Borrowed Chords

Borrowed chords occur when chords from the parallel major or minor key are used and substituted for the normal chords of the prevailing key. In the key of C-Major, we have the normal pattern of major, minor, and diminished chords built on each scale degree.

The chords in the key of C-Major

These are the chords that normally occur in the key of C-Major. The following shows the chords that occur in the key of C-minor. C-minor is the parallel key of C-Major.

The chords in the key of C-minor

This minor scale also has its own pattern of chords built upon each scale degree. To create a borrowed chord, we take one of the chords from the parallel key and use it in the original key. For example, in the key of C-Major, the chord built on the fourth scale degree is normally an F-Major chord, but in the parallel minor key it is an F-minor chord, and if we instead use this F-minor chord, “borrowed” from the parallel minor key, in place of the normal F-Major chord, we then have a borrowed chord. This mixing of chords from parallel keys is also called mode mixture.

A chord progression containing a borrowed chord

The following shows some more examples of borrowed chords.

Examples of chord progressions containing borrowed chords

Added Tone Chords

Added tone chords are triads with an added note a second, fourth, sixth, ninth, eleventh, or thirteenth above the chord root. For example, if we have a C-Major chord, with the notes C, E, and G, and then add a D on top of the chord, we get a Cadd9 chord. 

The following shows some more examples of added tone chords.

Added tone chords

Block Chords and Broken Chords

Block chords occur when all of the notes of a chord are played simultaneously in one solid “block”. The following shows examples of block chords.

Block Chords

Broken chords occur when the notes of a chord are not played simultaneously. There are many types of patterns possible for broken chords. The following example shows a set of block chords, and then the same set of chords as broken chords. Both examples have the exact same chords with exactly the same notes, but with the first example as block chords, and the second example as broken chords.

Block Chords

Broken Chords

Chord Voicings

A chord voicing is the vertical spacing of the notes of any given chord. For example, in a C-Major chord, the notes are C, E, and G. These notes can be arranged in many different ways. The following example shows a C-Major chord in different chord voicings.

Various chord voicings

If the notes are close together, with no spaces between chord tones, then the chord is in a close voicing. If the notes have spaces between the chord tones, then the chord is in an open voicing.

 

Slash Chords

Slash chords are a type of chord symbol that indicate what type of chord is to be played along with what the lowest note of the chord voicing should be. For example, the chord symbol G/B indicates that a G-Major chord with the note B in the lowest voice, or bassline, should be played.

Slash chords can be used to indicate chord inversions, basslines, or pedal tones (A pedal tone is a held note during a series of chord changes).

Slash chords indicating chord inversions

Slash chords indicating a bassline

Slash chords indicating pedal tones

Major and Minor Chords

Major Chords

A major chord is a chord containing a chord root, a note a major-third above the root, and a note a perfect-fifth above the root. The following shows a few major chords starting on different notes.

Major chords starting on different notes

Along with minor chords, major chords are the most commonly used chords in music. There are three major chords possible in any major scale, or its related modes. The following shows the three major chords in the C-Major scale, and the three major chords in the A-natural-minor scale.

The major chords in the key of C-Major

The major chords in the key of A-minor

 

Minor Chords

A minor chord is a chord containing a chord root, a note a minor-third above the root, and a note a perfect-fifth above the root. The following shows a few minor chords starting on different notes.

Minor chords starting on different notes

Along with major chords, minor chords are the most commonly used chords in music. There are three minor chords possible in any major scale, or its related modes. The following shows the three minor chords in the C-Major scale, and the three minor chords in the A-natural-minor scale.

The minor chords in the key of C-Major

The minor chords in the key of A-minor

Neapolitan Chords

A Neapolitan chord is a major chord built on the flattened second scale degree of a major or minor scale. For example, the Neapolitan chord in the key of C-Major or C-minor would be a D-flat-Major chord.

Neapolitan chords are often used in first inversion, and are often called Neapolitan-sixth chords because of the interval of a sixth occurring in the inversion.

Neapolitan-sixth chord in C-Major

 

Neapolitan chords often resolve to a dominant chord. The following examples show Neapolitan chords used in chord progressions.

Augmented Chords

Augmented chords are chords built from two stacked major thirds, creating an augmented fifth above the root of the chord. Another way to think of it would be having a major chord with a raised fifth. The chord symbol for and augmented chord is usually a plus sign (+) or “aug” added after the chord letter name, for example, C+ or Caug.

Augmented chords can resolve in several ways. The following examples show augmented chords used in various chord progressions.

Suspended Chords

Suspended chords are chords where the third of the chord is displaced up or down a step from its normal position, and the third becomes a fourth or a second above the root instead.

Polychords

Polychords are chords constructed from two or more separate chords. Composers and improvisers use polychords as a resource for rich and complex sounds in their music. Polychords frequently occur in jazz and modern classical music.

Examples of Polychords:

C Major/E-flat Major:

D Major/B-flat minor:

C Augmented/G7 Augmented:

C Major/F-sharp Major Polychord - "Petrushka Chord":This chord was used by composer Igor Stravinsky in his ballet Petrushka.

Polychord Video:

Basic Piano Chords

The chords every piano and keyboard player should know are the basic Major, minor, Augmented, and diminished chords, and seventh chords. These are the most common chords and are relatively easy to play.

These chords are shown with the root note C. Other root notes are possible by transposing these chords. For example, a C Major chord (C, E, G) can be transposed to D. This will result in a D Major chord (D, F-sharp, A).

These chords are constructed from musical intervals. Each chord has:

1. A Root note
2. A note a Major third (M3) or minor third (m3) above the Root
3. A note a Perfect fifth (P5), Augmented fifth (A5), or diminished fifth above the Root

• And seventh chords also have a note a Major seventh (M7), minor seventh (m7), or diminished seventh (d7) above the Root.

The basic chords:

• Major - Root, M3, P5
• minor - Root, m3, P5
• Augmented (Aug) - Root, M3, A5
• diminished (dim) - Root, m3, d5

The seventh chords:

• 7 - Root, M3, P5, m7
• M7 - Root, M3, P5, M7
• m7 - Root, m3, P5, m7
• dim7 - Root, m3, d5, d7
• half dim7 - Root, m3, d5, m7

Example:

If we choose a Major chord for example we begin by picking a Root note. We could pick any of the 12 notes but in this case we will choose G. The next note we need is a Major third (M3) above the Root, which in this case would be the note B. The final note we need is a Perfect fifth above the root, which in this case would be the note D. Now we have all three notes of our Major chord: G, B, and D.

For reference here is a diagram of the keyboard with the note names on it:

Now that you know these chords you might want to learn about chord inversion, chord symbols, or extended chords.

A Video About Chords

(You may want to review intervals, chord symbols and chord roots before reading this page or watching the video.)

The video demonstrates some of the most common chords: Major, minor, Augmented, diminished, and various seventh chords.

Major -------- root - M3 - P5
minor -------- root - m3 - P5
diminished - root - m3 - d5
Augmented - root - M3 - A5
Maj7 ---------- root - M3 - P5 - M7
7 ---------------- root - M3 - p5 - m7
min7 ---------- root - m3 - P5 - m7
dim7 ---------- root - m3 - d5 - d7

Learn more about chords.

Learn about extended chords.

Learn about chord inversion.

Augmented Sixth Chords

If we have a minor chord in first inversion the interval between the bass note and the root of the chord is a Major sixth.

If we then raise the tonic note (by an augmented unison), the interval between the bass note and root note becomes an augmented sixth. A chord with this interval of an augmented sixth is called an Augmented Sixth Chord.

The three basic types of Augmented sixth chords:

An Italian Sixth Chord has an augmented sixth between the bass and root of the chord, with the fifth of the chord in-between the bass note and root.

A German Sixth is like the Italian sixth but with one extra note placed a perfect fifth above the bass note.

A French Sixth is like the Italian sixth but with one extra note placed a Augmented fourth above the bass note.

The resolutions of Augmented sixth chords:

Italian and French Sixth chords will most often resolve to a dominant chord.

The German Sixth will most often resolve to a dominant or tonic chord. (It is worth noting that if the German Sixth resolves to the dominant then parallel fifths will occur, which can cause musical lines to lose their independence in certain styles of music.)

Quartal and Quintal Chords

Most chords are constructed from major or minor thirds. Quartal chords are chords that are constructed from fourths. Quintal chords are constructed from fifths.

Quartal Chords:

Quintal Chords:

Quartal and Quintal chords have a suspended un-anchored sound to them that differs form regular chords. This quality makes Quartal and Quintal chords very useful in a composer's chord vocabulary.

The French composer Claude Debussy was one of the first composers to use Quartal and Quintal chords regularly. Quartal and Quintal chords are now common in jazz, rock music and TV and film music. Quartal chords are also easy to play on the guitar due to the fact that the standard guitar tuning is mostly fourths.

Quartal chord on Guitar:

More information about Chords

Roman Numeral Chord Notation

The chords of the Major and Minor scales can be indicated by roman numerals.

Major chord: I, II, III, etc.

Minor chord: i, ii, iii, etc.

Augmented chord: I+, II+, III+, etc.

Diminished chord: vi°, vii°, etc.

Half-diminished chord: vii^Ø7, etc.

Extended chords: ii7, V9, V13, etc.

Altered tones or chords: #iv, ii#7

Chords of the Major Scale:

Chords of the Natural minor scale:

Chords of the Harmonic minor scale:

Chords of the Melodic minor scale (ascending):

Other examples: