Fanbridge.com, the website who run my mailing list (You have subscribed haven’t you? there’s a box on the top right of your screen and clicking here will tell you about the ebooks you’ll recieve) have started a new question service where you can ask me a question. To do so, apparently you just have to click this button:

So if you’ve any songwriting related questions, feel free to ask them.

Here’s one that’s already been asked, and my initial reponse. If you have any more answers, please chip in in the comments:

Q: Hi!! I’m a songwriter from Peru. Quick question: when do you use an aug chord and when do you use a diminished chord to spice a chord progression? all the best.

A: Quick answer – When they sound good!

That’s a little facetious though, so here’ a longer answer:-

Diminished chords are useful as a substitute for Don7 chords. So instead of playing a G7 I might play Dbdiminished. This potentially lets me change key easily because there are lots of keys that could be related to this chord.

Augmented chords again can sound good in lots of contexts, but one way of using them is in a minor key as a substitute for the dom7. Eg: in A minor, instead of playing E7 Am you might play Eaug Am, or even Eaug/G# Am.

There are other possibilities – my song ‘Measure of a Man’ ha sa 2 chord verse that goes Eb major – B Augmented.

I’d say try things out and see what you get.

I hope that helps!

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