Eb major, C Phrygian (over Cmin7 - Dbmaj7#11) fits all notes of Eb major except Db (the b7). C Phrygian is the 3rd mode of Ab major (the IV of Eb major), differing by just one note (Db/b7—a blues borrowing). Harmonizing Db with a major chord (Dbmaj7#11) sounds great because the #11 (G) is Eb major's 3rd, aligning with Lydian from Ab major (Db as IV mode).

- Dual Perspective: This overlays harmony from the IV key, yielding Phrygian from Cmin (iii of Ab maj, or Aeolian b2 from vi min viewpoint) and Lydian from Dbmaj7#11 (IV of Ab maj). Phrygian as "Aeolian b2" reinforces its minor sound (vi min = Aeolian) with a borrowed b2 (b7 of home key, blues essence).

- True Application: Borrowing from IV (a fourth away) introduces minimal change (one note), creating the authentic "True Phrygian" sound from vi min, paired with "True Lydian" on the bVIImaj#11. This blues-inspired shift enhances modal interplay within the home major key.

True Phrygian and True Lydian: Borrowings from the Subdominant (IV)

Extending the parallel borrowing concept, "True Phrygian" is often experienced from the vi min7 perspective (not always, but frequently), rather than as a standalone mode. Common progressions involve vi min7 to bVII maj#11 (e.g., in Eb major: Cmin7 - Dbmaj7#11, as in Blue Bossa). While Phrygian is the 3rd mode of a major scale, it's borrowed from the subdominant (IV) key—not the home key.

• Why It Works: In Eb major, C Phrygian (over Cmin7 - Dbmaj7#11) fits all notes of Eb major except Db (the b7). C Phrygian is the 3rd mode of Ab major (the IV of Eb major), differing by just one note (Db/b7—a blues borrowing). Harmonizing Db with a major chord (Dbmaj7#11) sounds great because the #11 (G) is Eb major's 3rd, aligning with Lydian from Ab major (Db as IV mode).

• Dual Perspective: This overlays harmony from the IV key, yielding Phrygian from Cmin (iii of Ab maj, or Aeolian b2 from vi min viewpoint) and Lydian from Dbmaj7#11 (IV of Ab maj). Phrygian as "Aeolian b2" reinforces its minor sound (vi min = Aeolian) with a borrowed b2 (b7 of home key, blues essence).

• True Application: Borrowing from IV (a fourth away) introduces minimal change (one note), creating the authentic "True Phrygian" sound from vi min, paired with "True Lydian" on the bVII. This blues-inspired shift enhances modal interplay within the home major key.

The b6 as the Gateway to Parallel Minor

Central to the theory is the b6 note—one of the most overlooked yet crucial elements in music, serving as the "gateway to parallel minor." It creates tension, enables borrowings, and generates what are called "MONEY CHORDS"—rich, evocative harmonies that blend major and minor worlds. By introducing the b6 into a major key, it unlocks over 26 harmonic possibilities (so far identified), transforming diatonic chords into exotic extensions. Key examples include:

• bIImaj7, bII7

• iiø7, II7b5

• biiimin11, biiiø7, bIII7sus4

• IIImaj7, III7

• ivmin, ivº7, IVmaj (with b6 altering the subdominant)

• #IV9, #ivmin9

• V7b9

• bVImaj7#11, bvimin7, bVI7, bviº7

• VImaj7, vimin(Ma7)

• bVII7#11

• viiø7, viiº7

• Imaj7#5, I7#5 (augmented dominants via b6)

The b6 derives chords like bIImaj7, iiø7, III7, ivmin, V7b9, and bVII7#11, emphasizing its role in secondary dominants, half-diminished, and borrowed minors. Applications are melodic (b6 in the tune's melody for direct impact) or harmonic (b6 in chords without melodic prominence), with priority on melodic uses to actively apply the b6. Song examples for each chord illustrate these, reinforcing how b6 bridges to parallel minor and enriches blues-influenced harmony.

Tune Examples Illustrating the Perspective

The theory encourages analyzing "minor" tunes from the vi min viewpoint (or ii/iii where applicable) to uncover their major-derived essence, with added examples highlighting True Phrygian/Lydian and b6 applications:

- vimin Focus (Aeolian/Relative Minor): Summertime (vimin), You Don't Know What Love Is (vimin in F min, bridge to Imaj-Abmaj), Black Orpheus (vimin, resolves to Imaj midway, then ii min), Besame Mucho (vimin), Autumn Leaves (vimin, starts on iimin7), How Deep Is the Ocean, Sno Peas, Segment, Mr. P.C., Cantaloupe Island, Afro Blue, I Hear A Rhapsody, Gibraltar, Lullaby of the Leaves, Everybody Loves the Sunshine (Roy Ayers), Nica's Dream, Daahoud, The Way/It's Love (Jill Scott), Rock On (Gregory Isaacs).

- iiimin to iimin Example: Slow Down (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)—iii min (F#min) to ii min (Emin) in D major perspective, with melody in D major/B min Aeolian (C# over F#min for Bmin9 flavor), Tyla’s - Water, all never resolving to vi min.

- imin Focus (Dorian): So What (Miles Davis)—purely iimin7, not vimin7.

- Hybrid/Blues: All Blues—major blues (I7) and minor blues (vimin), embodying blues duality see the ending.

- True Phrygian/Lydian Examples: Speak No Evil, Nardis, Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder), Green Dolphin Street, Thermo, Lady (D'Angelo), Deluge, Jesus Is My Help (Hezekiah Walker), Four On Six, Search For a New Land (Lee Morgan), Airegin— all borrowing from IV for Phrygian from vimin and Lydian on bVII.

By reframing "minor" as vi/iii/ii borrowings, incorporating True Phrygian/Lydian, and reframing minor 2 5 1’ to 7 3 6’s via subdominant parallels, NoMinor1 simplifies analysis, reveals blues-inspired interconnections, and promotes hearing harmony holistically for better improvisation and composition. This challenges conventional theory, urging musicians to "hear minor tunes from the 6, 3 & 2" to grasp their interconnected major roots. JazzProveit. Nominor1. It’s all blues! Jimi all day.

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