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[RPr]

I need some information from the music gurus. I have recently acquired a Hohner A/D box the layout is simple but I was curious why the second base row has an F# and F# Major cord rather than an F# Minor?

The G bass and cord makes sense, the B and B Minor works nicely with the D scale, but where does the F# Major cord come into use with the A or D scale?    
   

[Ollie]

It's chord V (5) of the Bm scale.

[Chris Ryall]

I'd take a step further. The natural Bm scale on a D/G is the aeolian mino.r relative to our D row. As such its V chord would also arise from the D scale, namely F#m7 (or F#m7^b9 if you want to take it to extremes)

By installing F# major the maker is offering you tonal, rather than modal harmony. Technically that means harmonic or melodic minors. But it's probably more useful to see it simply as the dominant (F#7) .. of the dominant (B7) .. of our E chord. Given the Machiavellian interactions of harmony and the ear .. several other interpretations, I'm sure!

I find it pretty useful in all sort of tunes. eg a favourite Gilles Chabenat mazurka, Impasse chording ..

:| Em | C   | Em | C   |:
:| G   | F# |  F   | Em |:

That second cadence is brilliant. It works as a bass run, obviously. If we regard F# as a "b5" substitution for C .. we have the "anatole" cadence G > F#C > F ..

But F is also the "b5" for a B7 chord, resolving to E.  You could read it as  .. F# > FB > Em  Of course your ear does no such analysis, it just sounds good 

[edit] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MADCBYCXZ8

[RPr]

Thanks folks. I knew it had a purpose.
 
Let’s just say that at this point in my playing skills, it will be a while before I need it…   but it is nice to know it is there.

Nice You tube clip.

Thanks again.

[Ollie]

I'd take a step further. The natural Bm scale on a D/G is the aeolian mino.r relative to our D row. As such its V chord would also arise from the D scale, namely F#m7 (or F#m7^b9 if you want to take it to extremes)

By installing F# major the maker is offering you tonal, rather than modal harmony. Technically that means harmonic or melodic minors. But it's probably more useful to see it simply as the dominant (F#7) .. of the dominant (B7) .. of our E chord. Given the Machiavellian interactions of harmony and the ear .. several other interpretations, I'm sure!

I find it pretty useful in all sort of tunes. eg a favourite Gilles Chabenat mazurka, Impasse chording ..

:| Em | C   | Em | C   |:
:| G   | F# |  F   | Em |:

That second cadence is brilliant. It works as a bass run, obviously. If we regard F# as a "b5" substitution for C .. we have the "anatole" cadence G > F#C > F ..

But F is also the "b5" for a B7 chord, resolving to E.  You could read it as  .. F# > FB > Em  Of course your ear does no such analysis, it just sounds good 

[edit] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MADCBYCXZ8

That's all well and good Chris, but the OP has an A/D The F#maj has the same purpose as a Bmaj on a D/G.

[Chris Ryall]

Whoops!  I did check the type of box having been caught on this before and still managed to misread it. I now click why your reply was 'concise' 

Apologies to both you.  Could I respectfully refer RPr to the answers when he posted the same question last November http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,10949.msg135381.html 

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,7944.msg98667.html is also useful (subsitute 'F#' for 'B' it all then applies to his kit)

[Anahata]

Just as the choice between B major and B minor is debatable on a D/G box, so is the choice between F# major and minor on an A/D. Each is useful for different tunes. As always with melodeons, you can't have everything!