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F♯ major · Modal interchange

Borrowed chords in F sharp 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 Bm.

From

F♯ Lydian 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:

  • Vmaj7

    Outside the key:

  • vii

    Outside the key:

  • vii7

    Outside the key:

  • II

    Outside the key:

  • II7

    Outside the key:

From

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

  • v

    Outside the key: E

  • v7

    Outside the key: E

  • E

    Outside the key: E

  • Emaj7

    Outside the key: E

  • I7

    Outside the key: E

  • iii°

    Outside the key: E

  • iiiø7

    Outside the key: E

From

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

  • vi°

    Outside the key: A

  • viø7

    Outside the key: A

  • i

    Outside the key: A

  • i7

    Outside the key: A E

  • A

    Outside the key: A E

  • Amaj7

    Outside the key: A E

  • B7IV7

    Outside the key: A

From

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

  • D

    Outside the key: D A

  • Dmaj7

    Outside the key: D A

  • E7

    Outside the key: E D

  • ii°

    Outside the key: D

  • iiø7

    Outside the key: D

  • Bmiv

    Outside the key: D

  • Bm7iv7

    Outside the key: D A

From

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

  • v°

    Outside the key: E G

  • vø7

    Outside the key: E G

  • Em

    E G B

    Outside the key: E G

  • Em7

    E G B D

    Outside the key: E G D

  • G

    G B D

    Outside the key: G D

  • Gmaj7

    Outside the key: G D

  • A7

    Outside the key: A E G

From

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.

  • D+

    Outside the key: D

  • Outside the key: D

  • vii°7

    Outside the key: D

  • BmMaj7ivmaj7

    Outside the key: D

From

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.

  • imaj7

    Outside the key: A

  • A+

    Outside the key: A

  • Outside the key: A

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.

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