Diatonic chords
What would you say if I told you every tone of the scale naturally creates a chord that is most likely to be played whenever your bass lands on that tone? In other words, if you’ve picked out a string of bass notes and one of them is the “2nd tone” of the scale, what if there was a chord you could automatically try first and it would work 80% of the time?
Well, this is no fairy tale. That’s how music works. On every tone of the scale, there is a chord that naturally occurs.
When we say “diatonic,” it’s just a fancy way to say “related or created or belong to the major (or minor) scale.” In our case, we’ll stick with major scales for now.
In other words, the chords we’ll put on every tone of the scale are derived from the NOTES OF THE SCALE.
You won’t find notes outside of the scale used in these diatonic chords. (That’s not to say you won’t play chords with notes outside of the scale. As you start borrowing chords from other keys and using substitutions, you certainly will). But whenever you see the term “diatonic,” we’re talking about tones and chords from the major scale you’re in.
So how do you find the diatonic chords of any key?
We just make triads off each tone of the scale. And if you remember how triads work, they are just thirds stacked on top of each other.
Major chords = major third + minor third
Minor chords = minor third + major third
Diminished chords = minor third + minor third
Augmented chords = major third + major third
So, what do we get when we form a 3-note triad off every tone of the scale?
Answer: The diatonic triads
1st tone – Major chord: In the key of C, a “C major” chord is naturally created off the 1st tone of the scale.
Well, this is no fairy tale. That’s how music works. On every tone of the scale, there is a chord that naturally occurs.
When we say “diatonic,” it’s just a fancy way to say “related or created or belong to the major (or minor) scale.” In our case, we’ll stick with major scales for now.
In other words, the chords we’ll put on every tone of the scale are derived from the NOTES OF THE SCALE.
You won’t find notes outside of the scale used in these diatonic chords. (That’s not to say you won’t play chords with notes outside of the scale. As you start borrowing chords from other keys and using substitutions, you certainly will). But whenever you see the term “diatonic,” we’re talking about tones and chords from the major scale you’re in.
So how do you find the diatonic chords of any key?
We just make triads off each tone of the scale. And if you remember how triads work, they are just thirds stacked on top of each other.
Major chords = major third + minor third
Minor chords = minor third + major third
Diminished chords = minor third + minor third
Augmented chords = major third + major third
So, what do we get when we form a 3-note triad off every tone of the scale?
Answer: The diatonic triads
1st tone – Major chord: In the key of C, a “C major” chord is naturally created off the 1st tone of the scale.
2nd tone – Minor chord: In the key of C, a “D minor” chord is naturally created off the 2nd tone of the scale.
3rd tone – Minor chord: In the key of C, an “E minor” chord is naturally created off the 3rd tone of the scale.
4th tone – Major chord: In the key of C, an “F major” chord is naturally created off the 4th tone of the scale.
5th tone – Major chord: In the key of C, a “G major” chord is naturally created off the 5th tone of the scale.
6th tone – Minor chord: In the key of C, an “A minor” chord is naturally created off the 6th tone of the scale.
7th tone – Diminished chord: In the key of C, a “B diminished” chord is naturally created off the 7th tone of the scale.
Once you picked out your bass notes in any given key, these are the chords you’ll want to be thinking about first.
Why?
That’s because they naturally occur in the major key. They sound like they belong. In fact, we’ve been conditioned for years to hear diatonic chords. They are the chords that most likely occur on each tone of the scale.
If we’re in the key of C and we hear the bass going to “D” or “A,” chances are the chords on the right hand are going to be “D minor” and “A minor,” respectively... especially if the song sounds “typical” (or predictable). The more predictable the song sounds, the higher the probability of diatonic chords being used.
That’s good news for you!
Just pull out the right chord for the right tone of the scale and you’re much of the way there!
Now don’t get me wrong here. You won’t always play a minor chord on the 6th tone of the scale. Sometimes you may play a major chord there... or a dominant 7 chord, or an altered chord. The minor chord will work there MOST of the time... but not ALL OF THE TIME. That’s why your ear has to be good at hearing diatonic patterns apart from anything else. And any time a song sounds like it’s doing something “different,” that should signal a warning that says “try other chords.” And from that point, you’ll just go down the list trying other chords like major, dominant, diminished, or whatever else you’ve accumulated from your studies. The good news is once your ear gets enough practice, much of this will be automatic!
DIATONIC SEVENTH CHORDS
Of course, you can’t use triads to play all your songs. Things will sound pretty basic. So you can also apply the same concept to seventh chords.
What will result if you actually skip every other note just like you did before... but this time, add a 4th note?
Answer: You’ll get the diatonic seventh chords.
Note: 5 of the 7 triads we’ve already figured out will be the same when it comes to playing seventh chords. In other words, if you were playing a minor triad off the 2nd tone of the scale, now you’ll simply be playing a minor 7th off the 2nd tone of the scale. The same thing happens with the 3rd tone of the scale. We simply “upgrade” the chord. The same thing happens with the 6th tone of the scale. In fact, every tone of the scale simply gets upgraded in the same way...EXCEPT FOR THE 5TH and 7TH TONES. And you’ll clearly see why below:
1st tone of any scale: Major 7th chord
In C major = C major 7
Why?
That’s because they naturally occur in the major key. They sound like they belong. In fact, we’ve been conditioned for years to hear diatonic chords. They are the chords that most likely occur on each tone of the scale.
If we’re in the key of C and we hear the bass going to “D” or “A,” chances are the chords on the right hand are going to be “D minor” and “A minor,” respectively... especially if the song sounds “typical” (or predictable). The more predictable the song sounds, the higher the probability of diatonic chords being used.
That’s good news for you!
Just pull out the right chord for the right tone of the scale and you’re much of the way there!
Now don’t get me wrong here. You won’t always play a minor chord on the 6th tone of the scale. Sometimes you may play a major chord there... or a dominant 7 chord, or an altered chord. The minor chord will work there MOST of the time... but not ALL OF THE TIME. That’s why your ear has to be good at hearing diatonic patterns apart from anything else. And any time a song sounds like it’s doing something “different,” that should signal a warning that says “try other chords.” And from that point, you’ll just go down the list trying other chords like major, dominant, diminished, or whatever else you’ve accumulated from your studies. The good news is once your ear gets enough practice, much of this will be automatic!
DIATONIC SEVENTH CHORDS
Of course, you can’t use triads to play all your songs. Things will sound pretty basic. So you can also apply the same concept to seventh chords.
What will result if you actually skip every other note just like you did before... but this time, add a 4th note?
Answer: You’ll get the diatonic seventh chords.
Note: 5 of the 7 triads we’ve already figured out will be the same when it comes to playing seventh chords. In other words, if you were playing a minor triad off the 2nd tone of the scale, now you’ll simply be playing a minor 7th off the 2nd tone of the scale. The same thing happens with the 3rd tone of the scale. We simply “upgrade” the chord. The same thing happens with the 6th tone of the scale. In fact, every tone of the scale simply gets upgraded in the same way...EXCEPT FOR THE 5TH and 7TH TONES. And you’ll clearly see why below:
1st tone of any scale: Major 7th chord
In C major = C major 7
2nd tone of any scale: Minor 7th chord
In C major = D minor 7
In C major = D minor 7
3rd tone of any scale: Minor 7th chord
In C major = E minor 7
In C major = E minor 7
4th tone of any scale: Major 7th chord
In C major = F Major 7
In C major = F Major 7
5th tone of any scale: Dominant 7th chord
In C major = G 7
In C major = G 7
6th tone of any scale: Minor 7th chord
In C major = A minor 7
In C major = A minor 7
7th tone of any scale: Half diminished 7th chord
In C major = B half-dim 7
In C major = B half-dim 7
Let’s turn our attention to the 5th and 7th tones of the scale.
When these diatonic chords were just 3-fingered triads, the 5th was a major chord and the 7th was a diminished chord. However, when we added a “4th” note on top, these are the only tones that change qualities. In other words, the 5th tone of the scale is no longer major... it’s a dominant 7th. Likewise, the 7th tone of the scale is no longer diminished; it’s slightly different... what we call a half-diminished 7th chord.
None of these chords should be new as we covered them in the Chord Command section. But just remember to note this small nuance when switching between diatonic triads and seventh chords.
So, don’t be confused if someone says the 5th tone is commonly major or dominant. This is essentially what they’re talking about.
This is what basically births the other voicings or chords you’d use when you are playing. They won’t always be your answer but you’ll get pretty close (80% in my estimation). So get good at picking out bass notes and immediately trying your diatonic chords right after. Then, let your ear be the final judge of whether that’s the right chord to play on that particular bass note. And if it is not, keep it moving! Try the opposite chord (if you’re on the 6th chord and you know it’s most likely to be minor... but minor doesn’t sound right, try major…then try dominant... or any of the popular altered substitutions you learned in the section of Chord Command).
When these diatonic chords were just 3-fingered triads, the 5th was a major chord and the 7th was a diminished chord. However, when we added a “4th” note on top, these are the only tones that change qualities. In other words, the 5th tone of the scale is no longer major... it’s a dominant 7th. Likewise, the 7th tone of the scale is no longer diminished; it’s slightly different... what we call a half-diminished 7th chord.
None of these chords should be new as we covered them in the Chord Command section. But just remember to note this small nuance when switching between diatonic triads and seventh chords.
So, don’t be confused if someone says the 5th tone is commonly major or dominant. This is essentially what they’re talking about.
This is what basically births the other voicings or chords you’d use when you are playing. They won’t always be your answer but you’ll get pretty close (80% in my estimation). So get good at picking out bass notes and immediately trying your diatonic chords right after. Then, let your ear be the final judge of whether that’s the right chord to play on that particular bass note. And if it is not, keep it moving! Try the opposite chord (if you’re on the 6th chord and you know it’s most likely to be minor... but minor doesn’t sound right, try major…then try dominant... or any of the popular altered substitutions you learned in the section of Chord Command).