User Guide - Chord Family Views

Views:

• Ascending
  • The 7 chords are shown in numerical order, from I to VII.  This is known as a 'harmonized scale'.  Songs rarely use the chords in this order, but it's an intuitive way for beginners to learn the chords in a key.
• Turnaround
  • Here, the 7 chords are shown in a 'mini circle of fifths'. (They're shown in 'circle-of-fifths' order, but showing only the diatonic chords for this key.
    A 'turnaround' is generally a sequence of chords that gets you back to the 'home' (I) chord. There are many different types of turnarounds. A common one, especially in jazz, is "ii-V-I". Notice that this sequence proceeds counter-clockwise around the circle of fifths. This type of turnaround can also be started from further around the circle, such as "iii-vi-ii-V-I". Continuing to the logical conclusion, you could have a "IV-vii-iii-vi-ii-V-I" turnaround.
    As an exercise, try playing the chords around this circle, in counterclockwise fashion.
  • See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(music) "...a turnaround is a passage at the end of a section which leads to the next section." "Turnarounds typically begin with the tonic (I) (or a tonic substitute such as iii) and end on the dominant (V7), the next section starting on the tonic (I)."
• Circle of Fifths
  • Here, the 7 chords are shown on a section of a full 'circle of fifths', as they might commonly be arranged.
    • The Major chords (I, IV, and V) are placed ON the circle.
    • The minor chords (ii, iii, and vi) are placed INSIDE the circle. (The circle of fifths is commonly arranged so that minor KEYS are shown inside the circle of major keys, adjacent to their 'relative' major.)
    • We'll place the diminished chord (vii) outside the circle.
  • See https://ledgernote.com/columns/music-theory/circle-of-fifths-explained/
• Chord Function
  • Harmonic Function of a chord is a rating of its stability or instability, relative to the base (root) of the key signature. It generally conveys a certain emotion to the listener. (See Jim D'Ville's Ukulele Magazine article on  The Emotional Value of Chords.) The 'harmonic function' of a chord falls into three categories:
    • Tonic (Home; happiness & contentment)
    • The I chord is the only strong 'Tonic' chord.
    • The iii and the iv chords each share two of the three notes of the I, and are considered to be weak 'Tonic' chords.
    • Subdominant (Interest; Something is happening)
    • The IV chord is the classic 'Subdominant' chord.
    • The ii chord shares two of the three notes with the IV, and can also serve the 'Subdominant' function.
    • Dominant (Tension; I wanna go home!)
      • The V7 chord (also known as the 'dominant seventh') is the classic 'Dominant' chord.
      • The vii chord (a diminished triad) can also function as the 'Dominant' chord. It shares 3 of the 4 notes of the V7, and has the same feel of 'tension', wanting to resolve to the 'I'.
        The vii7 can also be used - but, in a Major key, this needs to be what's known as the 'half-diminished' seventh (often notated as ø7). (In an unfortunate naming tragedy, what's commonly called the 'diminished seventh' chord is not diatonic in any Major key. The half-diminished vii chord, on the other hand, is a great substitute for the V7!)
        The viiø7 contains every diatonic note except the 3 notes contained in the I chord! As an exercise to help you learn a scale, play the I chord followed by the viiø7. That's all the notes of the scale!
  • See www.simplifyingtheory.com/harmonic-function/