Post by admin on Nov 6, 2013 12:32:09 GMT -5
Credit goes to T Block
Scale Degree Chords
A scale degree chord is a chord built off each scale degree in the major scale. This goes back to how you form any kind of chord. Here's a little recap (or lesson if u don't know) on how chords are formed. It's in a different format than I used in another post, but still says the same thing:
All chords are 1st built on 3rds, then the notes are modified to form specific kinds of chords. Anytime u play a note, skip a note, then play the next note u are playing a 3rd. So:
C-E
D-F
E-G
F-A
G-B
A-C
B-D
Those are all 3rds. They're not the same quality (major, minor, etc.), but they are all 3rds of some kind. When u put at least two of those 3rds together, u form a chord. Example:
C-E + E-G = C-E-G
Neat right? Notice how I did it though. I didn't randomly put any two 3rds together, the last note of the first 3rd is the first note of the last 3rd. This is how 95% of chords are formed. This is also how u can tell what the root of a chord is, by stacking it in 3rds. Now that we've take a trip down memory lane, let's get back to the scale degree chords:
Most of you are already familiar with the 1-3-5 chord, which is the 1st chord built off the 1st scale degree. What most of you don't know is how to get the rest of the chords. Well, the same process u went through to get the 1, 3, & 5 is the same process u go through to get the other chords. Notice with 1, 3, & 5 how u magically skipped 2 & 4, LOL. Well u gonna do the same starting on the others. Here's an illustration:
1 (skip 2) 3 (skip 4) 5
2 (skip 3) 4 (skip 5) 6
3 (skip 4) 5 (skip 6) 7
4 (skip 5) 6 (skip 7) 1
5 (skip 6) 7 (skip 1) 2
6 (skip 7) 1 (skip 2) 3
7 (skip 1) 2 (skip 3) 4
Now, I'm gonna put them altogether:
1-3-5 = major 1 chord
2-4-6 = minor 2 chord
3-5-7 = minor 3 chord
4-6-1 = major 4 chord
5-7-2 = major 5 chord
6-1-3 = minor 6 chord
7-2-4 = diminished 7 chord
If you do it right, you should hear those chord qualities (major, minor, etc.) above. Now, as far as the notes go, you will only use the notes of the major scale for these chords. So, using the scale degree formula above, here are all the chords in C:
C major scale: C=1 D=2 E=3 F=4 G= 5 A=6 B=7
1-3-5 = C-E-G
2-4-6 = D-F-A
3-5-7 = E-G-B
4-6-1 = F-A-C
5-7-2 = G-B-D
6-1-3 = A-C-E
7-2-4 = B-D-F
Side note: Just in case some of you out there are wondering why I always post theory in the key of C, it's because this key is the easiest key to start applying theory in, not becuase it's the easiest key to play in. Since every key is the same color, u can relate every other key to this one.
Scale Degree Chords
A scale degree chord is a chord built off each scale degree in the major scale. This goes back to how you form any kind of chord. Here's a little recap (or lesson if u don't know) on how chords are formed. It's in a different format than I used in another post, but still says the same thing:
All chords are 1st built on 3rds, then the notes are modified to form specific kinds of chords. Anytime u play a note, skip a note, then play the next note u are playing a 3rd. So:
C-E
D-F
E-G
F-A
G-B
A-C
B-D
Those are all 3rds. They're not the same quality (major, minor, etc.), but they are all 3rds of some kind. When u put at least two of those 3rds together, u form a chord. Example:
C-E + E-G = C-E-G
Neat right? Notice how I did it though. I didn't randomly put any two 3rds together, the last note of the first 3rd is the first note of the last 3rd. This is how 95% of chords are formed. This is also how u can tell what the root of a chord is, by stacking it in 3rds. Now that we've take a trip down memory lane, let's get back to the scale degree chords:
Most of you are already familiar with the 1-3-5 chord, which is the 1st chord built off the 1st scale degree. What most of you don't know is how to get the rest of the chords. Well, the same process u went through to get the 1, 3, & 5 is the same process u go through to get the other chords. Notice with 1, 3, & 5 how u magically skipped 2 & 4, LOL. Well u gonna do the same starting on the others. Here's an illustration:
1 (skip 2) 3 (skip 4) 5
2 (skip 3) 4 (skip 5) 6
3 (skip 4) 5 (skip 6) 7
4 (skip 5) 6 (skip 7) 1
5 (skip 6) 7 (skip 1) 2
6 (skip 7) 1 (skip 2) 3
7 (skip 1) 2 (skip 3) 4
Now, I'm gonna put them altogether:
1-3-5 = major 1 chord
2-4-6 = minor 2 chord
3-5-7 = minor 3 chord
4-6-1 = major 4 chord
5-7-2 = major 5 chord
6-1-3 = minor 6 chord
7-2-4 = diminished 7 chord
If you do it right, you should hear those chord qualities (major, minor, etc.) above. Now, as far as the notes go, you will only use the notes of the major scale for these chords. So, using the scale degree formula above, here are all the chords in C:
C major scale: C=1 D=2 E=3 F=4 G= 5 A=6 B=7
1-3-5 = C-E-G
2-4-6 = D-F-A
3-5-7 = E-G-B
4-6-1 = F-A-C
5-7-2 = G-B-D
6-1-3 = A-C-E
7-2-4 = B-D-F
Side note: Just in case some of you out there are wondering why I always post theory in the key of C, it's because this key is the easiest key to start applying theory in, not becuase it's the easiest key to play in. Since every key is the same color, u can relate every other key to this one.