D major · Modal interchange

Borrowed chords in D major

A borrowed chord comes from a scale that shares D major's tonic but not all of its notes. Across the seven parallel scales close enough to borrow from, there are 42 chords to borrow. The ones heard most come from D minor: Gm and B♭.

From D Lydian

D Lydian shares 6 of its 7 notes with D major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

vii
Outside the key:
vii7
Outside the key:
EII
Outside the key:
E7II7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Amaj7Vmaj7
Outside the key:

From D Mixolydian

D Mixolydian shares 6 of its 7 notes with D major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

C
C E G
Outside the key: C
Cmaj7
C E G B
Outside the key: C
D7I7
Outside the key: C
iii°
Outside the key: C
iiiø7
Outside the key: C
Amv
A C E
Outside the key: C
Am7v7
A C E G
Outside the key: C

From D Dorian

D Dorian shares 5 of its 7 notes with D major. Two notes apart: a clear change of colour without leaving home.

Dmi
D F A
Outside the key: F
Dm7i7
D F A C
Outside the key: F C
F
F A C
Outside the key: F C
Fmaj7
F A C E
Outside the key: F C
G7IV7
G B D F
Outside the key: F
B°vi°
B D F
Outside the key: F
viø7
B D F A
Outside the key: F

From D Aeolian

D Aeolian shares 4 of its 7 notes with D major. Further away, so these chords sound darker or stranger against the key.

C7
Outside the key:
E°ii°
Outside the key:
iiø7
Outside the key:
Gmiv
Outside the key:
Gm7iv7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:

From D Phrygian

D Phrygian shares 3 of its 7 notes with D major. Further away, so these chords sound darker or stranger against the key.

Cm
Outside the key:
Cm7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
F7
Outside the key:
A°v°
Outside the key:
vø7
Outside the key:

From D Harmonic Major

D Harmonic Major shares 6 of its 7 notes with D major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

vii°7
Outside the key:
GmMaj7ivmaj7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:

From D Melodic Minor

D Melodic Minor shares 6 of its 7 notes with D major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

DmMaj7imaj7
Outside the key: F
F+
Outside the key: F
Outside the key: F

How borrowed chords sound

A borrowed chord keeps the tonic and changes the colour. The note it brings in is a note of the parallel scale, so the ear hears the same home with a different light on it. The minor iv and the flat VI are the classic examples: the moment a major key turns wistful without going anywhere.

In the app, section 2 teaches modal mixture: naming borrowed chords, hearing the borrowed colour, and where mixture sits on the tonic, subdominant and dominant axis.