It’s called “modal interchange”, where you borrow a chord from the parallel major or minor key. In this case, you’re in the key of Am, the D is coming from A major and then resolving to the Dm you’d naturally find in Am. This is a little less common than the opposite, being in a major key and borrowing from the parallel minor. Listen to The Eagles’ “Desperado” for a good example of that.
Along with the modal mixture, you may also have a chromatically descending line in the last three chords (depending on voicing): G in G, F# in D, F in Dm, back to E in Am.
It creates a chromatic line from the root of the G chord to the 3 and b3 of the D and Dm. This kind of modal interchange is beautiful. It’s often used in the minor plagal cadence IV iv I
It’s called “modal interchange”, where you borrow a chord from the parallel major or minor key. In this case, you’re in the key of Am, the D is coming from A major and then resolving to the Dm you’d naturally find in Am. This is a little less common than the opposite, being in a major key and borrowing from the parallel minor. Listen to The Eagles’ “Desperado” for a good example of that.
Thank you! This is really helpful! 😃
Another example of this harmonic device can be found in Boat On the river by Styx If I remember correctly.
This seems to be modal interchange where you mix chords from a parallel key.
Along with the modal mixture, you may also have a chromatically descending line in the last three chords (depending on voicing): G in G, F# in D, F in Dm, back to E in Am.
That’s a good point.
It creates a chromatic line from the root of the G chord to the 3 and b3 of the D and Dm. This kind of modal interchange is beautiful. It’s often used in the minor plagal cadence IV iv I
I would like to append one thing to all the great answers.
Voice leading across the melody of the D Dm Am, as follows:
To learn the vocabulary of music.