Borrowed Chords

[ollyno1uk]

Recently I have been paying a bit more on the keyboard in the key of C and it has really helped me to understand chord triads much better simply because visually it seems so much easier on the keyboard to see what is going on.

 

I have been messing with some chord progressions using the white notes so purely in the key of C and then I intend to transfer these progressions to the guitar passing a much better knowledge of why things are working the way they do.

 

The question comes down to chords that I am finding that fit in really nice within the key of C but are using notes other than the white notes - notes outside of the key of C.

 

One that I have found that seems to work great is making the IV - (the F) from Major to Minor - it really fits, sounds interesting but is not part of the key of C major.

 

Whilst I am not new to music or theory, my understanding here is relatively limited though I believe the above example is that this is a borrowed chord from another key, and it seems to fit so nicely.

 

I am trying to establish which other chords I can add to the key of C to add these sounds that still flow and that I really like - and where they are borrowed from and why they work.

 

Hope this all makes sense.

 

Thanks in advance

[Jed]

Explore the chords from the various modes, maintaining the C tonic:

C Lydian - C D E F# G A B C - Cmaj, Dmaj, Em, F#dim, Gmaj, Am, Bm
C Mixolydian - C D E F G A Bb C - Cmaj, Dm, Edim, Fmaj, Gm, Am, Bbmaj
C Dorian - C D Eb F G A Bb C - Cm, Dm, Ebmaj, Fmaj, Gm, Adim, Bbmaj
C Aeolian - C D Eb F G Ab Bb C - Cm, Ddim, Ebmaj, Fm, Gm, Abmaj, Bbmaj
C Phrygian - C Dd Eb F G Ab Bb C - Cm, Dbmaj, Ebmaj, Fm, Gdim, Abmaj, Bbm

This is where "Borrowed chords" come from, they are borrowed from the parallel modes of C.

[ollyno1uk]

Hi Jed and thanks for the response.

 

I am not sat at the keyboard right now and will try this tonight though I am assuming not all of these chords will sound so much as part of the tonic as the IV to iv

 

Thanks

[Jed]

I am not sat at the keyboard right now and will try this tonight though I am assuming not all of these chords will sound so much as part of the tonic as the IV to iv

 

 

The borrowed chords that are easiest for our ears to hear tend to be the ones that are borrowed from modes closely related to C major. The further you move away from C major the more "distant" the chords will sound.

 

So the chords from C Mixolydian are easier to hear than those from C Dorian. The chords from C Dorian are easier to hear than those from C Aeolian. The chords from C Aeolian are easier to hear than those from C Phrygian. Etc, etc

[ollyno1uk]

Ok well thanks again for taking the time to help.

[gennation]

What this tells you is that 'music-wise' there is no rule, only whether it sounds good to you or others, and that "music" can come from anywhere. Although, someone should have put some rules on Yoko Ono a long time ago

 

But, while there are no rules...there's always an explanation. Remember, that's what theory is, an explanation, a communication, a reason. While it's great to know and be able to pick it out by seeing/hearing it, it's very liberating not knowing it when you play...cause you'll never know what can happen.