Description
A chord is built by playing the 1st scale degree-note (root), the 3rd degree-note and 5th scale degree-note of any given scale together. This forms what is also known as a triad. Informally, I call this the Leapfrog Principle because we start on a note (C) and "leap over" the next note (D) to use the following note in building the chord (E-flat). Leap again over the (F) and use the (G). Hence, the chord is built from the C minor scale is the notes C - E-flat - G; the C minor chord. This is the basic principle known as Triadic Harmony. We build chords or triads by stacking intervals of 3rds using only notes from the scale.
Now we can build a chord (a triadic sequence) on every note of the scale using only notes of the scale in the same pattern. So, when we build a chord on every note of the C minor scale using only notes from the C minor scale, we get the list of chords:
The distance (the interval) between the notes of the chord gives us the formula for all minor chords: 1st note of chord, 3 half steps (or 1 and a half steps), 3rd note of chord, 4 half steps (or 2 whole steps), 5th note of chord.
The formula for minor chords is: 1st note of chord, 4 half steps (or 2 whole steps), 3rd note of chord, 3 half steps (or 1 and a half steps), 5th note of chord.
The formula for diminished chords is: 1st note of chord, 3 half steps (or 1 and a half steps), 3rd note of chord, 3 half steps (or 1 and a half steps), 5th note of chord.
Now we now all three types of triad chords we will encounter in minor scale harmony. Notice that every chord has 3 notes - its own 1st, 3rd & 5th unto itself. This is a crucial point: every note in the minor scale has 2 separate and simultaneous functions.
1. Its position in the scale.
2. Its position in any given chord.
Lesson Info
