How strict is the rule to stay in key?

[deleted]

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[ynot]

there is no such thing as a wrong note,only a poor resolution.otherwise no one would ever use chromatics.

[someone called simon]

there is no such rule... often the simplest of songs change key, but you weren't talking about that i guess. Blues is built on notes out of key (flat 3rd, 7th, sometimes 5th over a major chord). And as for jazz, and modern classical.... the sky's the limit...

[jancivil]

I make my own rules. Some end up violated.

Sometimes the rules are thought-out well enough to mostly stick to, like a raga (not all music is harmonic. I don't know if the OP has 'harmony' or just something modal going) HAS rules. And, they're kind of like 'stay in key'... But, not that simplistic.

But, you might ought to go and bend those. There might be rules on which *bend* is best.

The ear should be the final arbiter. Music is an art for the ear, not for a jury.

[flippya2000]

Extremely so. So strict is the rule that if u swagger off its well trodden path, u will no doubt die a painfully excrutiating death. Look at the evidence - Mozar, Beet-haufman, & one of the more outrageous individuals Wagnosier - were all militant chromatologists...None of them are alive today, so take heed of this warning lest u fall foul of its felonious Mr-black-magic origins

[s4w2th]

I think you should never break the rules You should follow all of them...

[advaya]

If you do God kills a kitten.

Funny stuff!