Other possible chords within the key
In the key of C the basic chords are C, Dm, Em,
F, G, Am, Bdim. But those are certainly not the only possibilities.
While still staying within the limits of the C major scale there
are other chords that can be built from each degree of the scale.
Below are some of the possibilities.
Check out the chord
library for some different ways to play these chords. You
can of course transpose these to any major key.
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I
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IIm
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IIIm
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IV
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V
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VIm
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VIIo
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C
C5
C6
C6/9
Cmaj7
Cmaj7(9)
Cmaj7(13)
C(add9)
Csus2
Csus4
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Dm
D5
Dm6
Dm6/9
Dm7
Dm7(9)
Dm7(11)
Dm(add9)
Dsus2
Dsus4
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Em
E5
Em7
Em7(11)
Esus4
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F
F5
F6
F6/9
Fmaj7
Fmaj7(9)
Fmaj7(#11)
Fmaj7(13)
F(add9)
Fsus2
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G
G5
G6
G6/9
G7
G7(9)
G7(13)
G(add9)
Gsus2
Gsus4
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Am
A5
Am7
Am7(9)
Am7(11)
Am(add9)
Asus2
Asus4
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Bo
Bm7b5
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Often a song that is in a major key will "borrow" chords
built from other scales. So if you are writing a song in a major
key you are not limited to just the chords that are built from
the major scale. But the chords built from the scale will certainly
be the most important in creating the sound of a major key. Those
extra chords that are not built from the scale are just used as
decorations, or chords to add a little more color to the diatonic
chords. We will look at some of these possibilities in other lessons.
Page 4, A visual relationship of the chords in a major key, I
chord on the 5th string
Page 1, How the chords function in the key
Major key
harmony jump zone
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