The Chromatic Scale
A chromatic scale contains every possible note used in western music. All its notes are one semitone apart (on the guitar a semitone is one fret). The notes of a major scale can be identified by numbers known as degrees, as shown below in the C major scale (C Ionian). The Cmajor scale contains all the natural notes (natural meaning no sharps or flats).
C Major Scale
By adding all of the possible extra notes in between the natural notes of the C major scale, the C chromatic scale is created.
C Chromatic scale
The "in between" notes can be described as either sharps or flats. Because of the way modes and chords are constructed, flats are used more often than sharps. Here is the C chromatic scale again, this time with scale degrees written under the notes. Scale degrees usually list flat notes rather than sharp notes. The sharps are enharmonic equivalents, which means they are the same pitch (e.g C# =Db and F# Gb).
As mentioned earlier, is is possible to create many different types of chords by adding notes on top of triads. E.g. by adding the 7th degree of the scale to a C major triad, the C major seventh chord is created (Cmaj7), However, by adding the flattened 7th degree to the same C major triad, the C seventh chord is created (C7). By flattening the 3rd degree of the C major triad, it becomes a C minor triad (Cm). By adding a flattened 7th degree to the C minor triad, a C minor seventh chord (Cm7) is created. Many chords can be created by slight variations to a basic triad. The combination of degrees used in any chord make up the chord formula. The formulas for the most common types of chords are shown on the following page, along with an example of each chord as they relate to the key of C.
Major Chord Formula
Minor Chord Formula
Diminished Chord FormuLA
Augmented Chord Formula
Major Seventh Chord Formula
Seventh chord formula
Minor Seventh Chord Formula
Minor Seven Flat Five Chord Formula
These are only some of the most common chords used in music; there are many other extensions and variations. For more information on chords and chord formulas, see Progressive Complete Learn to Play Guitar Chords Manual.
By applying the formulas for seventh chords to the C major scale, the following series of scale tone seventh chords is created.
When numbering chords within a key, Roman numerals are used. This makes it clear that a chord is being described, rather than a single note (scale degree) which would be indicated by a number (1, 2, b3, #4 etc).
Here are the seven modes derived from the C major scale played against the seven scale tone seventh chords from the key of C major.
Because each seventh chord contains four notes of the mode it relates to, modes work extremely well over seventh chords. Listen to the sound of this line using the D Dorian mode over a Dm7 chord. Try playing some of the other modes you have learnt against seventh chords and then experiment, using the same principles to create some of your own melodies.
