Welcome to LivingPianos.com! I’m Robert Estrin. Understanding diatonic chords can sound a bit complicated at first, but when you break it down, it’s actually quite simple! This foundational concept can make learning music a seamless experience and help you improvise effortlessly. Let’s dive in and explore what diatonic chords are and why they’re so helpful!
What Are Diatonic Chords?
To understand diatonic chords, you first need a solid grasp of major scales. Everything in music theory builds on a foundation of basic concepts, and understanding scales is similar to knowing your multiplication tables in math. Imagine trying to solve algebra problems without knowing how to multiply. It would be impossible!
The same goes for music. Once you’re comfortable with major scales and key signatures, understanding diatonic chords is easy. If you’re not yet familiar with scales or key signatures, don’t worry—I’ve covered those topics in other videos. But if you’re already confident with them, then you’re ready to tackle diatonic chords, which appear everywhere in music.
The Basics of Diatonic Chords
Let’s start simple. In the key of C major, we begin with the C major scale:
C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
From this scale, we can build a set of diatonic chords by stacking thirds (every other note) starting from each scale degree. For example:
C major chord (I chord): C – E – G
D minor chord (ii chord): D – F – A
E minor chord (iii chord): E – G – B
F major chord (IV chord): F – A – C
G major chord (V chord): G – B – D
A minor chord (vi chord): A – C – E
B diminished chord (vii° chord): B – D – F
You can also extend this idea to seventh chords (which add another third above the top note of the triad):
I7 chord: C – E – G – B
ii7 chord: D – F – A – C
iii7 chord: E – G – B – D
IV7 chord: F – A – C – E
V7 chord: G – B – D – F
vi7 chord: A – C – E – G
vii°7 chord: B – D – F – A
Diatonic Chords in Other Keys
The concept of diatonic chords is not limited to C major. It applies to any key. Let’s look at D major as an example. The diatonic chords in D major would be built from the D major scale:
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D
The diatonic chords in D major would be:
I chord (D major): D – F# – A
ii chord (E minor): E – G – B
iii chord (F# minor): F# – A – C#
IV chord (G major): G – B – D
V chord (A major): A – C# – E
vi chord (B minor): B – D – F#
vii° chord (C# diminished): C# – E – G
This same principle works in any key. And remember, these chords can be inverted, which simply means you can rearrange the notes of the chord so that a note other than the root is on the bottom.
How Diatonic Chords Help You Learn and Read Music
One of the greatest benefits of understanding diatonic chords is how they simplify reading and learning music. Take Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, for example. In the third movement, there’s a section where the chords are simply diatonic chords in inversions, as shown here:
The first chord is an F-sharp minor chord (in this case, using the natural minor scale).
The notes in each chord follow the steps of the scale, either going up or down.
When you understand that the notes of each chord simply follow the scale, learning and reading the music becomes so much easier. You’re not just seeing random notes on the page; they’re all related to the scale you’re working in.
A Second Example: Kabalevsky’s Fairy Tale
In this piece, Kabalevsky’s Fairy Tale, you can hear diatonic chords being broken up in a similar way. For instance:
The left hand starts with an E-flat major chord in second inversion (E-flat 6/4) with B-flat on the bottom.
The notes then move step by step through the E-flat major scale, creating a beautiful, flowing progression.
This stepwise movement through the scale makes it easier to understand and internalize the music, as it’s based on diatonic harmony.
Improvising with Diatonic Chords
Once you understand diatonic chords, you’ll find it much easier to improvise. For example, in the key of C major, you can create progressions by playing the diatonic chords in various orders. You can even add seventh chords to give your improvisation a richer sound.
Similarly, you can apply this approach to any key. In D major, you might play a progression using the diatonic seventh chords, such as DM7 (I7) and Em7 (ii7), to create a smooth, harmonious feel. The beauty of diatonic chords is that you can transpose them easily to any key, making your improvisation seamless and natural.
Understanding diatonic chords is an essential tool for any musician.
Understanding diatonic chords helps you read music more easily, makes learning pieces less intimidating, and opens up new possibilities for improvisation. The key is building a solid foundation with major scales and key signatures, which will allow you to navigate diatonic chords effortlessly.
If you find these insights helpful and want to take your playing to the next level, be sure to check out the Living Piano Mastermind Club. It’s packed with resources to help you further develop your musical skills!