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Hi Máté, thanks for replying and taking the time to check out the corrections!
In answer to your questions:
1) You are completely right, all the progressions you have listed are strong, and when I get the next lesson done, I'll try to touch on this - also, you're right iii-I is very weak, and it is something that I would urge you to avoid (unless you were writing in a later style like Faure or someone) but for now I have set that 'basic' rule, because it avoids the weakest progressions (like I-ii). But I'll go into some depth about the strength of progressions in the next lesson, which will be on dominants and suspensions. Every chord in the scale has a function, and iii is in general considered to be the weakest of all, it's rarely used in its normal form (especially in major keys), but we will get on to that. I'm glad to see that you've got a good ear for these things in any case!
2) Well in theory, you could say that VII (as a major triad) doesn't really exist at all. Schoenberg calls it the subtonic chord sometimes. I wouldn't worry too much about it now. The thing is if you're in C minor, and you use a B-flat major chord you will most likely have moved to another key at that point, so it will actually have another name (like V in E-flat) that you can use. It's not really possible to use it in the kind of progressions we're working on here. In renaissance polyphony it can occur sometimes, again we might look at that at some point but it's some way into the future...
3) Using v can sometimes be a matter of taste, but for now I'd rather you didn't use it much - again mainly because it is what gives the sense minor key in tonal music. In renaissance music again you can use it (but not at cadence points).
4) Very good question. The answer is actually no, although it's often argued about. The thing is, if you put a G in that chord (the dominant note), it then turns into V7. So chord vii is bascally V7 with one note missing, and because of the leading note and resolution of the tritone it sounds very much like a cadence. But I wouldn't really use it at a major cadence point, but when you move to another key, it can be a very useful way to strengthen the sense of that new key. Let's just say for now that it's a very strong progression, but not quite a cadence.
5) They are prepared, and correctly resolved! I'll show you how this happens in the next lesson!
6) I'll get back to this, for now just stick to the type of voice-leading I've shown you.
7) Ok don't worry! I don't mind.
Next lesson will be soon!
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