12.2 · Modal Interchange

The borrowed palette

Four borrowed major chords. Each is built on a root from outside the major scale, and each has a sound you know from records.

The palette

Each loop puts one borrowed chord between two in-key chords. The violet dots mark the borrowed ones.

C
Bb
F
C

A major chord one whole step below home. Don't You Forget About Me, Sweet Child O' Mine's intro loop, half of stadium rock.

C
Eb
F
C

A major chord on the flat 3: the blues' major-minor blur, chord-sized. Instant swagger between two in-key chords.

C
Ab
Bb
C

A major chord on the flat 6. It usually moves to bVII, then home. Film scores and final choruses use it.

C
Db
G
C

A major chord one half step above home: the Neapolitan. Cinematic, slightly menacing, the rarest of the four.

Quiz

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bVII is a major chord built…

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