! Let’s think of the three different ways of understanding diatonic chords.

Remember, diatonic
means they are notes found in our scale. Different illustrations are located below. Don’t forget that
you can only do this if you know your scales!!!

! First, take your major scale (in this case C major). Stack up every other note (in thirds). From
CDEFGABC you now are left with CEGB. This is our I chord and we call it CMajor7. Now start on
the second note of the scale and do the same. You should have DFAC, our ii chord we call Dm7. Do
this for notes I-vii and you get all seven chords.

! Another way is to take the scale and play if from 1-1 (first note to its octave). Again
CDEFGABC. Outline this and you get CEGB, our CMaj7 chord (I chord). Do the same on the
second note of the major scale. DEFGABCD. Outline this and you get the ii chord, Dm7. Another
term for playing our major scale from 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and so on is playing our modes. You do not need
to know your modes for this class, but I have explained them to you below as it may help you under
stand chords a little better.

! Last, if thinking of notes is not working for you then just try the note names. Circle every other
one and you get your chords.

So, you need to know three things:

1. YOUR MAJOR SCALES
2. Be able to stack notes in thirds.
3. Chord quality.

Memorize this:
I Major (CMaj7)
ii minor (Dm7)
iii minor (Em7)
IV Major (FMaj7)
V7 Dominant (G7)
vi minor (Am7)
viiø half-diminished (Bm7(♭5))

These chord qualities will remain this way.

 C (ionian) CŒ„Š7

& w w w w w w & w
w
w w w
w
D (dorian) D‹7

& w w w w w w & w
w
w w w
w
E‹7
w
E (phrygian)

& w w w w w w & w
w
w
w w

w
FŒ„Š7
w w
F (lydian)

& w w w w w w & w
w
w

w w w
G7
w
G (mixolydian)

& w w w w w & w
w
w

A (aolean)
w w w w w w
w
A‹7

& w w w & w
w

w w w w w
w
B‹7(b5)
w
B (locrian)

& w w w & w
w

CŒ„Š7 D‹7 E‹7

w
FŒ„Š7
w w
G7
w w
A‹7
w w
w
Bminb5
w
& w
w w
w
w w
w w
w
w w
w w
w w
w
w w w
I ii iii IV V7 vi viiø
CDEFGABC C (ionian) CMaj7

! DEFGABCD D (dorian) Dm7

! ! EFGABCDE E (phrygian) Em7

! ! ! FGABCDEF F (lydian) FMaj7

! ! ! ! GABCDEFG G (mixolydian) G7

! ! ! ! ! ABCDEFGA A (aolean) Am7

! ! ! ! ! ! BCDEFGAB B (locrain)
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Bm7(♭5)