Chord Scale and Key Charts

 

T

L

B

A

0

E

F

s

y

E

K

The Tabl e o f K e ys c an be use used t o fi fin nd t he not es of any c hord or scal e i n any k ey   and t o t ranspose mel odi es and chord progressi ons   T he t abl e shows the rel ati onshi p between t he major scal e ( DO R E M I F A S O L A T I DO) and the c hromati c sc al e ( which di vi des t he o ctave i nt o twel ve equal hal f st e ps) i n e ach o f he twel ve major k eys  

twe ne o ct a ve ( tw el ve h a lf- steps)

 

-

whol e

hole

h al f

U ni versal

(B )

Ke y

( scale d egr ees)

octa ve

j Db

D

JE

F

1%1G

la  

a c

I Cb

C

Db

C

C 

D

Key of C

C

K ey of D b

D b Eb b Eb

K e yofD

D

Eb

E

K ey of Eb K ey of E

Eb E

Fb F

F 1 % 1 G Ab l¾ l¾J J a   1 % 1 c Db F   l;;¾1 G  A 1 % J c , D

K e yofF

F

Gb

G

G

G 

K ey of

F 

K e y of G

= 

F 

IG

1

l¼I F

Gb G

l a J Ab l ¾ I ab %IA

abl¾ C A 

I Ab I A

K e y o f Ab I Ab j ab b j ab

1% 10 

= 

a

=

jc

U c

j ob 1

] Eb U F ]E

I A j ab l a

jo

a 

lab j cb j c

Eb U   l%)G

K e y of B

l e j c j c  E : f i l m I E

U niver sal K ey

I

( chor d fu ncti on)

I

jb 1 1 I

II

1

ru F

jm 1 Im jiv lb v I T H E U N IV E R S A L l( E Y

¢

Eb

D  E

K ey of A K e y of

-.

D Eb D  E E

F

E 

F 

= 

IF

F   IG

j Gb

G

W)F  I G j Ab

I Ab

G  IA A j ab

~   jA jA   je

v

lb V I j v i lbv i1 l v i 1 j

I

J

T he U N I VER S ALKE  Y _ uses a number r at her t han a l ett er t o name each ach no not e of he majorscal e(DO = I, R E= 2, M I= 3, et c. )   B y t hi nki ng of he not e s o f a c hord or mel ody as numb mbe ers t s easy t o fi nd t he c orrespondi ng not es n any key. T he U N IV ER S AL K E Y i s used by musi ci ans as an e asy- t o-understand syst em t hat si mpli fi es c ommuni cati ng and pl ayi ng all styl es of music  

C opyri ght I 983 A ll R i ghts R eserved

C A SfA L IA P U B L IC ATI ON S

P . O. B OX 2503, P E TAL U M A, C A 94953

 

FIN DIN G C H O R D S AN D SC A L E S

H O WITWO R R S B ecause i ts sound i s s o fa mili ar t he major scal e has been used fo r c ent uri es as the standard music al r eferenc e sc al e . T he c haract eri stic s ound of t he major scal e ( or any other scal e) i s c re at ed by i ts st ructure ( order of whol e and hal f s t eps)   whi whi ch i s t he same i n all k eys. I n t he U ni versal K ey syst em t he t ones of he major scal e are expressed as numbers   DO = I , R E= 2, M I =3   FA = 4, S O = 5   L A =6  T I = 7 , D O = I ( 8). N on- major t ones are ex pressed i n t erms o f t hei r r el ati onshi p t o t he major scal e (E pin th the e k ey ofC i s p 3, A pin t he key ofD i s p 5  . C hord t ones whi ch are second o ctave e xt ensi ons of seventh c hords are li st ed i n parent heses( es( 9   - 1 1, et c. ) . T he not es of any c hord or scal e may be fo und i n any k ey by c omparing t he fo r mul a fo r any c hord or sc al e fr om the C HO R D A ND S C A L E TA B L E ( or ot her r eference sourc e) t o t he TA B L E O F K E Y S .

E xampl mpl e,

T hi s exampl e shows how one scal e ( G major) r el ates t o t he U ni ver sal K ey   t he pi ano k eyboard, and t he t r ebl e st aff.

M ajor Scale  D

Oj

j RE j

1

IIA I

50 1

jn [o o l

To fi nd t he not es o f any c hord   E xampl e  F m7

I . U se the the C H O R D A N D S C AL E T A B L E ( or ot her r eferenc e s ourc e) t o fi nd t he rmull a ( mi nor sevent h= I p   5 p 7  . c hord fo rmu 2   L ook on t he T A B L E OF K E Y S fo r t he key ( key o fF)   3   F i nd the not es i n t hat k ey t hat c orrespond to t he number s of he c hord fo rmul a = F  p 3 = A ~ 5 = C , p 7 (I

K ey of F

le

IF   IG I

l% ] E I F

E

U ni versal Ke y

F 1 81

7

1

To fi nd t he not es of any sc al e or mode, foll ow t he same st eps   K e y of

IG A b IA

= E~) .

F

mpl e  B b dori an E xampl

U l\l ve rsal Ke y

K e y o fG

T he not es of any c hord or scal e may be fo und i n any k ey b y c ompari ng t he fo r mul a fo r any chord o r s c al e fr om t he C HO R D A ND S C AL E T A B L E t o t he T A B L E O F K EY S .

Bb

F ormul a I 2 t, 3 4 5 6~ 7 I

U ni versal Ke y

G M AJ O R SC AL E ( on t rebl e staff)

1

lI G

I

eII

eI J

A 2

B 3

D 5

C

4

E 6

T R AN S P O S I N G C H O R D P R O G R E S S IO N S

l

9

F# 7

G 1 ( )

R oman numer al s ( I , I V : V, et c. ) ar e used o i ndi cate major c hords buil t off any scal e degree. O ther c hords ( mi nor   sevent h   et c. ) are r epre sent ed by a R oman numeral fol lo wed by t he abbr evi ati on fo r t hat chord t ype ( I V m woul d be a mi nor c hord wi th the fo urth degr ee of he major sc al e as I ts r oot ) . T he R oman numer al s yst em i s used e xt ensi vel y b y worki ng musi cians fo r wri ti ng c hor d c harts   E xampl e: Tr anspose t hi s progressi on fr om t he k ey of C t o t he k ey o f F :

G M AJOR SC AL E

-

-G I

-

A B C 2 3 4

I

• • l. D

5

C   7 

rd) ( on keyboard)

E Fd G 6 7 I ( 8)

R E Y S IG N A T U R E S E very k ey si gnat ure descri bes a major key ( capi tal l etters) and i ts r el ati ve mi nor k ey ( small l etters) . T hes ese e scal es have t he same not es but begi n o n di fferent t oni cs. I n a k ey si gnat ure s harps and fl ats name, by the lilin ne or space on whi whi ch t hey fall , t he not es o f he C major sc al e whic h must be al tered t o pl ay i n t he desi g nat ed key  

( ~~~n~~ k~y)

K e y of F

( ne w k e y)

U niversal

K  y

m   7  7 

© D b ® ~E I F B b IB le ® G b ® ~A I B b U© ½ i I D I E b I E I F © lb I I @ l m 1 l m I r v I b V @ ) l b V I l@ l b V I I l v n l 1

I . F i nd t he ett er names o f all t he c hord t ypes i n the ori gi nal prog ressi on ( C , G   A,

andD) . 2.Fi nd t he numeral s o f t he U ni versal K ey t hat c orrespond t o e ac h c hord C = I   G = V, A = V I   D = I Q , t hen add t he c hord type suff i x ( m, 7 , di m. , et c. )   W ri tt en i n t he U ni versal K ey   t ne pro gressi on woul d be I V 7 Vlm  1 7 7 /   ( V aria· mes ndi c at e mi nor c hord ords li on: someti me s l ower c ase R oman numer al s ar e used t o i ndi s [ ex . , v   inst ead ofVl ml)   3   F i nd t he chords of he new k ey t hat c orrespond t o t he numer al s of he progres

si on. (I = F   V = C , V I = D , II = G ) . ddi ng t he appropri at e c hord types. 4. W rit e o ut t he progressi on i n t he new k ey   addi P rogressi on I n k eyofF   F  7 m G7 7

T H E G R E AT ST A F F

T he li nes and spac es o f he G reat S t aff t ake t hei r names fr om t he not es o f he C major sc al e whic h fall on t hem   N ot es whi ch are outsi de t he C major scal e are de si gnat ed by acc i dent al s  sha rps( d) r ai se not es o ne half st ep   fl ats(~ ) l ower not es one h ha alf st ep   doubl e sharps ( X ) r ai se not es a whol e st ep   d oubl e whol e st ep   nat ural s ( ~ ) c ancel t he effect o f ot her fl ats ( ~ ~ ) l ower n ot es a who acci dent al s  

j

 

,

C H 0R D

s

N D

Ill

L E

C

B L E

T

T he C hord and S c al e Tabl e shows how scal es harmoni ze wi th c hords t o c r eat e sounds used i n many st yl es of music. T he t abl e al so groups c hords and s cal es a cc ordi ng t o t hei r basic s ound: major, mi nor   or domi nant, and it sho ws whic h c hord/cal e c ombi nati ons are most wi del y pl ayed i n speci fi c st yl es o f music   T he most st ed i n c apit al l ett ers   c ommon c hords and scal es are lilis ubs T he numberi ng s yst em used t hroughout t he t abl e i s k nown as t he U ni ver sal K ey   which i s c r eat ed by sub st i t uti ng number s fo r t he t ones of he major s cal e [ D O = I , R E= 2, M l= 3, FA = 4   S O = 5   L A= 6, T l= 7 , D O = I ( 8)]. ( S e e t he Tabl e o f K eys. )

C H O R D F O R M UL  

C HO R D TY PE

M .IU O R

M A

J 0

3 5

1

C H O R D SY M B O L ( a l etter name al one i nd i cates a major c hord; all c hord symbol s shown i n K ey o f C)

C

major s i xt h

1

3 5 6

C6

M JU O R S E V E N T H

1

3 5 7

C maj7. C M 7   C 6  c ~

m ajor ni n th

1

3 5 7 9

C m aj 9  C M 9   C 69

R

si x-ni n e

I 3

a dd nin e

1

3 5 9

m ajor t hirteenth

1

3 5 7 ( 9)

ond s uspended s ec eco

1

2 5

s uspended fo urth

1 I

m a jor se ve n fl at fi ve

5

C add9

2 3

1

b3 4 5

c ountry , rock   p op b7

I

rock   bl ues'

5 6 7

I

2 3

1

2 3 5 6 1

m ajor sc ale

1

2 3

cl assi cal. pop

I

fo l k   c ountry   s wing ·

5 6 7

I 2 3

1

cl assic al, pop   jazz

3 b5 7

.67 C maj7b 5, C .6 7b5

C min   C m   C -

M IN O R

I

b3 5

M I N O R S E V E NT H

I

b3 5

b7

C min 7 , C m 7 . C -

mi nor ni nt h

I

b3 5

b7 9

C min 9   C m9, C - 9

m in or e l e ve nth

I

b3 5

b 7 ( 9)

m in or sixth

I

b 3 5 6

mi nor s ix - ni ne

I

f3

I

b 3 5 b 7 ( 9) ( 11 )

I

b3 b 5 b7

I

b3 5

jazz

1

 

1

add

C sus4  C s4

4 5 6 7

c oun tr y r ock,

m ajor pe n tatoni c ,

C sus2  C s2

4 5

fol k   bl ueg rass   bl ues  

5 6 1

1

major p e nta t onic

l ydian mode

C maj l3.C ::, 1 3

13

M .IU O R P E N T A T O N I C or M I N O R PE N T A T O N I C or M .IU O R S C A L E

ST Y L E

or

C 69,C6/  

6 9

SC AL E FO R M U L A

S C  L E

2 3 4

5 6 1

pop   g ospel

l ydian mode

1

2 3

4 5 6 7

m i n or p e nta ton ic

I

b3

5

b7

jazz

1

fo l k   cl assic al. bl ues   c ountry   b lueg rass roc k, p op

1

or

M I N

0 R

mi nor t h i r t ee nt h

mi nor s even f lat fi ve ( half diminished)

m i nor m ajor s e ve n  

SE V E N T H

3 5

I

C min 1 3, C m 1 3, C - 3

C m( maj 7 ) , C m 67 . C m(M 7)  

D 0

3 5 b7 9

eleventh

I

( 3)

I

t hirteenth

1

3 5

seven fl at fi ve

I

3 b5 b7

C 7b5   C 7 

seven shar p fi ve

1

3 /1 5

C 7 5   C 7 + 5  

se ve n sh a r p nin nine

M I

s

C

b 7 ( 9)

11

b 7 ( 9) (11 ) 1 3

b7

Cl I

C aug7 , C +7 1 I

3 5

3 5

b7 b7

1

cl assic al. pop   jazz

5 b7

m i n or p en taton ic

I

b3

dor ian m od e

I

2

loc r i a n m ode

I

b2 b 3

m e lodic m in or

1

2 b3

M I X O L Y D I AN M O D E

I

2 3 4 5 6

roc k   p op   jazz

1

cl assic al, ro ck   b3 4 5 6

b7

1

pop   l a i n, jazz

b6 ~ 7

b 5

5 6 7

I

p op   jazz

1

b7

cl assica l, fo lk  

1

c ount ry   roc k,

l atin, pop   jazz

minor pentatonic

1

mix olydian mode

I 2 3 4 5 6 b7

b3 4

5

b7

1

ro roc ck, b lues

r ock, pop, I

l atin, jazz

mixolydian sharp four

I

2 3

whole tone

I

2 3 b 5 /1 5 b 7

5 6 b7

diminisl'l ed / whole t one 1

b2 b 3 3

I I

b 5 #5 b 7

I

~9

C 7 b9   C 7 - 9

half- whole/ iminished I

b2 b 3 3

9

C 7 #9 , C 7 +9

whole t one 1 diminished /

b2

b3 3

b5 /1 5

b7

1

whole tone I diminished/

b2

b3 3

b5

b7

1

b7

1

an y c om bi na ti on of

7 b 5 b 9   7 b 5 d9

t he a bove 4   c hords

7 /1 5b 9   7 # 5 1 9,

augmented

5 b6 b7

b3

2

C 13

( aug mented s eventh) se ve n fl a t ni ne

cl assical, c ountry   roc k, pop   l a i n   jazz .blues

C 9, ( C 7add 9)

1

N A N T

I

or

ninth

M

r

C7

b7

I

or

C m69, C m6/ 

;

5 6 b7

b3

2

( natural minor)

C m7b 5, C .0

7

5

A E O L IA N M O D E

C mi n6  C m6, C  

13

I

or

C min 1 1, C mll  C   1

11

6 9

5

D O R IA N M O D E

I

3 /1 5

C aug, C +

diminished

I

~3 b5

C dim,

diminished s even

I

b 3 b5

c

whole t one scale

0

I

2 3

b5 5 6

b5 /1 5 b 7

5

b7

b2

half whole diminished

I

b2 b 3 3 b 5 5 6 b7

whole- ha lf diminished

I

2 b3 4

b5

pop, jazz

I

diminished- whole t one 1

b3 3

I

pop, jazz

I

0

blues s ca le ~ I

b3 4

b5 5

~7

I

b 

C dim7, C 7

ha r m on ic mi nor =

2

b3 4 5

"'-

b6 7

I

phryg rygii an mode =

I

b2 b 3 4

5

b5 /1 5

b 6 b7

bb 7

7

I

I

...i

C opyri ght 1 983 A ll Ri ghts R eserve rved C A S T A L I A P U B L I C A TI O N S

P . O. B ox 2503, P et al uma  C A 94953