Quote (CrimsonOdin @ Jun 18 2011 02:31am)
hmmm does it mean i could use every key within this diminished 'shape'.
say i wanted to do something like this,
A minor, C# minor , E minor , A major
guess what im trying to ask is, can i borrow chords/modes from the 'diminish shape' (in this case, it will be C , E , Ab major )
Baloid's right. Music theory simply expands your knowledge, it won't give you any more options. So in short, yes you can use whatever chord from whatever scale you want whenever you want, just like Baloid said. Just because you know the theory behind it, doesn't make it sound any better or worse.
As a direct answer to your question A-, C#-, E-, A+. If you change your perception as you move through the progression, you can change keys without any tricks, just by looking at the chord your playing differently. For example:
Lets say you're in the Key of C. You move to the second chord of the C major scale, D minor. Now you're playing the 2 chord right? Well... isn't D- also the 6 chord in F? Or the 3 chord in Bb, furthermore the 5 chord in G minor! Your first chord was C and you were thinking in the key of C and thought, "I want to go to the 2 chord." So you went to the D minor. But then once you got there you said, "I would like to revolve this chord cause it sounds sad but instead of resolving to the key of C, D- is the 3 chord, (the Mediant) of Bb. So I'll play Bb for a resolution." What do you know it works. Personally I think that was too much thinking for a 3 chord progression, especially had I just thought about being in the Key of F the whole time, I would have played the 5, 6, 4 chords of F and never once would have thought about changing keys! In any case, that's the idea behind
borrowing chords from other keys. It becomes second nature in time.