Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Dictionary: Abb Major Scale

See G major scale.


Dictionary: E# Major Scale

See F major scale.


Dictionary: Ebb Major Scale

See D major scale.


Monday, July 29, 2013

Dictionary: Fb Major Scale

Fb major is basically the E major scale, and you know it, so play that instead.  Eight flats, including the ridiculous Bbb (B double-flat), is no way to play.  Or is it?:


Dictionary: G# Major Scale

Containing eight sharps, including the ridiculous Fx (F double-sharp) note, please avoid the G# major scale.  Instead try the enharmonic Ab major scale.  But if you're wondering:


Dictionary: Cb Major Scale

With seven flats, including the somewhat complicated Cb and Fb notes, you might as well ditch Cb major for its enharmonic, the B major scale.  In case you're curious:


Friday, July 26, 2013

Dictionary: C# Major Scale

With seven sharps, and containing the somewhat complicated notes E# and B#, you should avoid using the C# major scale.  You should use the enharmonic Db major scale instead.  In case you want to live dangerously, here it is:


Dictionary: Gb Major Scale


From this six-flat scale, we can derive the modes Gb Ionian, Ab Dorian, Bb Phrygian, Cb Lydian, Db Mixolydian, Eb Aeolian, and F Locrian.  The Gb major Scale is enharmonic with the F# major scale, and the Cb note/chord is the same pitch as the B note/chord.  In the table below, the logical triads are to the left, and various ideas to spice up your chord progressions are to the right:

Gb Ebm Fdim Gbaug
Cb Abm Cbm Abdim
Db Bbm Bb Ddim

Dictionary: F# Major Scale


From this six-sharp scale, we can derive the modes F# Ionian, G# Dorian, A# Phrygian, B Lydian, C# Mixolydian, D# Aeolian, and E# Locrian.  The F# major scale is enharmonic with the Gb major scale, and the E# note/chord is the same pitch as the F note/chord.  In the table below, the usual chords are to the left, and several adventurous triad choices are to the right:

F# D#m E#dim F#aug
B G#m Bm G#dim
C# A#m A# Cxdim

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Dictionary: Db Major Scale


From this five-flat scale, we can derive the modes Db Ionian, Eb Dorian, F Phrygian, Gb Lydian, Ab Mixolydian, Bb Aeolian, and C Locrian.  In the table below, the usual triads are to the left, and some adventurous chord choices are to the right:

Db Bbm Cdim Dbaug
Gb Ebm Gbm Ebdim
Ab Fm F Adim

Dictionary: B Major Scale


From this five-sharp scale, we can derive the modes B Ionian, C# Dorian, D# Phrygian, E Lydian, F# Mixolydian, G# Aeolian, and A# Locrian.  In the table below, the usual chords are to the left, and chords you might not think to use -- and possibly might never find a use in this key -- are to the right:

B G#m A#dim Baug
E C#m Em C#dim
F# D#m D# Fxdim

Dictionary: Ab Major Scale


From this four-flat scale, we can derive the modes Ab Ionian, Bb Dorian, C Phrygian, Db Lydian, Eb Mixolydian, F Aeolian, and G Locrian.  In the table below, the obviously key-appropriate chords are to the left, and some somewhat off-key triads that could work in transition are to the right:

Ab Fm Gdim Abaug
Db Bbm Dbm Bbdim
Eb Cm C Edim

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Dictionary: E Major Scale


From this four-sharp scale, we can derive the modes E Ionian, F# Dorian, G# Phrygian, A Lydian, B Mixolydian, C# Aeolian, and D# Locrian.  In the table below, the usual triads are to the left, and some unlikely chords for the scale are to the right:

E C#m D#dim Eaug
A F#m Am F#dim
B G#m G# B#dim

Dictionary: Eb Major Scale


From this three-flat scale, we can derive the modes Eb Ionian, F Dorian, G Phrygian, Ab Lydian, Bb Mixolydian, C Aeolian, and D Locrian.  In the table below, you'll find the usual chords to the left, and triads for transition and/or exploration to the right:

Eb Cm Ddim Ebaug
Ab Fm Abm Fdim
Bb Gm G Bdim

Dictionary: A Major Scale


From this three-sharp scale, we can derive the modes A Ionian, B Dorian, C# Phrygian, D Lydian, E Mixolydian, F# Aeolian, and G# Locrian.  In the table below, you'll find accompaniment-friendly triads to the left, and chords more suitable for transition (if you're adventurous enough) to the right:

A F#m G#dim Aaug
D Bm Dm Bdim
E C#m C# E#dim

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Dictionary: Bb Major Scale


From this two-flat scale, we can derive the modes Bb Ionian, C Dorian, D Phrygian, Eb Lydian, F Mixolydian, G Aeolian, and A Locrian.  In the table below, the more common chords are to the left, and the more adventurous chords are to the right:

Bb Gm Adim Bbaug
Eb Cm Ebm Cdim
F Dm D F#dim

Dictionary: D Major Scale


From this two-sharp scale, we can derive the modes D Ionian, E Dorian, F# Phrygian, G Lydian, A Mixolydian, B Aeolian, and C# Locrian.  In the table below, the chords to the left will give you an easy time; the chords to the right will give you an adventure, of sorts:

D Bm C#dim Daug
G Em Gm Edim
A F#m F# A#dim

Dictionary: F Major Scale


From this one-flat scale, we can derive F Ionian, G Dorian, A Phrygian, Bb Lydian, C Mixolydian, D Aeolian, and E Locrian.  In the table below, the chords to the left work very well with this scale, but you'll get a bit more adventurous as you go to the chords on the right:

F Dm Edim Faug
Bb Gm Bbm Gdim
C Am A C#dim

Monday, July 22, 2013

Dictionary: G Major Scale


From this one-sharp scale, we can derive the modes G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, E Aeolian, and F# Locrian.  You can try the chords below.  The ones on the left are common to use with the G major scale; the ones on the right, not so much:

G Em F#dim Gaug
C Am Cm Adim
D Bm B D#dim

Dictionary: C Major Scale


From this zero-sharp, zero-flat scale, we can derive the modes C Ionian, D Dorian, E Phrygian, F Lydian, G Mixolydian, A Aeolian, and B Locrian.  This isn't an exhaustive list of chords, but in the table below, the usual chords on the left and more adventurous choices on the right:

C Am Bdim Caug
F Dm Fm Ddim
G Em E G#dim

Chord du Jour Dictionary Begins in Eight Hours!

For the foreseeable future, we're going to post about three posts every weekday!  We have two reasons for this:  (1) The Chord du Jour Dictionary should be filled up as soon as possible, and (2) we've written and displayed the "easy" keys like C major, G major, etc., several times during the past six years.  We want to get to the special scales (e.g., Neapolitan minor) and the ridiculously complicated ones (e.g., Cx major) as soon as possible.

The cool thing about the Dictionary is that we want it to grow constantly, with each chord/scale/mode/etc. entry as dynamic as possible.  We will definitely add to each entry, cross-referencing and linking to enharmonic scales, related modes, and useful chords.  We will also correct some inevitable musical typos because accuracy is important to any road map, let alone keyboard and fretboard scales.

Today, we'll ease in with the C major scale and the G major scale.  Tomorrow, we'll get into F major, D major, and Bb major.  Wednesday, we'll post A major, Eb major, and E major.  And so on, and so forth, until we're done with major scales.  We plan to go to minor scales afterward, but we might go to modes or chords or something unusual.

Please visit Chord du Jour as much as possible, or 'like' us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.  Keep jamming!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Chord du Jour Will Return on July 22nd!

We are scheduled to return in one week!  On July 22nd, we begin a new chapter of Chord du Jour:  A chord/scale/mode dictionary!

No, we haven't forgotten about replacing the final page in the Chord du Jour coffee table book.  We are concurrently working toward that goal, in addition to creating an aesthetically-pleasing infographic-heavy reference for musicians.

Until next Monday -- keep jamming!  (And we'll jam some more when we return!)

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