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10.2 · Modal Interchange

The borrowed palette

Four borrowed major chords, four unmistakable colors. Each one is built on a root from outside the major scale, and each has a sound you already know from records. Meet the sound first: the numerals will attach themselves.

The palette

Each loop puts one borrowed chord between two in-key chords. The violet dots mark the borrowed ones.

C
Bb
F
C

A major chord one whole step below home. Don't You Forget About Me, Sweet Child O' Mine's intro loop, half of stadium rock.

C
Eb
F
C

A major chord on the flat 3: the blues' major-minor blur, chord-sized. Instant swagger between two in-key chords.

C
Ab
Bb
C

A major chord on the flat 6, a sudden swerve sideways, then bVII walks you back home. Film scores and final choruses lean on it.

C
Db
G
C

A major chord one half step above home: the Neapolitan. Cinematic, slightly menacing, the rarest of the four.

Quiz

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The 'epic horizon' chord that opens the sky is…

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson.The bright outsiders →