Borrowed Chords

Here is a description of 4 different chord techniques used in musical compositions that are a bit unorthadox.  At the bottom, there is also a short description of macro analysis.  This is just a quick reference.  Click to buy the book below if you are looking for a more in depth discussion of these concepts.




Borrowed Chords

Chords that are borrowed from a parallel major or minor key (also called modal mixture)

Chords are often borrowed from minor keys, when the composer is writing in a major key (ii dim, ii half dim, iv, flat 6th, vii dim 7)

Macro Analysis

Extract the roots of the chords, write the chord symbol

Place slurs where ever there is a circle progression (4th up, 5th down)

Place dotted slurs between diminished 7ths to root

This way compositional types are more easily recognized

Neapolitan 6th chords

A major triad on the lowered second scale degree of a major or minor scale

Example: C Major – Neapolitan 6th – Db major – root on F

Example: a minor – Bb major, root on D

Minor – lower root

Major – lower root and 3rd

Usually found going N6 to V or N6 to iv to I or N6 to I 6-4

Augmented 6th chords

Altered chords to include the interval of an augmented 6th

Italian 6th – M3rd – Aug. 6th

French 6th – M3rd – Aug. 4th – Aug. 6th

German 6th – M3rd – P5th – Aug. 6th

Chromatic Mediants

Altered Mediant (3) and Submediant (6) triads and sometimes 7th chords

In G major – diatonic vi is minor – altered chords E major, Eb major, and Eb minor, diatonic iii is minor – altered chords B major, Bb major, Bb minor

In e minor – diatonic VI is major – altered chords – c minor, C# major, C# minor, diatonic III is major – altered chords – G minor, G# major, G# minor

 


 


 

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