Music Composition DUMmIES

The 1 (tonic) major: 1, 3, 5

The 2 minor: 2, 4, 6

The 3 minor: 3, 5, 7

The 4 major: 4, 6, 1 (or 8)

The 5 major: 5, 7, 2

The 6 minor (relative minor): 6, 1, 3

The 7 diminished: 7, 2, 4

See Figure 9-8 for examples in the key of C major.

All of these chords work within the melodic confines of a major scale. They

shift along with the modes (Chapter 6 has more on modes). For example, if

you were working in the Phrygian mode, you would count the third chord

example in Figure 9-8 as the I chord, and all other numbers would shift

accordingly, as shown in Figure 9-9.

&

?

c

c

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

Figure 9-9:

Here are the

1 through

7 (+ 8/1)

chords

in the

E Phrygian

mode.

&

?

c

c

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

ww

w

∑

Figure 9-8:

Looking

at the 1

through

7 (+ 8/1)

chords in

the key of

C major.

98 Part III: Harmony and Structure