[Music] Non-diatonic Chords

Okay, I need help finding non-diatonic chords that, obviously, still fit in a key. I've asked Leber about this but he hasn't replied yet.

Anyways, his Tabit on non-diatonic chords thing is good. Some parts are confusing, but the ones I can understand, I can use. The problem is that it focuses so heavily on 7th chords that it's just... blech. I mean, I can deal with 7th chords but... I'd rather keep a major tonic chord. There's some stuff I can still use in there but... yeah.

I mean, I don't know EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Basically non-diatonic chords that can work well with the regular I IV V vi. I don't mind the ii and iii, either. I do mind the diminished 7th because that thing's pretty whack to play on guitar for me.

I'm sorry buddy, but I don't remember you asking me for help at all.

But I have some free time now, so...

An easy way to get out of a key that you're in is to go from a Major 7th chord to another Major 7th chord a major 3rd up (or down).

ex. You're in G major. IV in G major's a C Maj 7. Play that, then go to the G# Maj 7 (which is a Major 3rd down from C, though technically I should call it an Ab, not a G#). It'll sound awesome, because the notes in those two chords are close, so it's like all 4 notes move only slightly to get to their new pitches. That's called voice leading. It's okay if you have no idea what I mean by that, but yeah, give the M3 apart thing a try.

Also, try what I just told you like this.

- - x - - - 3 - -
- - 5 - - - 4 - -
- - 4 - - - 5 - -
- - 5 - - - 5 - -
- - 3 - - - x - -
- - x - - - 4 - -

Cmaj7 -> G#maj7

Do you see how some notes are only moving by one or two frets between those two chords? That's what I mean by voice leading. The individual voices (in other words, notes) of the chords move only slightly, and don't make any major leaps. (except for the bass note, but whatever, the bass is always allowed to leap)



Another fun thing to try is so start with a chord, like C Major 7, and find a new chord that uses a note from the previous chord, that isn't necessarily related to it.

For example, we start with C major 7. That's C E G B.
So let's keep the G, and play a G min 7 in 3rd inversion. That's F G Bb D. (I'm doing this on a piano, not a guitar.)

Or instead, let's go back to the C maj 7 (C E G B again) and keep the B,
and we'll play an G# min 7, 3rd inversion. (F# G# B D#).

You just went from C major to G# minor (or B major).
Those may be right next to each other, but they're actually 5 sharps apart. That's one step away from getting as far away from one key to another as you possibly can, so you can see why this is a great tool for destroying someone's sense of diatonicism or key.

What's really fun is when you start chaining all these chords together.

So yeah, give that shit a try.

I'm sorry buddy, but I don't remember you asking me for help at all.

Ahaha, I just sent an offline IM on AIM but either you didn't get on AIM for a while or it just didn't get sent. No biggie.

Also, thanks for the help and tips and stuff! That G#maj7 is annoying because I need to use my thumb. Anyways, since that last part isn't for guitar (or I'm just don't know how to play inversions), I guess I'll be using that part for making music whenever I have time.

And it's confusing to me so, I'll be re-reading a lot XD

EDIT: I don't know why I was so picky with the chords not being 7th chords. If they weren't, what else could they be ?_? >_> It'd be nice to have more guitar-friendly chords, though.

7th chords are a foundation of Jazz and classical music. Radio music frequently limits itself to basic, triadic chords.

I dunno, I don't really make the distinction between them anymore, I guess. I mean there's so many possibilities or chords that, really, any chord is just ... any old chord, you know? Whether it's an altered F#13 with a flat 5 and a sharp 9, a C min 11, or just a C major triad, they all have their applications and uses.

I am fond of starting on 7ths, though, and going up from there. Triads are boring.

Yeah. Triads are a nice start and, if I feel like fooling around, I can just use the I, ii, iii, IV, V, or vi (sometimes a V7), but, in the end, it all sounds the same so

Okay, bump. It's more of a different question at this point:

Are there any other diatonic chords besides the I, ii, ii, IV, V, vi, and vii* (Idk how to note diminished )?

I mean, people sometimes use V7 but... yeah. Anything that works well within the key still?

V7 is diatonic...

Diatonic just means 'using the notes in the key you're in.'
If you're in C major (hereto simply referred to as C), the notes you're using are C D E F G A and B.
V in C is G-B-D. That's diatonic.
V7 in C is G-B-D-F. That's also diatonic. There's an F in C major.

IV is F-A-C. That's diatonic.

iv is F-Ab-C. That's NOT diatonic, because there's no Ab in the key of C.

Oops, my b. I wasn't really thinking. Anyways, besides the chords mentioned above, are there any other chords that sound good in their gey?