F major · Modal interchange

Borrowed chords in F major

A borrowed chord comes from a scale that shares F 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 F minor: D♭ and B♭m.

From F Lydian

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

Cmaj7Vmaj7
C E G B
Outside the key: B
Emvii
E G B
Outside the key: B
Em7vii7
E G B D
Outside the key: B
GII
G B D
Outside the key: B
G7II7
G B D F
Outside the key: B
B°
B D F
Outside the key: B
B D F A
Outside the key: B

From F Mixolydian

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

Cmv
Outside the key:
Cm7v7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
F7I7
Outside the key:
A°iii°
Outside the key:
iiiø7
Outside the key:

From F Dorian

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

D°vi°
Outside the key:
viø7
Outside the key:
Fmi
Outside the key:
Fm7i7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
IV7
Outside the key:

From F Aeolian

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

Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
G°ii°
Outside the key:
iiø7
Outside the key:
iv
Outside the key:
iv7
Outside the key:

From F Phrygian

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

C°v°
Outside the key:
vø7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:

From F Harmonic Major

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

Outside the key:
Outside the key:
E°7vii°7
Outside the key:
ivmaj7
Outside the key:

From F Melodic Minor

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

FmMaj7imaj7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:

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.