So, I've been having some problems working with this common chord use in Japanese music, using a chord built of the augmented 5th scale degree, and whenever I try to write something with it, whether it's a major or diminished chord, but it always turns out wrong. It may be a difficult question to ask, but is there any advice as to how to use this chord properly while making it flow with the rest of the song? And I'm not referring to using it to modulate (or seem like modulating with a V# VI# I progression) to the minor third higher than the current key.

Well, from what little I know of augmented fifth chords, the chord should generally be the dominant chord with a raised fifth (which would be the second scale degree if it is the dominant of the given tonic rather than some sort of temporary tonicization). The interval of the augmented fifth then resolves outwards: the root generally resolves to the tonic and the raised voice resolves up as if it were a leading tone to the third of the next chord. This is an example:http://www.crumble-onuts.com/music/+5.JPG

As a side note, the title of this thread says "augmented 5th/diminished 6th"; those two intervals are not enharmonically equivalent, nor is an augmented 5th the inversion of a diminished 6th. Did you mean "augmented 5th/diminished 4th"?

Actually, I meant something else. I know the way I was talking was kind of confusing.

So say the key is in C. Often times the augmented fifth degree of the scale, which would be G# or Ab, would be used as a chord in chord progressions of japanese music, like using a G# major or G# diminished chord while still in the key of C. That's what I was referring to.

So you want a chord based on G# assuming the key is in C? I think a G# major or minor chord would sound weird in that key (though feel free to experiment), but G# diminished 7th would be acceptable (G# B D F). That chord would resolve nicely to an A major/minor chord. You could also try G# half-diminished 7th (G# B D F#), which could go to an A major chord.

Ignore my comments if I completely misunderstood your question.

No, I think you understood exactly I said. The thing is, I know people perform music with that chord cause I see all the sheet music and there's tons of examples of chords like that, but I can't figure out how to make it work. The only thing is, they use that chord not to resolve (most of the time), but to flow continuously with the song. I haven't ever tried resolving to an A major chord though, so I think I'll try that sometime.

Well, you didn't like my PM (understandable, since I wasn't paying attention and screwed up).

Anyway, how about this:
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/3246/sahf.jpg

Okay, so it looks like IV V# II iv#° V or F G# D F#dim G. It doesn't violate your prohibition against V# VI# I, so you'd better be happy this time. =P

That's an interesting thing you brought up though. Now that you've pointed it out, I'll have to try to compose more stuff using that.

That seems questionable to me...
Could you give an example of a Japanese song that does it?

Here's a few examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-DPGmDT8A
This one comes in at about 1:45

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yimg4FGCiYI
1:22 for this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srk8VrFcVx8
and 1:03 for this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-DPGmDT8A
This one comes in at about 1:45
That section of the song is in F major. You can tell if you listen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-DPGmDT8A#t=1m18s) (Right when she says the RU of iru, as well as the "kara" after it, is a Tonic "I" chord.) You can also tell because she ends on an F major at 1:57-2:00 right after a C major (an authentic cadence, as you probably already know).

So anyway, from 1:37 - 2:00: vi IV ii V #v° vi IV ii V I

As you can see, what you hear is a diminished chord, as the unexpected chord, in this case.


Just analyzed the third, will do the second last, since it'll be the most time-consuming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srk8VrFcVx8
and 1:03 for this one
Okay, we're in C major. First it's a bunch of "I iii IV V" phrases, then it goes vi #V+ I II ii (I don't know how to analyze 9th chord, but the root is D. It's a DFACE, from lowest to highest.) after that is iii7 (Em7 chord) and that's as far as I feel like analyzing that one.

So instead of diminished, the chord is augmented this time.


Finally, second tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yimg4FGCiYI
1:22 for this one
Okay, we're in F major again. Starting around 1:00 until 1:24 or so:

vi I v7 (sounds like Cm7 in 1st inversion, Eb lowest note) IV (Bb6 [major with an added 6th "G" on top], 1st inversion again. D is lowest note.) iv7 (Bb minor 7th, 1st inv) V11 (a dominant 11th, back to root position, finally) I7 then, the one you hear at 1:22 is vii°7 (technically, Em7/b5, but I don't know how to correctly put that into chord roman numerals. E G Bb D) right after that is some kind of subtonic VII7 seventh chord (Eb7/b5, Eb G Bbb Db)

vi I v7 IV iv7 v11 I7 vii°7 VII7

Like the first one this chord is diminished, except it occurs on the seventh degree of the scale.