What Are Chords - George Brodbeck

WHAT ARE CHORDS Learn the inside secrets of chords What they are and how to create them. Easy and clear stepwise format From simple 3-note shapes to 8-note “monsters”.

by George Brodbeck Copyright © 2015 by George Brodbeck All tuition images and audio tracks

Table of Contents MUSIC THEORY ONLINE About The Author

1. FOURWORD 2. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE 2.1. Music Notation 2.2. Major scales 2.3. Elementary intervals 2.4. The Circle of Fifths

3. HOW TO ACCESS AND PLAY THE AUDIO TRACKS 4. WHAT ARE CHORDS 5. CHORDS ORIGINATING FROM THE MAJOR SCALE 5.1. 2-NOTE CHORDS (Really?) 5.1.1. Do 2-Note Chords Exist? 5.1.2. Notation of 2-Note Chord Symbols 5.2. 3-NOTE CHORDS or TRIADS 5.2.1. How to Create Triads 5.2.2. Notation of 3-Note Chord Symbols 5.2.3. Inversion of Triads 5.2.4. The Major Scale Triad Chord Diagram 5.3. 4-NOTE CHORDS 5.3.1. How to Create 4-Note Chords 5.3.2. Notation of 4-Note Chord Symbols 5.3.3. Inversion of 4-Note Harmony 5.3.4. The 3 Chord Groups of the Major Scale 5.3.5. The Major Scale 4-Note Chord Diagram 5.3.6. A Rebellious Look At The Circle of Fifths 5.4. 5-, 6- and 7-NOTE CHORDS 5.4.1. How to Create 5-, 6- & 7-Note Chords 5.4.2. Notation of Chords with Added Tensions

5.4.3. Inversion of Large Harmony 5.4.4. The Major Scale 5-Note+ Chord Diagram

6. CHORDS ORIGINATING FROM THE WHOLE TONE SCALE 6.1. About The Whole Tone Scale 6.2. How To Build Whole Tone Scale Chords 6.3. Notation of Chords From The WT Scale 6.4. The Whole Tone Scale Chord Diagram

7. CHORDS DERIVED FROM THE MELODIC MINOR SCALE 7.1. About The Melodic Minor Scale 7.2. How To Build Melodic Minor Scale Chords 7.3. Notation of Chords From The MM Scale 7.4. The Melodic Minor Scale Chord Diagram

8. THE CHORDS OF THE DIMINISHED BLUES SCALE 8.1. Insight into The Diminished Blues Scale 8.2. How To Build Dim Blues Scale Chords 8.2.1. The Whole Tone-Half Tone Way 8.2.2. The Half Tone-Whole Tone Road 8.3. Notation of Dim Blues Scale Chords 8.3.1. Diminished Chord Symbols 8.3.2. Dominant 7 Chord Symbols 8.4. The HT-WT Scale Chord Diagram 8.5. The WT-HT Scale Chord Diagram 8.6. More Digging into the Cycle of Fifths

9. SUS4 & SUS2 CHORDS 9.1. About sus4 Chords 9.2. About sus2 Chords 9.3. Major sus4 and sus2 Chords 9.4. Dominant sus4 Chords 9.5. Minor sus4 Chords 9.6. Diminished or Half-Diminished sus4 Chords?

10. THE MODES BETWEEN THE MODES

10.1. What Are The Modes Between The Modes 10.2. How To Create The In-Between Modes 10.3. In-Between Major & Dominant Modes 10.4. In-Between Diminished Modes

11. DOMINANT VERSIONS OF II, III & VI CHORDS 11.1. How To Handle II7, III7 & VI7 Chords

12. CHORD TREES 12.1. About My Chord Trees 12.2. Major Chords 12.3. Minor 7th Chords 12.4. Minor 6th Chords 12.5. Dominant Chords 12.6. Diminished Chords 12.7. Half Diminished Chords

13. CODA

About The Author

When I hear a melody in my head, I always hear chords along with it. That’s great you might say but it’s both very convenient and annoying at the same time. It really would be nice to hear a melodic line by itself once in a while but that’s near impossible for me. Of course it doesn’t mean that I’m stuck with what comes out of my thoughts and I do have the freedom to experiment and change my harmonies if I so desire. This has been going on ever since I started dabbling in music through my childhood and learning to play the trombone in the local brass band back in Switzerland. Intrusive musical thoughts interrupted the focus on my first job as a computer programmer on a regular basis and this trend continued after my emigration to Australia where sketches of tunes were shuffled quickly under pages of IBM code just before getting caught by the boss entering my office. Eventually music won the battle when I discovered my flair for writing music arrangements. To this day I’m self-taught except for a summer term at Berklee College in Boston. My first love is jazz but I soon discovered that to earn a living I had to broaden my knowledge of musical styles. This then led to becoming a staff arranger at Channel 9 Sydney for almost 20 years and teaching trombone and arranging at the Jazz Department of the Conservatorium in Sydney for the same length of time. Among my students I had the privilege of teaching James Morrison and Adrian Mears. Good ears for harmonic development was an integral part in being offered the arranging job for all 3 stage productions of “The Boy From OZ”, other musicals, advertising commercials and films. The same ears served me well playing in the trombone section of many local and visiting artists. Among those were Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Natalie Cole,

Liza Minelli, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and many more. I’m thankful for a fulfilling musical life made easy by the ability to listen even though still now, chords tag along with those ever-present tunes in my head. Retirement? No way! It’s time to give back. This e-book is the start of a sequence of publications aiming to make it easier for YOU to understand the secrets of music. My self-taught-edness should provide you with an insight born from 40+ years of experience as a music professional. It may not be “by the book” but certainly “From The Heart”

1. FOURWORD Here is hoping that you will be as passionate about chords as I am. From the simplest two or three note structure to complex orchestral harmonies that lift a film to greater heights, chords are truly amazing. Even the most memorable of melodies loses a little of it’s sheen without the enhancing backdrop that harmony provides. YOU must get to that stage where changing or adding or omitting one note out of a chord becomes the artistic detective work that drives your completeness as a composer. The only student of music who might get away with NOT knowing about chords is a single note instrumentalist content with sitting in a band or orchestra (or playing solo) reading the notes and never bothering to look “behind the curtain” of the music he/she is performing.

A person like that may not even realize that they are, in a different way, sounding chords regularly when playing arpeggios. Everybody else either HAS to know what chords are (keyboard, guitar, banjo and other multi-stringed instrument players, students of jazz/improvisation) or SHOULD acquire basic chord knowledge to complete their music education. The good news is that despite the daunting multitude of chord types, learning about them is actually quite easy. As one of the universal truths states: “Everything is connected”.

This applies also very much to music. If you had no musical knowledge and were starting from scratch it would be an uphill battle to jump straight into studying chords. It would be like trying to learn to paint without knowing about brushes, paint, technique or subject. In music “everything is connected” means that if you follow the dots in the right sequence, step by step, my lessons on chords with images and audios will make complete sense. Please follow the suggestions in the next chapter about the dots you should connect before you start painting your chord-portrait. My approach to teaching harmony is more on the practical side and less by the rulebook. Nearly 50 years of pro music making is at the basis of this publication and I’m sure you’ll find my look at the workings of chords and harmony at bit less stuffy than normal (I hope!). And, by the way, the spelling of the title of this chapter is on purpose and a bit silly. The reason being that the number 4 has such a multitude of meanings in music so I thought why not.

2. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE To understand and absorb the content of “What Are Chords” easily you need to be familiar with:

2.1. Music Notation

2.2. Major scales Just knowing the basic ins and outs of 1 major scale is a good start.

2.3. Elementary intervals All the basic interval possibilities in each major scale

2.4. The Circle of Fifths

You will find much more valuable and surprising info about the cycle of fifths in chapters 5.3.6. and 5.4.5.

3. HOW TO ACCESS AND PLAY THE AUDIO TRACKS Since at this point in time it is not possible to embed audio files directly into Kindle e-Books I’m forced to “park” them elsewhere. So I have built a website to hold all 49 tracks and also a blog about chords. You can access the music files in 2 ways: 1. Clicking on the link below takes you to the audio page where you can navigate to each track manually from the sidebar. 2. Use the link of each audio example as you come to it in the text. This will take you to the corresponding page/track on the website. If you prefer, you can keep the first link-page open and navigate from there using the “NEXT” or “PREV” buttons. Above each track is also a slightly enlarged score image of the music you’re hearing. WhatAreChords.com The audios are marked with this logo:

Please Note: Not all treble-bass clef grand staff parts in the many musical illustrations are “piano-friendly”. They are simply examples of chord voicing

4. WHAT ARE CHORDS The basic definition of a chord is: 3 or more musical tones (of different pitch) played simultaneously by a chordal instrument like a keyboard or a guitar or voiced for horns, strings or singers.

Track01-4.1 Chord Examples What kind of chords to use, and when, is very much dependent on the style of music that is being created and the melody line. As a very general rule we can say that: 3-note chords: are used in rock, country and folk music, classical music 4-note chords: (consisting of 4 notes of different pitch) swing & trad jazz, pop music, classical music, musicals 5 and more-note chords: (consisting of 5 or more notes of different pitch) jazz, some classical & pop music, movie scores, special effects Of course this very basic subdivision constantly gets shot to pieces by exceptions. NOTE: When I say 3-note, 4-note and 5 and more note chords I mean 3, 4 or 5+ different notes without doubling any of them up or down 1 or more octaves. It is of course possible to turn any chord into a 10 or more note sound by doubling all the chord tones multiple times higher and lower. The vast majority of chords are extracted from and belong to a scale or mode. The only exceptions are unusual, incomplete, un-namable or very complicated dissonant chords used in special circumstances.

Track02-4.2 Chord Dissonance So: Let’s get in harmony with chords and have a closer look!

5. CHORDS ORIGINATING FROM THE MAJOR SCALE 5.1. 2-NOTE CHORDS (Really?) 5.1.1. Do 2-Note Chords Exist? Officially no, they don’t exist, but in my humble opinion the sound of 2 notes, for instance C and E or C and Eb, create a C Major and C minor chord respectively that is beyond any doubt.

Track03-5.1.1 2-Note Chords Also there are umpteen rock-type songs that survive by just playing the tonic and the fifth in the rhythm section while the third used in the melody gives the impression of a complete C triad.

Track04-5.1.1 2-Note Rock

5.1.2. Notation of 2-Note Chord Symbols To use these types of 2-note sounds the chord symbols need to be adjusted

accordingly: C and E = C (no 5th) C and Eb = Cm (no 5th) C and G = C (no 3rd)

The next chapter includes a much closer look at chord symbols

You can make your own mind up whether 2-note chords are of any use to you. Depending on what style of music you’re creating you may never use them or find them very handy regularly.

5.2. 3-NOTE CHORDS or TRIADS 5.2.1. How to Create Triads As I mentioned earlier, the traditional definition of the smallest chord has 3 notes and is called a triad. The recipe to create a triad is: a) Take a C Major scale (or anyone of the other 14 major scales)

b) Let’s change the look of this scale (just this first time) to make it visually clearer

c) Extract the first, third and fifth note (Tonic, 3rd & 5th) and place them on top of each other

d) You just created a C-Major triad. Let’s hear it!

Track05-5.2.1 C-Major Triad How do we know that this is a Major scale & chord? Because the distance between the first note (tonic) and the third note (third) in the scale is 4 semi-tones or 2 whole tones.

At this point I would understand if you said, “OK, I know how to make a Major 3note chord, let’s carry on to the big, exciting stuff”. But you would be very hasty and miss out on some fundamental information hidden inside every major scale. Each one of them is the “front” for 6 other scales (also called modes) and triads. Here is our C-Major scale again:

On the surface this scale contains 7 notes (+ octave C), 8 basic intervals

and, if we stretch the examination, some more complicated intervals.

But, in fact, this scale and all other Major Scales include all of the above plus: 7 Modes (other related scales) 31 Chords (7 triads + 24 chords made up of 4 and more notes) All The Chord Tones (for triads & 4-note sounds) Guide Tones (the backbone of each chord) Tension Notes (possible additions to the harmony) Avoid Notes (notes best left out of the chord structure) 56 intervals Here is the C-Major scale expanded, showing what is behind the façade in basic triad form:

All we have done is to use each note of the C-Major scale as the starting point of its own scale. This creates a total of 7 scales or modes, each with it’s own name and personality. Please note that the modes are traditionally counted in Roman numerals (I II III

IV V VI VII) and have Greek names. There is no need to learn the names of each mode unless you have to. Just be aware that: C to C = Major scale and chord D to D = Minor scale and chord E to E = Minor scale and chord F to F = Major scale and chord (sub-dominant) G to G = Dominant scale and chord (*) A to A = Minor scale and chord B to B = Half-Diminished scale and chord (**) IMPORTANT: (*) Because our focus is just on triads at this point, the chord of the 5th scale (G to G / Mixolydian) is just a Major triad (G – B – D) but will turn into its proper Dominant purpose in the chapter on 4-note chords. (**) The same applies to the chord of the 7th scale (B to B / Locrian). As a 3-note sound (B - D - F) it is correctly called a diminished triad but as you’ll see later, it really represents the first 3 notes of a HalfDiminished chord.

Let’s hear each triad with its scale played over the top:

Track06-5.2.1 C-Major Triad Modes

5.2.2. Notation of 3-Note Chord Symbols To notate major, minor and (half-) diminished triads we use chord symbols. They consist of: 1. The symbol or name 2. The chord quality sometimes called suffix To notate Major Triads: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. C or F. This symbol on it’s own always signifies the whole major triad like:

Sometimes (for extra clarity) the capital letter M or Maj can be added after the symbol:

To notate Minor Triads: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. D or E or A plus the letter m or min or (now mostly avoided) a hyphen:

To notate Diminished Triads: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. B plus the abbreviation dim or °:

TIP: Chord symbols are an essential part of popular music and jazz. As a composer/song writer it is important that you write them clearly and without any doubts, especially when added notes and alterations come into play.

5.2.3. Inversion of Triads You may have noticed that so far all the triads have been notated and heard in their basic build: 1 - 3 - 5. This is called Root Position.

I treat each triad as a SOUND that can be used in many different forms and I encourage you to think the same way. In strict music theory tuition there are rules about inverting chords (not having the tonic at the bottom). ★ Third at the bottom (3 - 5 - 1) is called 1st inversion ★ Fifth at the bottom (5 - 1 - 3) is called 2nd inversion Of course if you invert again you get back to the root position one octave higher.

Track07-5.2.3 C-Major Triad Inversions But, like I said, if you treat each triad as a sound, it is much easier to be more adventurous about how you use your 3-note chords. You can use them in many different ways. Here are some suggestions: 1. Just as 3-note chords in close position, using the 3 inversions as above. (Not sure about chord symbols? We’ll talk about them after these examples)

Track08-5.2.3 Simplicity 1 (Triads) 2. Turn them into 4-note chords by doubling the bottom note one octave higher or the top note one octave lower.

Track09-5.2.3 Simplicity 2 (Triads + Oct) 3. 3 or 4 note versions in more open positions.

Track10-5.2.3 Simplicity 3 (Open triads) 4. 5+ note versions orchestrated in countless different ways IMPORTANT: When using more open triads in 1st or 2nd inversion, the chord symbol must (or should) be adjusted to reflect that the bass note is not the tonic, like this: C/E or C/G (use a slash between chord name and bass note - meaning C chord over E bass or G bass).

Track11-5.2.3 Simplicity 4 (orchestral) TIP: Get used to the slight variation in sound between major and minor triads in root position and 1st and 2nd inversion. It is a very distinctive small difference. Play them repeatedly till your ear/mind can recognize them easily. ALL THE INFO ABOVE ABOUT TRIADS IN C-MAJOR SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ALL OTHER 14 KEYS! Look how far you’ve come already:

Each scale that you know provides 7 triads multiplied by 3 inversions = 21 different 3-note chords! That means, if you can play and understand all the major scales there are (15) you already know 315 triads (15 x 21). I think a pat on the back is in order! At this point you may well ask: “Is that all there is to triads? 315 major and minor ones?” The answer is no. There are other 3-note chord types with alterations, but to keep our chord-evolution journey in “everything-is-connected” order, we’ll talk about those at the appropriate moment. REMINDER: Please be clear that at this point we’re only looking at chords that are connected to the 15 major scales and their associated modes. You’ll be surprised to find that just this relatively restricted slice of the chord pie offers a choice of 465+ harmonies and all of them without having to write a single accidental (strictly speaking and if all your key signatures are correct).

5.2.4. The Major Scale Triad Chord Diagram Even those readers who, like me, found or are still finding it hard to stay awake during school classes that dealt with numbers, you must by now realize that there is a very clear mathematical relationship between many parts of music learning. The next diagram is for those who like to see things in a more abstract, schematic way: PLEASE NOTE: If you’re unsure about the distance between each root note and the other 2 chord-tones above it (the numbers next to the chord tones), remember this: To work out those intervals, you must always “pretend” that each scale is a MAJOR scale. Then you relate each chord tone to the root note of that scale. For instance: Pretend D-Dorian is D-Major → the 3rd of D-Major is F♯ but our note is F therefore the interval between D and F = ♭3. That part should be pretty obvious. Let’s do the same exercise with the B-Locrian scale: Pretend it is a B-Major scale → the 3rd would be D♯ and the 5th F♯, but our notes are D♮ & F♮ so the intervals have to ♭3 & ♭5. This whole little “rave” of mine will make more sense when you get to the next 2 diagrams showing 4-note and 5-note-plus chords.

PS: All following diagrams are linked to larger versions on the website. Just click on the images to see them.

OK, time to get into the bigger stuff. Triads are the building blocks of harmony but lots of times we need that extra chord tone (or two) to enhance our sound palette with some extra color.

5.3. 4-NOTE CHORDS 5.3.1. How to Create 4-Note Chords 4-note chords are simply triads plus the seventh note of the scale added. The formula now reads: Tonic + Third + Fifth + Seventh (1 - 3 - 5 - 7).

Note how the naturally occurring 4-note sequence in all keys is: For all Major chords 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 For all Minor chords 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7

For Dominant chords 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 For Half-Diminished chords 1 - ♭3 - ♭5 - ♭7 Given the right key signature, this formula holds true in each of the 15 keys naturally without having to add any accidentals!

5.3.2. Notation of 4-Note Chord Symbols As with triads, the notation of 4-note chords consists of: 1. The symbol or name 2. The chord quality sometimes called suffix To notate Major 4-note chords: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. C and add the presence of the 4th note, which is the Major 7th. This is abbreviated using the letter M or Maj or very commonly a triangle:

To notate Minor 4-note chords: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. D or E or A and add the presence of the 4th note, which is the Minor 7th. Abbreviation: the letter m or min or (now mostly avoided) a hyphen plus the letter 7:

To notate Dominant 4-note chords: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. G and add the presence of the 4th note, which is the Minor 7th. Abbreviation: the number 7:

To notate Half-Diminished (or minor 7th flat 5) 4-note chords: Use the root note of the scale/mode the chord belongs to i.e. B plus the other 3 notes in “shorthand” m7(♭5) or a circle with a diagonal line through it (∅):

PLEASE NOTE: Remember when we discussed triads I mentioned that the 7th step of each major scale (B to B in the key of C) is usually named a diminished triad (Bdim or B°, BD-F). It now becomes clear why that is misleading even though it is correct. When we add the 4th note to the chord, which in the key of C is the note A, we finish up with a Bm7♭5 chord (B-D-F-A or 1-♭3-♭5-♭7) and not a B°7 which would need the note to be A♭. Diminished 4- and more note chords are, due to their even minor 3rd interval build between notes, a special group and not attached to any of the 7 modes but an 8-note scale called the diminished blues scale or whole tone - half tone scale. (More on that later). This is a good time to mention a small but important detail about the major modes (I-Ionian & IV-Lydian) in every key: Their 4th chord tone, the Maj 7th can be interchanged with the 6th note, depending on melody note and sometimes style. While the 2 chord versions sound slightly different, they’re on par as far as how they can be used.

So C - E - G - B (1 - 3 - 5 - 7) can be interchanged with C - E - G - A (1 - 3 - 5 6). The same applies to F (F-A-C-E can be F-A-C-D). This does not apply to the other 5 modes, where the 6th note is either a tension or an avoid note. Here are the C-Major Modes once more with the chord symbols added:

Let’s play each 4-note chord with its scale played over the top:

Track12-5.3.2 C-Major 4-Note Modes

5.3.3. Inversion of 4-Note Harmony Inverting 4-note chords follows exactly the same principle as triads. The only difference is that we have 4 notes, therefore 4 inversions. 1. Tonic at the bottom (1-3-5-7) = Root Position 2. Third at the bottom (3-5-7-1) = 1st inversion 3. Fifth at the bottom (5-7-1-3) = 2nd inversion 4. Seventh at the bottom (7-1-3-5) = 3rd inversion And, if you invert again, you’re back to the root position one octave higher. The following image shows the 4 inversions of all 7 chords in the key of C.

Track13-5.3.3 C-Major 4-Note Inversions As a careful reader and listener you will have noticed (and heard) that some of the 4-note inversions create clashes (tension) between adjacent notes. This will

happen more and more as the harmonies contain more notes. My attitude towards inversions is: “Forget about them”! Chords however complicated they may get are a sound to be molded into the right shape by the requirements of your composition. What determines the inversion you use is, in most cases, not which note is at the bottom of the chord but which sits at the top. As a general rule we can say that semi-tone clashes at the top of the chord are questionable because the important sound of the top or lead note has its clarity masked by the closeness of the one below it. As a passing clashing-effect done on purpose, it can of course be very effective.

Track14-5.3.3 4-Note Inversion Clashes

5.3.4. The 3 Chord Groups of the Major Scale If you examine the note content of each of the 7 chords in each key, you’ll find that some contain the same notes and create a similar sound. Therefore we can sort the 7 chords into 3 groups: 1. Tonic Group contains I + III + VI (CMaj7 - Em7 - Am7) 2. Sub-Dominant Group contains II + IV (Dm7 - FMaj7) 3. Dominant Group contains V + VII (G7 - Bm7♭5) This grouping will become even clearer once we start adding tensions to chords.

As you can see, the notes in C6 and Am7 (and therefore the sound to the listeners ear) are the same. The only thing that differentiates these 2 harmonies in sound quality and chord symbol notation is the bass note (or tonic). The same applies to F6 and Dm7.

Track15-5.3.4 4-Note 3 Chord Groups We’ll come back to this briefly later when the remaining group connections make more sense. In the meantime keep remembering what I said earlier: Learn to hear the difference between major, minor, dominant & diminished / half-diminished harmonies. Be open to the possibility that each sound can have variations but remain the same in its basic purpose. (Ex. CMaj7 and C6) Become attuned to the most fundamental role the root note or tonic or bass note plays in creating subtle variations in quality of the same or similar groups of notes. The note content of the melody dictates which chord variations and quality are most suitable. Again:

ALL THE INFO ABOVE ABOUT 4-NOTE CHORDS IN C-MAJOR SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ALL OTHER 14 KEYS! Congratulations: You’ve reached another milestone in your “What Are Chords” journey. I’m sure by now the process of extracting harmony from scales is becoming a bit of a light bulb event. The volume of your chord knowledge is growing steadily. Think about it: 15 major scales x 7 triads x 7 4-note chords (not counting inversions) = 735 harmonies to chose from. I know, keeping score like that is a bit “greedy” but it gives you an idea how much knowledge is contained in just all the major scales. And we’re not done yet!

5.3.5. The Major Scale 4-Note Chord Diagram Here is the 2nd version of my chord diagram, this time enlarged to show 4-note harmony. Note the inclusion in brackets of the 6th as an alternative to the 7th in the 2 major modes. Also, very importantly, the triad diagram listed the 5th mode as a major chord and the 7th mode as diminished which was correct. But now, with the 4th note added, mode 5 turns into its true quality of dominant 7th (G7) shown with a separate color and similarly mode 7 has morphed into its real function of Half-Diminished (B∅).

5.3.6. A Rebellious Look At The Circle of Fifths As I mentioned in chapter “2. Required Knowledge”, the greatest assistant to absorbing this introduction to chords and have lights go on all over the place, is a basic understanding of the circle or cycle of fifths or fourths. It naturally completes and clarifies the picture of major scale chords we are painting here.

For this circle to be of real help when discussing chords it is much more convenient to have it laid out flat:

I know, this is very small. It’s difficult to fit 15 keys and key signatures into 1 line, so just for display we’ll cut this in half and show flats and sharps separately and larger:

The one thing that has always bothered me about this traditional version of the cycle is that the sharp keys are on the right and the flat ones on the left. I’m going to turn this around and switch sides by putting sharps on the left and flats on the right like this:

Here is why: Music on paper flows left to right and almost every composition that has ever been written includes chord sequences like II-V-I (Dm7-G7-CMaj7) and similar right to left around-or-along-the-cycle type movements. If you are a chord-novice you may not understand this reasoning at this point but I promise you it will make total sense soon enough. Let’s take a very common III - VI - II - V - I harmonic flow in the key of C and show it on the traditional cycle:

The flow of this sequence from right to left goes against the grain visually. Let’s see the same set of harmonies on my amended cycle:

Track16-5.3.6 The Rebel Turn Around The cycle flows with the music. I rest my case! If you are in the dark or unsure about the cycle of 5ths, please take the time to watch the first 2 of my 5 very informative free videos. Don’t worry if some of the content is hard to grasp at first, it will soon make sense and we’ll re-visit the cycle once more at the end of the next chapter. Video 1: (A detailed look at the basics of the circle of 5ths, keys, key signatures, circle or cycle, 4ths or 5ths.)

Video 2: (Find how the circle of 5ths becomes a very user-friendly music tool by making a small but crucial change.)

5.4. 5-, 6- and 7-NOTE CHORDS 5.4.1. How to Create 5-, 6- & 7-Note Chords So far we’ve used 4 notes, the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th, out of each 7-note mode to create 4-note chords. That leaves 3 more notes (the 2nd, 4th and 6th) to extend the sound of each harmony. Unfortunately as you’ll see in a minute not all 3 are usable additions in every mode. We’ve also already learned that the 6th in the major modes is exchangeable with the 7th. May I point out again that these 5, 6 and 7-note sounds are still just coming from each scale. So, still no accidentals but now we’re getting into tension territory where any of the 3 new notes have the potential to create tension or friction with the basic 4-note sound. Our chord color palette is starting to look very interesting indeed and it will be increasingly important to be aware when and where and how to use this abundant variety of choices in your painting. Since you’re “swimming” like a pro by now (I hope) let’s jump into the deep end and look at all the chord versions that the 3 extra notes make possible: Index of abbreviations: T = Tension (can be added to the chord) GT = Guide Tone (minimal required 2 notes to establish chord quality) A = Avoid Note (can be used in the melody but should be left out of the chord)

As you can see the chord choices in each mode are numerous and it is important at this point to realize that the style of your music and personal harmonic preferences should dictate how far you go with this. Just adding the 9th in many instances is a step towards a jazzy sound. Mind you, many pop artists like Stevie Wonder, Sting, Steely Dan, Michael Jackson and many more use this kind of harmony in their songs all the time. So it’s decisionmaking time. You can have a triad or a 7-note chord if it is appropriate to your composition.

The best way to go forward if you haven’t used 5+-note chords before is to listen to the sound of each one. You’ll soon feel what’s right and what’s too thick or tense or jazzy. Here is each chord from the last image played in sequence. Be aware that they are all in root position and there are many more other ways to use them:

Track17-5.4.1 C-Mode 5+Note Chords A few comments about the chords of each mode: IONIAN: 3-6 notes. All chords if voiced properly sound very nice and are very common. DORIAN: 3-6 (7) notes. Strictly speaking the addition of the 13th (Dm13), even though it is a reasonably common jazz chord, is a no-no because the note B goes against the basic purpose of the II-chord. PHRYGIAN: 3-5 notes. This mode has the least choices of all if used cleanly because it has 2 avoid-notes. But rules are there to be broken! LYDIAN: 3-7 notes. The 4th mode is the only one without avoid-notes therefore it gives you the most harmonic choices of all. Care must be taken when and how to use the B (♯11) or messy sounds will be the outcome. MIXOLYDIAN: 3-6 notes. All versions are very common but remember, the triad just sounds like a major chord. The V chord has the most potential for alterations and other versions, as you’ll see later. AEOLIAN: (Also called the NATURAL minor) 3-6 notes. As the relative minor it is very common even with 9th and 11th added and nicely voiced (spread). This scale is also the foundation from which the harmonic and melodic minor scales are built. LOCRIAN: 3-6 notes. The triad is just a diminished sound and the 4th note is needed to make it m7(♭5). 5 and 6-note versions are more rare and mostly used in jazz.

5.4.2. Notation of Chords with Added Tensions The more involved harmony gets, the more important it is to notate it very clearly. Badly written or questionable chord symbols can lead to mistakes in interpretation (of course) but also unnecessarily lost time in any recording situation where time is money. Unfortunately there are also a variety of opinions out there about how certain tensions should be notated. But I’m confident after almost half a century of messing about with harmony, that my way of chord symbol notation is clear and to the point. If you’re composing music for your own band you can get away with a certain amount of simplification because anything questionable or incomplete can be explained. But in any other situation where your arrangement gets sold or the performance of it is out of your control, you can go 2 ways: 1. If your music is for professional jazz players you can assume that they know the secrets of modes and chords, which allows you a certain tolerance. For instance there is no need to write complicated chord symbols as the performers will know “what goes” with added tensions and so on. If you write for jazz students I’d think a bit more carefully about including slightly more detail. 2. For all other music that routinely includes chord symbols I would be specific about added tensions within reason. That means ridiculously complicated symbols often do more damage than good and are frequently unnecessary. Plus they are almost impossible to sight-read for many players. Here are some of the 5+-note chord & symbol possibilities again per mode, this time notated on a grand staff in a variety of ways: MODE I: Note: I always use the triangle for Maj7 & 9; it is very common and international. Use 6/9 when adding the 9th to the 6th chord, sometimes notated with a slash between 6 and 9. The full 6 note symbols (ex. 5 & 6) I hardly ever use. Just because the orchestra plays a full 6-note chord doesn’t mean that piano & guitar also have to play the full thick sound, it is often overkill. But if necessary, by all means use the last 2 symbols.

MODE II: Note: Minor chords with extra tensions are used all the time and are basically simple to notate. I never use the hyphen for minor because it is too easily missed. Keep in mind that m11 includes the 9th and m13 the 9th & 11th. If you want special versions like m7 + 11 only it should be made clear like this: m7(add 11), see mode III.

MODE III: Note: This minor harmony when used strictly as the III of the key only allows the 11th as a tension. Therefore we only get one symbol to use. “add 11” should be in brackets.

MODE IV: Note: The most versatile of the 7 modes due to the availability of the ♯11. Treat the symbol notation exactly like the I-chord until you add the tri-tone (♯11) then be sure to put it in brackets. The full 7-note chord sounds quite thick and it is often best to omit the natural 5 to lessen the tension.

MODE V: Note: The V chord has the most potential for added tensions and alterations, as you’ll see later. But here the 2 possible additions are the 9th and/or the 13th. To avoid confusion with the sus4 harmony it is best to be clear by saying G7, G9 or G9(13). If you want to use the 13th without the 9th notate G7(13). I don’t use G13 because it leaves a question mark whether it is a proper dominant or a sus4. Important: In dominant 7th chords, the 6th is always called a 13th, whether it is placed above the ♭7 (in the 13th spot, ex. 3 & 4) or right next to it (ex. 5).

MODE VI: Note: Treat this like the II-mode except the 13th is not available.

MODE VII: Note: The symbol ∅ should only be used for the 4-note-chord. If you need to write the 2 larger versions use m11(♭5) for the 5-note harmony and m11(♭5♭13) for the 6 notes. The last symbol is complicated looking and I hardly ever use it.

The musical examples given above are of course only a minimal cross section of what is possible and many more versions of all these harmonies, especially with omitted notes and other varieties, are possible. That is where you can work towards your personal style by being selective in what goes in a chord and what stays out.

5.4.3. Inversion of Large Harmony In the last chapter on inversions I said to “forget about them”. This is even more accurate for larger chords. Think about it. Chords that have 5 or 6 or 7 different notes in them need a minimum of 5 or 6 or 7 horn or string players or singers. They can be played by a piano but a guitar is restricted to 5 notes. Your choice of lead note of each chord becomes more and more crucial. Pick the “wrong” note on top and certain voicings/inversions become awkward. Of course there is no such thing as a wrong lead note, all 5 or 6 or 7 are valid but some are definitively better than others. Depending on your music style, instrumentation etc. you will be frequently faced with the need to omit notes without jeopardizing the sound or purpose of the harmony. The most common 2 notes to be left out are the tonic & the 5th. The tonic can easily be omitted if there is a bass player, and the 5th is not absolutely necessary to retain the character of the chord. But the 2 guide tones must stay for a complete harmony. Here is a variety of inversions/voicings for a mixture of musical situations and instrumentations, some with doubled notes, some with notes left out:

Listen to each example played slowly with a brief gap between them (piano, guitar, brass, strings and voices).

Track18-5.4.3 5+Note Chord Inversions If you’re unsure about guide tones and the many interesting things about them, feel free to watch my 4 videos that explain it all. Video 1: (What are guide tones?)

Video 2: (How to use guide tones?)

Video 3: (A detailed look at the close relationship between guide tones and the circle of 5ths.)

Video 4: (A note by note analysis of single and double guide tone lines written for a 32 measure orchestral piece.)

5.4.4. The Major Scale 5-Note+ Chord Diagram Here is the 3rd version of the chord diagram this time including all the possible additions (tensions) to the 4-note chord.

6. CHORDS ORIGINATING FROM THE WHOLE TONE SCALE 6.1. About The Whole Tone Scale My chapters will be slightly shorter and to the point from now because 1) I’m hoping that you understand the basics of chord creation and 2) the rules for building harmonies from scales don’t change even for the upcoming more left-field sounds: 1-3-5 = Triad 1-3-5-7 = 4-Note Chord 2-4-6 = Available Tensions/Avoid Notes (plus a few surprises) This 6-NOTE scale is one of a kind, built on a series of whole tone (WT) steps and therefore unusual but also very symmetrical.

(I’ve included the enharmonic pitches because, depending on where or how this scale or chord is used, either of the 2 notes with the same pitch are applicable)

Up to chapter 6 you had to translate all the info given into 14 other keys, which admittedly is quite a time consuming but necessary task. The good news is that with the WT Scale there are only 2. C and C♯. When you get to D, you’re back into the C-WT scale starting from the 2nd note. Yippee! Similar to the diminished chord, the harmonies from the WT scale have an easily recognizable sound to them. They always sound like a question mark to my ear, unresolved, restless, slightly troubled, needing to go somewhere. Let’s see what chords come out of the WT scale.

6.2. How To Build Whole Tone Scale Chords The formula for creating harmonies from the WT scale is a little different due the scale being restricted to 6 notes. Here is the scale image again with all the additions:

This picture tells us that there are no avoid notes and that the harmonic possibilities from the WT scale are: TRIADS: C major with a ♭5 or C major with ♯5 4-NOTE CHORDS C7 with ♯5 or ♭5 5- or 6-NOTE CHORDS C9 with either ♯5 or ♭5 or both. ♯5 is also called augmented and sometimes indicated with a + sign. Remember the above applies exactly the same to D (D7♯5 or ♭5) E, F♯/G♭, G♯/A♭ and A♯/B♭. Take the whole scenario up a semi tone and it turns into C♯/D♭, D♯/E♭, F, G, A and B. So, we have 2 WT scales with a potential total of 84 different triads and 4-, 5and 6-note chords. NOTE: Take care when creating the larger WT harmonies because a bunch of notes a tone apart can sound thick and ugly. Therefore: Be smart with your voicings!

6.3. Notation of Chords From The WT Scale The more often used chords from the Whole Tone Scale are the augmented ones. Many composers, arrangers and songwriters use the plus sign (+) to notate them but I find it can be confusing to read just like the hyphen for minor. It is much safer and clearer to use (♯5) instead.

Flat 5 harmonies are a little less common (outside of jazz anyway) and should be written (♭5). Here is a bunch of chord sounds taken from the WT scale, from triads to 6-note chords in root position and 4 others in a more open shape:

Listen to them played in sequence, each line from left to right.

Track19-6.3. Whole Tone Scale Chords Like I said, they all sound like they need to resolve to some kind of F chord. Inversion of these chords works the same as the mode-chords.

Triads can be in root position or 1st & 2nd inversion plus the 3rd inversion for 4-note chords. Again, be aware of the regular whole tone space between notes, which can lead to awkward voicings.

6.4. The Whole Tone Scale Chord Diagram

Holy smoke, if you’re reading this, you’re still hanging in and finding out about “What Are Chords”. Congratulations and believe me this journey will be seriously worthwhile to your understanding of music in general. Next we’re diving into a similar tonal center to the Major Modes but this time with a minor sound and 7 really cool new chords.

7. CHORDS DERIVED FROM THE MELODIC MINOR SCALE 7.1. About The Melodic Minor Scale A little while back I mentioned that the Aeolian mode (or natural or relative minor scale) is the basis for building the Melodic Minor scale. While this is true in classic music theory I want you to forget about it. To have a scale that sharpens 2 notes of the natural minor on the way up and then flattens them again for downward melodies only makes sense if you’re into strict classical composition. If you’re writing a pop song and decide to use a Cm6 chord in measure 5 then that sound and scale remain the same whether the notes of your tune go up or down. The simple truth about the melodic minor (MM) scale is that it’s a MAJOR SCALE WITH A MINOR THIRD! So, if you know your major scales, just make 1 small change and flatten the 3rd note. Simple! In my mad practice days many years ago I always repeated whatever exercise I was playing in a major key also in melodic minor straight after. Here is an example:

This is (or should be) a very simple thing to do and it opens up such a smorgasbord of harmonies to become comfortable with. You get your 7 Major modes with all their harmonic variations and another 7 from the MM scale with its cool chords in one practice session. If you’re studying and learning to compose classical music this may not be the way to go! So let’s have a look at the MM modes.

7.2. How To Build Melodic Minor Scale Chords

Since you’re familiar with the detailed examination we made of the major modes in triad form and moving to ever-larger chords and their symbols, I’m going to push you into the deep end again and present you with the whole MM mode & basic chord picture straight away. Before you look at the image below, let me point out a few interesting details: 1. Be amazed at how much difference the simple change of flattening 1 note, the 3rd from E in C-major to E♭ makes and how it opens up a whole new Aladdin’s cave of harmonic treasures. 2. Compared to the major scale modes where only the 4th mode has no avoidnotes, in this scale there are 4 modes where all the notes are valid chord tones. That makes for more harmonic variations to chose from. 3. Out of the 7 modes 1 is not used very often, 4 are suitable for general use and 2 are mostly jazz chords. 4. If you think that these harmonies are too complicated for your personal taste, remember that you don’t have to use the 5-, 6- or 7-note sounds. The 4-note chords are fine because the scale that goes on behind them makes the difference. Here’s the “deep-end”:

Let’s zoom-in on each one: I - MELODIC MINOR Many minor flavored tunes use this as the resting place, the “coming home” sound. In other words, use it like the Ionian mode in a major key composition. Lots

of possible variations as all 7 notes are available. Listen to the scale then each chord from left to right with snippets of scale played over the top:

Track20-7.2. Melodic Minor Scale Chords II - DORIAN ♭2 This minor mode is not used very often. Personally I’ve never used it in any of my work because I don’t particularly like a m7 harmony with the sound of a ♭9 (E♭) in the scale. But I’ve seen it used so don’t completely chuck it in the bin just yet. You be the judge when you hear it:

Track21-7.2. Dorian ♭2 Scale Chords III - LYDIAN AUGMENTED This is a special sound that you find quite a lot in more modern jazz tunes. But it also has a place in middle of the road music as a replacement or substitution of the Ionian major chord. You could make | Fm7 | B♭7 | E♭Maj7 more interesting by doing this instead | Fm7 | B♭7 | E♭Maj7(♯5) E♭Maj7 (if the melody allows). Lend your ear please:

Track22-7.2. Lydian Aug Scale Chords IV - LYDIAN DOMINANT A very common version of the dominant 7 harmony, that turns the normally avoid 4th in the basic Mixolydian into a usable note (♯4-♭5-♯11 = Lydian). Hip players of the Blues love the Lydian Dominant. Please listen:

Track23-7.2. Lydian Dom Scale Chords

V - MIXOLYDIAN ♭13 Another version of the dominant 7 harmony, this time with a ♭13 or ♯5. Can be played instead of the whole-tone scale. Very often seen before resolving to a Iminor. Go to audio:

Track24-7.2. Mixolydian ♭13 Scale Chords VI - LOCRIAN ♯2 The “bug” about the normal Locrian mode is that it doesn’t have a usable 9th. This scale solves that problem but is otherwise the same as mode VII of the major scale. The added note gives the option of resolving to a major chord. Ex. The main purpose of the normal Locrian in B♭ is usually to be part of the II-V-to the relative minor: Am7(♭5) - D7(♯5) - Gm7 or Gm6. But with the Locrian ♯2 you could go: Am9(♭5) - D13(♭9) - GMaj7. Different, but very effective. Hear these 2 examples with their corresponding modes in the melody:

Track25-7.2. Locrian ♯2 Scale Chords VII - ALTERED This is one the most extreme version of the dominant 7 chord, but also one the most interesting and versatile. The 9th and 5th are altered both ways (♭9 / ♯9 & ♭5 / ♯5). This gives lots of harmonic options from reasonably simple to all in. Note: Since all notes are available as chord tones, I’ve added the ♯5 as the 5th of the chord in this example but it could have been the ♭5 instead. Also, the 3rd of B should be D♯ but as part of this mode, E♭ will have to do. Please listen, but be aware that the true magic of this harmony does not begin to shine till some of the other tensions (or even all) are added - in the next chapter:

Track26-7.2. Altered Scale Chords As you can see, the basic procedure of chord extraction from a scale remains the same as the one I detailed in the Major Scale Modes.

But the notation of these new chord symbols are bit more involved due to all the possible added notes. Let’s have a look at that now.

7.3. Notation of Chords From The MM Scale When chord symbols get more complicated as some do here, it becomes crucial to be totally clear about what is going on. As I’ve said before, depending on who you write music for, their content can vary quite a bit. You only need to write the “extreme” symbols when you want to make sure that no liberties are taken with what notes are included in the sound. For jazz players a basic symbol is enough, as they should know what notes are allowed as additions if they choose to use them. So here again is each MM-mode with a complete set of possible symbols and a frequently used voicing underneath plus a short playback: I - MELODIC MINOR

Track27-7.3. Melodic Minor Chord Symbols II - DORIAN b2

Track28-7.3. Dorian ♭2 Chord Symbols III - LYDIAN AUGMENTED

Track29-7.3. Lydian Aug Chord Symbols IV - LYDIAN DOMINANT

Track30-7.3. Lydian Dom Chord Symbols As you can see and hear, it is ok if required to have ♮5 and ♭5/♯11 in the same chord. But for a cleaner sound I prefer to leave the ♮5 out.

V - MIXOLYDIAN b13

Track31-7.3. Mixolydian ♭13 Chord Symbols What I said a minute ago about ♮5 and ♭5 in the same harmony goes a bit more against the grain if you try it with ♮5 and ♯5/♭13. Personally I’m not a big fan. (Replay the last chord of the above audio sample). To

keep “in tune” with the C-Melodic Minor scale, the ♯5 is displayed as E♭ instead of D♯. VI - LOCRIAN #2

Track32-7.3. Locrian #2 Chord Symbols VII - ALTERED

Track33-7.3. Altered Chord Symbols Again, apologies for notating the 3rd of B as E♭ instead of D♯. Remember: Chord symbols are not a unified and set in stone subject. Many musicians have different ways of writing them. But the ones you’ve just looked at have not given me any problems or complaints in over 40 years of writing arrangements. Above all: Be clear!

7.4. The Melodic Minor Scale Chord Diagram

Only kidding! The altered mode should not be any more difficult than the others because it’s still just the MM-scale starting on the 7th note. Right? Don’t let all those serious looking symbols scare you. The good news is: You’ve arrived at another milestone. We’ve covered almost all the chord varieties you’ll ever need to know. If you understand the content so far and it makes sense, you should be smiling with pride. The remaining 2 chapters cover what is left of the chord pie, the diminished scale and then how to treat outside chords when they arise inside a major tonal center.

8. THE CHORDS OF THE DIMINISHED BLUES SCALE 8.1. Insight into The Diminished Blues Scale The Diminished Blues Scale is daunting to some, overused by others and not fully understood by many. Here are some important facts why this is the case: 1. It is an 8-note scale 2. It has multiple names 3. It only exists in 3 keys then it repeats 4. It is 2 scales in one Let’s put each of those points under the microscope: 1. 8-Note Scale 8 scale tones without avoid notes, which opens the door for a large variety of harmonies, up to 8 notes if you “dare”.

2. Multiple Names The other 2 names of this scale are: Whole Tone-Half Tone (WT-HT) or Half Tone-Whole Tone (HT-WT) scale depending on the starting note:

3. Only 3 Keys

Similar to the whole-tone scale where we found that it really only exists in 2 keys before you start repeating, the Dim Blues has a regular interval pattern of 3 semitones between chord tones. This means that there are only 3 different keys (C, C♯ and D) before we get back to the C-version starting on E♭.

4. 2 Scales In One This is the most important point. You can look at this scale in 2 different ways: a. Half Tone-Whole Tone is the basis of a Dominant 7(♭9) chord (1-3-5-♭7) and 3 others exactly the same starting on notes 3, 5 and 7. b. Whole Tone-Half Tone is the mode behind a Diminished 7th chord (1-♭3♭5-♭♭7) and also 3 others from notes 3, 5 and 7. (I know that 3 of the D♭ diminished chord tones are enharmonically incorrect but I left them the same as the top scale for this demo.)

Hear both scales with the 4-note harmony behind them:

Track34-8.1. C-HT and D♭-WT If you’re still a bit confused about this mode, don’t worry. It took me a fair amount of time and practice before the fog cleared. The next chapters will provide more insight and chord samples.

8.2. How To Build Dim Blues Scale Chords Since each one of the 24 possible harmonies (3 scales x 4 dim + 3 scales x 4 b9) has no avoid notes, it is possible to build chords anywhere from 3 to 8 notes. This is a huge soundscape of simple triads (probably not often chosen in this scale, but then, why not), to 4-note chords with either 1, 2, 3 or even 4 added tension. Let’s have a closer look, separately for WT-HT and HT-WT.

8.2.1. The Whole Tone-Half Tone Way Allow me to nail this down once more: Each of the 3 WT-HT modes is the backdrop for 4 diminished 7th chords containing 4 basic chord tones and 4 possible tensions. Standard 4-note dim chords have a reputation for sounding a bit passé, especially when used for any length of time (like 1 measure) and not just as passing chords for instrument voicings where they might move at 8th note speed. So, the addition

of 1 or 2 of the available tensions has the potential to bring the old-fashioned into the now. Which 2 out of the 4, or whether any of them are suitable, is always determined by melody notes and style.

NOTE: The rows of note names at the bottom of the image are valid for all 3 scales. Enharmonically correct spelling of each chord tone is near impossible and depends a lot on what key you are in and whether you are using say C♯ or D♭, F♯ or G♭ etc. diminished. Here are the same 3 scales in a different format displaying the chords & tensions:

NOTE: Accidentals in the 2nd measure carry right through from the first chord and its tensions. Again: Enharmonic spelling of the dim chords has been kept the same as in measure 1 for convenience. You must have noticed that each WT-HT scale consists of 2 intertwined diminished chords, 1 starting on the root note and the other a whole tone above.

8.2.2. The Half Tone-Whole Tone Road It is tempting (and possible) to subdivide the HT-WT mode like we just did in the last chapter and superimpose 2 diminished chords on top of each other like so:

But this image, while technically correct, leads to confusion and does not address the true purpose of a HT-WT scale, which is to be the backdrop for a dominant 7th chord with 4 possible added tensions as you saw in chapter 8.1.

Now we’re cooking and able to expand the info like we did for the WT-HT mode. Despite the difference in looking at this scale, it still holds 3 other dominant 7th chords. To display this though in one image like I did with the WT-HT is not possible because the sequence of chord tones and tensions is not even any more. Here are the 4 dominant 7th chords “hidden” inside the C HT-WT: (enharmonic spelling errors of some chord tones admitted and on purpose!)

You just need to transpose this up a semitone to C♯ (C♯7, E7, G7, B♭7), and then another halftone to D (D7, F7, A♭7, B7) and you’ve got all 12 harmonies covered.

8.3. Notation of Dim Blues Scale Chords Writing down the symbols of the diminished blues follows the rules we’ve already discussed, especially in chapter 7.3. (Melodic Minor). But it can get a bit messy because every chord has the option of 4 possible

additions. Adding all or some of those to the basic 4-note symbol is pretty straight ahead for the dominant 7th ones (HT-WT) but gets a bit trickier for the diminished group (WT-HT). Let’s check it out!

8.3.1. Diminished Chord Symbols As I mentioned earlier you may want to spice up the basic dim7 chord with an extra note or two. And that is about as far as I would go unless you’re aiming to create a pretty strained sound. If you add more than 2 tensions, expressing all 3 or 4 added notes clearly in the symbol becomes more and more difficult. You could follow the normal path and name the 4 extra notes as intervals from the root note something crazy like this:

But I have never written dim chords in such a way or seen them in anybody else’s music. The most common tension added to the diminished harmony is the ▵7 closely followed by the 9th. In a Cdim7 that is the notes B & D, resulting in the reasonably often used symbols C°(▵7) or C°(▵9). In these situations the note(s) immediately below the added tension(s) in the scale is/are frequently omitted resulting in a less clustered but just as effective sound. See and hear the following examples:

Track35-8.3. Cdim(▵7)and(▵9)

To accommodate the other 2 tensions or include 3 or even 4 (if you must) I have always either written the voicing out or used a symbol that is not necessarily allinclusive but quite enough to give chord players the message. If you really want to convey that you want 4 chord tones + 4 tensions, the easiest way is to write B°7 over C°7. The “over” part is a horizontal slash (or underscore) with the B°7 above it and the C°7 below. This is easy to understand and write. Here are some examples:

You can see that the above methods allow you to write just about any combination of the 8 notes.

Track36-8.3. Cdim + up to 4 tensions Remember to always notate dim chords by their root note. So if a C is on the bottom it’s a C°, if it is E♭ or G♭ or A call them E♭, G♭ or A diminished.

8.3.2. Dominant 7 Chord Symbols You’ll be glad to know that notating this section of the diminished blues scale is a bit more straight ahead. You start with 1-3-5-♭7 and have the choice of adding any or all of these: ♭9, ♯9, ♭5/♯11 and 13. The most common and still pleasant sounding 7-note symbol is C13(♭9/♯11). The same harmony with ♯9 in it is quite tense and used less. If you must go “all the way”, you could use the chord over chord technique and say E♭° over C7(♭9), but I have never needed to go that far. Important: Whenever the 9th is altered in either direction, the natural 9 is NOT available. Here are a few examples of C7 voicings with a variety of the 4 tensions added:

Track37-8.3. C7♭9 + up to 4 tensions The only chord that has a note omitted is the 4th chord in the lower row. The ♮5 is missing resulting in a clearer sound. Notice how the root position examples at the beginning of each measure are more edgy than the open voicings where clashing notes are separated. There are many more ways to use these harmonies. You can try any combination and also leave notes out as long as you keep the root note and the 2 guide tones (3rd and ♭7) in place. When using ♮5 and ♭5 it is best to have the ♮5 BELOW the ♭5 unless you brake the rules and have them next to each other or reversed to create a special tense sound.

8.4. The HT-WT Scale Chord Diagram

8.5. The WT-HT Scale Chord Diagram

8.6. More Digging into the Cycle of Fifths In the last burst of circle of fifths info way back in chapter 5.3.6 the main points of discussion were the 15 keys and their key signatures plus the need to reverse the order of sharps and flats to make along-the-cycle harmony flow in the same direction as music on paper, left to right. I trust this makes sense to you. This time I’d like to draw your attention to a wider look at the cycle, the peripheral vision part if you like. The great thing about this tool is its multi-purpose qualities. Sure you can use it to remember how many sharps and flats keys have and in what order they are added or subtracted. But for me the more juicy info is that each station on the cycle can be anything with that name! For instance let’s take D and forget the 2 sharps for a moment and let’s pretend that D can be any chord not just D major, for instance Dm7 or D7 or any D chord as complicated as you like and any scale that goes with each of those harmonies. That really opens up this gadgets usefulness. Now a “tame” inside the key turn-around like III-VI-II-V-I (Em7-Am7-Dm7-G7CMaj7) can be as complicated as E7(♯5♭9) Altered Scale - A7(♭9) Half ToneWhole Tone Scale - D9(13) G Major Scale - G9(♯11) Lydian Dominant Scale C6/9. If this extra dimensional view of the humble circle is to your liking, you can watch parts 3, 4 & 5 of my free videos on the cycle of 5ths. They cover all that stuff and more: VIDEO 3: (Watch & hear how chord progressions behave on the cycle of 5ths diagram in detail. Learn about the “turnaround” and analyze the harmonic details of a 16-measure song step by step.)

VIDEO 4: (10 easy steps to perfect music transcription using the cycle of fifths. A hands-on look at a short song and how to transcribe each instrument from the bass up. Learn how to hear and adjust chords using the melody.)

VIDEO 5: (How To Transpose Music Instantly With The Cycle Of Fifths. Watch a step-by-step demo using a short song.)

9. SUS4 & SUS2 CHORDS 9.1. About sus4 Chords I probably should have approached this subject in the appropriate earlier pages as sus4 chords are just a slight deviation from harmonies we’ve already covered. But they deserve a chapter of their own, mainly because they are so popular in much of today’s music. Sus4 is the abbreviation of “suspended 4th” meaning the 4th note of the scale is used in the chord instead of the 3rd. To my thinking this is actually a bit confusing because the meaning of “suspended” in the dictionary is: “Temporarily prevented from continuing or being in force or effect”. The note that this happens to is the 3rd. It is held back and the 4th is played instead. This explanation is more valid in popular music where suspended chords are very often used as a sound in their own right and not resolved. G7(sus4) = G-C-DF does not always resolve to G7 = G-B-D-F The dictionary also explains the meaning of musical suspension as: “The prolongation of one or more tones of a chord into a following chord to create a temporary dissonance”. This quote makes sense in traditional tuition where the held over 4th will be resolved to the 3rd. Csus = C-F-G followed by C-E-G. Whichever way you use these chords, they create a great variation to the nonsuspended sound. Sus4 chords happen in these chord families: Major Chords (Ionian & Lydian) Minor Chords (Dorian, Aeolian, Melodic Minor & Dorian ♭2) Dominant 7th Chords (Mixolydian, Mixolydian ♭13)

9.2. About sus2 Chords All the clarification about sus4 also applies to sus2 except the 2nd note is used instead of the tonic. This chord type is less common and also very often notated without the “sus”, so Csus2 = D-E-G and C2 are basically the same. Another way is to say C(add2) which strictly should be: C-D-E-G.

Let’s look at the sus chord groups separately.

9.3. Major sus4 and sus2 Chords In the major chord group the sus4 version is most often applied to the triad. So C (C-E-G) becomes Csus4 (C-F-G). Inversions follow the same principles as discussed in the major modes.

Track38-9.3. Csus4 + Inversions If you extend this to larger chords it can get confusing both in sound and symbol notation. But despite that they exist. For instance: C▵7(sus4) = C-F-G-B or C▵9(sus4) = C-F-G-B-D which is the same as G7/C, easier to write and interpret. C6(sus4) = C-F-G-A and C6/9(sus4) = C-F-G-A-D. Both of those are a bit clustery in root position and need careful voicing. The second one can be notated as Dm/C You can see that having an F in a C-major harmony can form little triadic or 4-note structures over a C-bass.

Track39-9.3. CMaj7 + C6 (sus4) The sus2 version of major chords has been used to great effect in some famous themes. It is mostly applied to the triad and, similarly to above, larger sus2 chords can easily be written in other ways: C(sus2) = D-E-G (still with a C in the bass, also called C2) C▵7(sus2) = D-E-G-B is really the same as a different voicing of C▵9 or Em7/C. If you enlarge further to include the 9th, the exercise becomes pointless because the 9th in C is the D and symbol-wise we can use C▵9 or C6/9. The variety of harmonic possibilities just in this sus department is maybe not endless but large. I would suggest this: Use C(sus2) or C2 or C(add2) when you want the D played inside the triad and not above it in the ninth spot. For those you can say C(add9) or C▵9 etc.

Track40-9.3. C(sus2) examples

9.4. Dominant sus4 Chords If you’ve been around any of today’s music even a little bit you would have encountered dominant 7th(sus4) chords. They are everywhere. Not just to resolve to the non-sus harmony but by themselves covering whole sections of songs. Any Dominant/Mixolydian scale that contains a 4th as an “avoid” note can be hijacked and turned into a sus4 by promoting the 4th to chord-tone status and barring the 3rd to the wasteland of the untouchables.

Be clear that the Lydian Dominant and HT-WT scales are not candidates for sus4ing because they don’t have a 4th to sus but a ♯4/♭5/♯11 instead. Let’s look at a few examples of G7(sus4) and how quite often any V(sus4) can also be a disguised II-chord (Dorian) with the V already in the bass.

Note: The 4 notes of the Dm7 are the same as F6 and Dm9 is the same as F▵7. The Dm (II) is better if resolving to G7 but the F (IV) could also be used in other harmonic circumstances

Track41-9.4. G7(sus4) examples IMPORTANT: Listening to pop music of any style I hear harmonic passages on a regular basis that have used the sus4 AND the 3rd in the same chord. That sounds cool and effective if it is done on purpose and with care. But quite often it is obviously a mistake that has occurred when overdubbing or through sheer ignorance. Be clear in your mind that the main purpose of the sus4 is the resolution to the 3rd.

As in Dm7/G or G7(sus4) to G7, the classical resolve of the note C to B.

9.5. Minor sus4 Chords The difference between major and dominant sus chords and the minor ones is easily detected by comparing their scales. The fourth note in the major and dominant modes is an avoid note, therefore it can be “activated” by shutting out the 3rd as we just saw in the last chapter. The minor scales (Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian, Melodic Minor and even Dorian ♭2) all have a valid accessible T11 or 4th built in, meaning a Dm11 already uses the 4th. But what needs to be made clear is that the Dm11 usually contains the minor 3rd AND the fourth. Also, most importantly, the distance between the ♭3rd and 4th is a whole tone (less friction) unlike major and dominant where it is a semitone. So, the purpose of a minor (sus4) harmony is, just as it was in major and dominant, to omit the 3rd and use the 4th: Dm(sus4) = D-G-A, Dm7(sus4) = D-G-A-C and Dm9(sus4) = D-G-A-C-E, also called Am7/D or C6/D. As soon as you extend further to Dm11 it is not a sus4 any more but an 11th. So the sus4 addition to a symbol should only be used for triads or 4-note chords where the sus 4th is placed in its true slot.

Track42-9.5. Minor (sus4) examples

9.6. Diminished or Half-Diminished sus4 Chords? The question mark after this title is appropriate and on purpose.

Diminished harmonies are not sus4-able because the 4th note in the WT-HT scale is ♯4, therefore unavailable. The 1/2-diminshed chord family is also not a good candidate for sus 4ths because the 5th note is a ♭5, a half tone away from the 4th or T11. So, as we discovered in the Locrian and Locrian ♯2 modes, the T11 is an available note to be used as a tension above the 4 base notes, but were you to try and create a B∅(sus4) you’d get B-E-F-A. That is actually a cool sound, but it could also be named G9(13)/B or Dm6/9/B. In all my umpteen years of “peddling” chords I’ve never come across the ∅(sus4) symbol. Of course that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist somewhere in a dark corner of chord-land. Actually, in hindsight, I rather like it.

10. THE MODES BETWEEN THE MODES 10.1. What Are The Modes Between The Modes Back in Chapter 5 we looked at the 7 Major Modes and all the examples in the key of C. Imagine for a moment that you’re composing or working on a tune in C. It is very likely that amongst its chord sequence you will find C, Dm, Em, F, G7, Am & B∅. Maybe not all 7 but at least some of them. The truth is though that most songs don’t just contain all or some of those inside harmonies but possibly any other chord there is. That’s why we need to look at our C-scale with a chromatic eye. The places in the scale where there is room for in-between or outside harmony are: C♯/D♭ (♯I or ♭II), D♯/E♭ (♯II or ♭III), F♯/G♭ (♯IV or ♭V), G♯/A♭ (♯V or ♭VI) and A♯/B♭ (♯VI or ♭VII). All of those outside chords could potentially be any chord type: Major, Minor, Dominant, Diminished, even 1/2-Diminished. The ones that we’re going to look at are the most common: Major, Dominant and Diminished. It is important to point out that the appearance of those in-between harmonies be “out-of-the-blue” (in the case of major chords NOT preceded by II - V).

Track43-10.1. In-Between Modes (out-of-the-blue) When one of the outside major chords has a II - V in front of it, like Fm7 - B♭7 E♭6, it presents a different situation. From the moment of the Fm7 to whenever the song goes back to C (via Dm7 - G7) you are in the key of E♭.

So, for the “out-of-the-blue” outside cases to contain as much of a “C-sound” (inside) as possible we need to find a way to integrate the chord and its scale into our C-song. That easy technique is the topic of the next chapter.

10.2. How To Create The In-Between Modes To keep a tune close to it’s tonal center or key when dealing with “outside” or inbetween chords is relatively easy. The choice whether you want to do this is of course totally up to you. But if your composition is aimed at the general listening market it makes sense to avoid the appearance of unnecessary notes with accidentals where possible. Here is what I mean: Your tune is in C and in measure 3 you have 4 beats of E♭7. You’d be quite correct if during measure 3 in your melody you would choose the E♭-Mixolydian scale with the note A♭ as the 4th. This note is not wrong and you could insist that it is what you want. But A♭ is not part of the C-major scale and therefore “outside”. So how do we keep those major and dominant harmonic situations as inside as possible?

Simple: 1. Create the appropriate 4-note chord and 2. Fill the gaps with notes from the key/scale the tune is written in. For the E♭7 chord we mentioned above, the 2 steps would be: 1. E♭7 = E♭ - G - B♭ - D♭ 2. E♭ - F - G - A (not A♭) - B♭ - C - D♭ (bold = C scale notes) result: E♭ Lydian Dominant.

Hear the subtle difference between using a Lydian Dominant scale (inside) versus an Eb Mixolydian (outside). Tune is in the key of C, first with the Eb-Lydian Dominant melody in measure 3:

Track44-10.2. E♭ Lydian Dominant Ex. Now with the Mixolydian, meaning the A’s become A♭’s in measure 3:

Track45-10.2. E♭ Mixolydian Ex. Don’t know about you but I definitively prefer V1 with the inside melody. The E♭ chord seems to be less invasive.

10.3. In-Between Major & Dominant Modes Assuming again that we are working with a tune in C-major, let’s test the theory

from the last chapter on the five in-between spots D♭, E♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭ (the enharmonic alternatives are, apart from F♯, not “valid” scales) and see what scales and chords we come up with for major and dominant chords. Please be aware that not all chord possibilities have been notated: 1. D♭ Major and D♭ Dominant

2. E♭ Major and E♭ Dominant

3. G♭ Major and G♭ Dominant

4. A♭ Major and A♭ Dominant

5. B♭ Major and B♭ Dominant

As you can see, all of those scales & harmonies require a natural T9 (a whole tone up from the tonic). For some (E♭ & B♭) that happens to be a C-major scale note but for the others that 9th is a non-C-note. The same applies to the 6th/T13.

As it turns out, all the major in-between scales become Lydian and the dominant ones Lydian Dominant. Easy to remember!

10.4. In-Between Diminished Modes As I said before, Diminished chords in general are less common in todays music. But if you like jazz standards and similar styles of music you will stumble across the dim7 chord symbol quite often. If you’re a composer of that type of music you’ll most likely hear and use them. The temptation will be to just use the Whole Tone-Half Tone scale. That will work of course but many of the in-between notes will be more “outside” your key center than necessary. So, the procedure to arrive at a more “inside” and less disruptive sound is the same as outlined in the major/dominant chapter you just read with 1 modification and 2 how-to rules. The modification is simply that these dim7 scales are 8 notes long. The 2 rules we’ll get to in a minute. In-between diminished harmony occurs most commonly as link-up or connecting chords between these major scale modes: 1. Going up from I-major to II-minor → ♯I-dim7 2. Going up from II-minor to III-minor → ♯II-dim7 3. Coming down from III-minor to II-minor → ♭III-dim7 4. Going up from IV-major to V-dominant → ♯IV-dim7 5. Going up from V-dominant to VI-minor → ♯V-dim7 When creating the 5 modes you will also note the close connection between dim and dom7(♭9) we talked about earlier (WH-HT & HT-WT scale) in 4 of them. The 2 rules are designed to help you decide whether the in-between scale notes are labeled T (tension) or A (avoid). Rule 1: Scale tones that are a 1/2 step below a chord tone become Tensions. Rule 2: Scale tones that are a whole step below a chord tone become Avoid. Once again, the following examples all assume that we are dealing with a composition in the key of C. Remember the routine: Create the 4-note dim chord, and then fill the gaps with Cscale notes!

A few comments about these 5 scales and their chords: 1. Notice the restriction to only 2 or 3 tensions available. If you used the WT-HT scale on all of those 5 chords you’d have the choice of 4 notes to add (if you wanted to) but also many more accidentals and therefore outside of C sounds. 2. In ♭III and ♯IV dim (3 tensions each) the chord symbols are not complete but I trust you understand that all 3 added notes are available and could be included in the symbol. 3. Other in-between diminished’s are possible like ♭VIIdim7 (B♭°7) and would be

treated in the same way. Here is my 8-bar tune (“Link Up”). First using all five dim7 chords and a simple improvised melody:

Track46-10.4. “Link Up” (Dim7) Let’s hear it once more, this time all diminished chords except E♭dim have been replaced with dom7(♭9) harmonies which creates a V to I movement into each next measure. All I’ve changed are the chord symbols and the bass line.

Track47-10.4. “Link Up” (Dom7) Despite all the added accidentals, both versions in harmony & melody still have a sense of belonging to the key of C. This would not (or much less) be the case if you were to change the tune to include WT-HT scale tensions. Try it!

11. DOMINANT VERSIONS OF II, III & VI CHORDS 11.1. How To Handle II7, III7 & VI7 Chords In any major key, the II, III and VI chords are minor. In the key of C that means: II = Dm7 (Dorian), III = Em7 (Phrygian), VI = Am7 (Aeolian) But you will find either in your own composition or analyzing or orchestrating other people’s music that those 3 places have been replaced by some version of a dominant chord. It happens all the time and knowing how to handle this change of sound becomes important. With all that you’ve absorbed so far about the chameleon quality of the dominant 7th chord, the solution is actually quite easy. ANYTHING GOES depending on the harmonic circumstances you find yourself in. The last chapter on the dom7th variation of the in-between harmonies should give you a hint. If necessary, look at and replay the last track of “Link Up” and be aware that D7 (measure 5) is the dominant version of the II-chord, E7 (measure 6) and A7 (measure 1) are the dom7th replacement of the III and VI respectively. The choice of the quality of those 3 chords is up to you and what you like best. One deciding factor may be that you want their sound to be as “inside” as possible. We’ve discussed how to handle this scenario in the last chapter. If you need a reminder: Create the 4-note chord and fill the gaps with notes from the scale your tune is written in. Like this in the key of C:

But that is only the inside way. Potentially any quality of dom7 chord can be used. It depends where II7, III7, VI7 lead to. The resolution can be to Minor, Dominant or Major and each of those can require a different sound, from simple Mixolydian to outlandish Altered. YOU decide! Here is a variety of turn-arounds (a repetitive chord sequence) using our 3 chords III - VI - II - V from totally inside to the other extreme.

Track48-11.1. C Major Turn-Arounds The final choice of which version of II7, III7 or VI7 is best will be dictated by the notes of the melody and the style of the music. There are hundreds of songs out there (some very famous) that explore those 3 chords in a multitude of ways. Check them out and experiment.

12. CHORD TREES 12.1. About My Chord Trees I’m a bit of a diagram/graphic nerd. Schematic representations offer a different look at a topic and for some people they may just shed a new light on a problem and lead to an “AHA” moment. Armed with my very limited graphic skills I’m attempting to show the 5 chord families in a different form. Each of the following chapters displays each chord family as a tree that includes all possible chord tones. They are color coded so the brown tree trunk contains the root note, guide tones and the basic 4-note chord while the green leaves are representing any available tensions. In keeping with the practice followed so far, each tree is in the key of C. To change to any other key, you would just need to slide the keyboard on the left up or down till the root note shows the name of the new key. The placing of all the notes inside each tree would be in exactly the same position but of course the note names would change with each “slide”. Unfortunately I haven’t quite figured out how to make this possible on a web page yet, but I’m working on it.

If the device you are reading this on does not display a clear or big enough image, you can view a larger version on the website by clicking on each tree.

12.2. Major Chords Please take your time to look this over, it may be confusing at first but all the info about major chord varieties are included. Follow the red chord type numbers (a to d) and text to the right. It contains chord tones (1/3/5) and chord symbols. I have not included all symbols due to lack of space. After your chord-journey so far you should be able to follow the content easily.

12.3. Minor 7th Chords The difference between C-Dorian (key B♭), C-Phrygian (key A♭) & C-Aeolian (key E♭) is only the scale behind each chord. In C-Phrygian the 9th is an avoid note and in both C-Phrygian and Aeolian the 13th is not available. Apart from that, the basic chord structure is the same for all 3. As we discussed, Dorian ♭2 is not very common.

12.4. Minor 6th Chords This is pretty straight ahead. Think of it like a C-Major chord with a ♭3. It has a 6th, ▵7, 9th and all the combinations thereof. The 11th allows the extension to a 7-note harmony.

12.5. Dominant Chords It was impossible to fit all the dominant chord varieties into 1 tree and make it look readable. So I split them into 3 parts. This first one contains Mixolydian, Lydian Dom & Whole Tone. Note how the Lydian Dom & WT kind of overlap depending on what scale is being used.

Part II shows the dom7th(♭9) chords from the Half Tone - Whole Tone (Dim Blues) scale. Again, lack of space prevents the inclusion of all possible symbols.

And finally in part III you can see the harmonies from the Altered scale. The top 2 notes in the tree (A♭ & F♯) are really a non-event because were you to use those 2 extensions you’d be implying that there is a ♮5th available which is not the case.

12.6. Diminished Chords Notating WT-HT diminished symbols with added tensions can get out of hand (as touched on before). 1 or 2 added notes is manageable but when it gets to 3 & 4 a compromise is in order. I suggest either write them out or try the B°7 over C°7 method. The “over” part must be a horizontal line not a slash.

For the following representation of the “inside” diminished chords we have to assume that C-dim can be ♯I (in the key of B), ♯II or ♭III (key A), ♯IV (key F♯) or ♯VI (key D). As you remember, these 5 inside versions of dim harmony will blend into any of the 5 keys better by not giving access to 4 tensions like the WT-HT scale just shown, but a selection of avoid notes and tensions.

12.7. Half Diminished Chords Last but certainly not least let’s take a look at the 1/2-dim tree. The difference between Locrian and Locrian ♯2 is only that the latter contains a usable tension 9, therefore providing 1 more layer of symbol/sound. For most musical situations the basic symbol (a2) is enough but by all means use the others if necessary.

13. CODA

Getting to the Coda in nearly all music means that you have read through most of your part and you’re near the end of the tune. Well, this “song” about what chords are is no different; you’re very close to the “Fine”. If you are reading this you have displayed remarkable tenacity and patience to get this far. I take my hat off in admiration. If your head is buzzing with too much information please remember that a lot of the material in this book becomes really clear and user-friendly with repetition and translation into other keys. Once you GET IT in one key, the others are a snack. My 10 suggestions for easy chord learning are: 1. Become inside out (that is completely) comfortable with your favorite Major key. 2. Practice and understand the 7 modes of that key. 3. Become inside out (that is completely) at ease with the Melodic Minor version of your favorite Major key by flattening the third by a semi tone. 4. Practice and understand the 7 modes of that Melodic Minor. 5. Become totally cozy with the Diminished Blues scale starting on the root note of your favorite Major scale. 6. Apply and get the concept of the WT-HT and HT-WT part of this scale. 7. Repeat 1-6 in as many other keys as possible 8. Learn the 3 Whole Tone scales and understand their content. 9. Extend your Major, Dominant and Minor chord/scale knowledge to include sus4 and sus2 harmony. 10. Internalize the meaning and content of the Modes Between The Modes Now you’re well equipped to develop your personal harmonic style. This is crucial to successful composition and chord choice. If you need help with how to apply all this wonderful chord knowledge you’ve acquired you may be interested in the sequel to “What Are Chords”.

It will cover such topics as: “How To Use Chords”, “Song Writing Tips”, “Chord Patterns”, “How To Write Chord Progressions” and much more. If you want to be notified about the release date (mid 2016) and any future publications, please use the opt-in form on the homepage of WhatAreChords.com .

Here are few measures of choral harmony as an example of what kind of chords buzz around my head:

Track49-13. Harmony 4 All