Eric Davis
Related scales of a chord
Posted on 6-Sep-09 21:05Viewed 2685 times
These posts are not intended as a replacement for exellent
tutorials within Chordwizard but hopefully an extension of them.
NOTE adding the value 2 to a Maj chord(remembering to wrap around at 7) gives the number of the chord in the relative natural minor scale.
Note the relative min scale of any major scale is the note a m3rd back
Note the relative maj scale of any min scale is the note a m3rd forward
I ii iii IV V vi vii(Dim)
III iv v vi vii i ii(Dim)
| | | | | | |
| | | | | |M2/m7
| | | | |M2/m7|M3/m6
| | | |M2/m7|M3/m6|TriTn
| | |M2/m7|m3/M6|P4/P5|P5/P4
| |M2/m7|m3/M6|P4/P5|P5/P4|M6/m3
M2/m7|M3/m6|P4/P5|P5/P4|M6/m3|M7/m2
Sorry can't seem o copy/paste table from notepad
but I hope it's enough to give the idea.
I Ionian
ii Dorian 3b,7b
iii Phrygian 2b,3b,6b,7b
IV Lydian 4#
V Mixolydian 7b
vi Aeolian 3b,6b,7b
vii Locrian 2b,3b,5b,6b,7b
D min chord 1 3b 5
3 modes have degrees 1 3b 5 Dorian Phrygian Aeolian
D Dorian=Dmaj in dorian mode eg
D E F# G A B C# with notes 3b 7b
D E F G A B C (notes of C Maj or relative A min)
D Phrygian=DMaj in Phrygian mode eg
D E F# G A B C# with notes 2b 3b 6b 7b
D Eb F G A Bb C (notes of Bb Maj or relative G min)
D Aeolian=D Maj in Aeolian mode eg
D E F# G A B C# with notes3b 6b 7b
D E F G A Bb C (notes of F Maj or relative D min)
An alternative method is to think of the modes as degrees of the Maj scale(see table above), Ionian=I, Dorian=ii Phrygian iii etc.
With this method if you think of D min as the ii chord of a Maj scale then the root of the scale must be a M2 back(<) or a m7 forward(>).
D min chord 1 3b 5
D Dorian Dm=ii chord in C Maj
iv chord in the relative A min(natural)
D Phrygian Dm=iii chord in Bb Maj
v chord in the relative G min(natural)
D Aeolian Dm=vi chord in F Maj
i chord in the relative D min(natural)
___________________________________________________
D Maj chord 1 3 5
3 modes have degrees 1 3 5 Ionian Lydian Mixolydian
D Ionian DM=I chord in D Maj
III chord in the relative B min(natural)
D Lydian DM=IV chord in A Maj
VI chord in the relative F# min(natural)
D Mixolydian DM=V chord in G Maj
VII chord in the relative E min(natural)
I think there are a few advantages to this more direct method
one of which is having the number of the chord within the scale.
Mr. Frankie
I don't get here very often, but nevertheless enjoy reading posts.
In a nutshell, Eric, everything you have written above is correct and anyone who knows their chord theory would agree that you are very knowledgeable on the subject.
However, in all of the theory above where do you pick up "substitute chords", which are based on a slightly different principle than the normal chord structure of Ioninan through to Locrian, which is, after all, modal music.
I was once told by a jazz musician that "if it sounds alright (or good) then it IS good, becasue iof it sounds right it makes everything work. My advice to anyone I have taught, or played with is to "feel" where the music takes you. Theory is good, but like most things there are always exceptions to the rule.
Mr. Frankie
Happyhacker
I tend to think of the term "root" applying to the 1st note of a chord and not applying to a scales' 1st (tonic) note. When I practice scales I often start with the major and then proceed round the modes with the same degrees but starting from the next degree, but I always think of the "Key Centre" of the scale I'm playing as being the base for that scale. Is it convention to think of a scale having a "root"?
