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Do you know which chords are major in a given key? How about minor? Which one is diminished? Do you know why?

Hi Suzanne. I'm quite vocal on the threads but I am now sitting quietly at the back of the room listening to what you have to say because I haven't got a clue on any of the questions you just posted! Apple for the teacher.

What do you have a question about? How to build a chord from a scale tone?

If you are playing in a major key the pattern is W-W-H-W-W-W-H. So, you start with the first note of the key and take every other note. For example, in the key of C the notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, B start with the C then E then G so the first chord is a C major. The second note is D then F then A, that spells a D minor chord. If you continued you would find that E is minor F and G are Major A is minor and B is a diminished chord.

So, for the major scale the 1st, 4th, 5th chords are major, the 2nd, 3rd and 6th chords are minor and the 7th chord is diminished.

The minor pattern is W-H-W-W-H-W-W and the minor scale has the 1st, 4th, 5th are minor, the 3rd, 6th and 7th are major with the 2nd diminished.

If more clarification is needed just ask.

Ric

Suzanne how do you determine what "key" you are in and what influence does a chord have if it is major or minor or diminished?? I'm sorry but you asked and if you are offering to explain I would be interested in knowing how your question applies to learning songs like I am on TG. Is it mainly for reading music. I hate to show my ignorance -- well maybe not-- but I would like to understand the importance of the type of question you have asked. I know it is important because everyone who is knowledgable in music says it is but I couldn't explain why to anybody else. Could you explain it to me so I could understand well enough to explain to another person?? Thank you very much and I am probably a good example of why the knowledge you bring to TG is important. Gary

Hi Suzanne

The major chords in any key are the I IV and V (and VII) chords. The minor chords are the II III and VI chords. the VII chord is dim.

Translated to the key of C major, this becomes C, Dmin, Emin, F, G, Amin, Bdim, C.

The major key is the Ionian mode, which dictates the pattern of notes. As all of the notes played in a chord have to fall within the notes of the key, it is necessary to flatten some of the notes to get them to fall within the key. A D chord (from 4th to 1st string )is D A D F#. F# is not in the key of C, so it's fattened to an F - resulting in a Dmin.

Watch Neil's lessons on modes for a detailed explanation

Hope this helps :blink:

r

tgsuzanne wrote:

What do you have a question about? How to build a chord from a scale tone?

Why do you ask, will there be a test later?

Ric

Exactly....I'm trying to see if anyone has questions!

Thanks.....I know all this, I'm fishing to see where people need help.

Well, I've already submitted my answer. Did I pass? lol

Ric