Are there any alternatives for the resolution of the leading tone rather than to the tonic?

Question

If we are not making the vii/ leading tone resolving to the tonic, then how can I make the transition of vii chord to iii without being too awkward with the voicing? Do composers make it natural minor form to reduce the effect of leading tone that tends to be resolved? E.g. In the key of Bm, the transition of A# (is the chord consisting notes of A#, C# and E?) to D maj ; what can be done in the transition to make it better and not too weird and sudden?

Side note: if A maj = A, C#, and E; then isn't A# major *(not sure whether it's a major, it doesn't sound 'major' at all if it's A#, C#, and E)= A#, D, and F? So what notes exactly make up the leading tone of Bm, and what is the interval quality?

Answer 1

If you want to spell a chord as A# major, its notes will be A#, Cx (that's a double-sharp), E#. (Which is why we more usually go with calling it Bb major :-)

So now we've got the right notes for A# major, we can talk about how to get from it to D major. (I know you based your question round a misapprehension of the notes in an A# triad, you were really asking about A#dim. Which acts like F#7(b9). But it could be interesting to address the literal question!)

You're right, VII - iii isn't a very natural change. III, (D MAJOR in B minor) is the relative major, so close to Bm that it's hardly a change at all! But you want to get to D major.

It would be smoother to use the standard 'to get anywhere, plonk its dominant in front of it' technique and use bVII7 (A7). But 'smoothness' isn't everything, 'dramatic' is good too!

Here's some things you could do, depending where you want that D chord to take you. Chromatic inner lines and contrary motion can get you through a lot of 'weird' changes. And look at the alto line in the third example. Do something that might feel a bit awkward, then do it AGAIN!