In the end, can you make ANY chord sequence (or series of notes) work together?

[Jack Q]

I

[gennation]

Everything works, to an extent...if it doesn't, it probably ended up on a Yoko Ono album

 

That's the "extent" part.

 

There's so many things that have been found be people experimenting and then making head-or-tails of it theory-wise.

 

I've to done what you do and have been successful and sometimes amazed at the outcome. But, just the practice of putting yourslef in that "experimental modes" of thinking and drifting show you that almost anything is possible.

[WhiskeyClone]

I say yes, of course.

[Stackabones]

SO, talking to many of you guys who are seemingly very

[dsimon665]

Yes anything can "work". It depends on who is defining if "it works" or not. The average listener might think its junk. It depends a lot on your past experience: what you've listened to, what you like, how good you've trained your ears. Theory can bring you things you might not have thought of, but in the end your ears will have to decide if you like it or not.

I remember an old mp3 of Pat Metheny talking about how he can hear every interval over every chord...except for a major 7th over some chord (can't remember the exact quote). This is one type of ear development. Being exposed to lots of music will be another type of ear development. Some people have this at an earlier stage than others....but I think everyone can improve on it...and there is no end to it. There is always something to learn and always more you can do to improve your ear (unless your Metheny or Mozart or someone like that!)

[Virgman]

Yes.

[Dubb]

Yes anything can "work". It depends on who is defining if "it works" or not. The average listener might think its junk.

Exactly. The thing is, there's not a fine line where something either "works" or "doesn't work." As you push the limits of sanity in creating chord progressions, it'll generally just sound progressively worse... who's to say at what point it "no longer works?" The chord police?

[blumonk]

Play anything you like. If the listener likes it, then it "works".