Hi Steemit Musicians!

So last time we took a quick look at modes.I will be getting back to modes and their applications soon, but first I want to look at chord families.

What are chord families?

Each of the seven diatonic chords we derived by harmonizing the major scale will function in one of three ways in relation to our key center. The chord will either feel "at home", or that it is coming or going "to or from home".

For example:

In the key of C Major if we just play a C Major Chord, The chord will feel "at home". It is completely satisfied where it sits and has no sense of urgency to move in any particular direction. We call this the Tonic Family. Now we introduce an F Major Chord. It feels that we have stepped away from "home". There is a sense that we should return "home", but with no sense of urgency. This is the Subdominant Family. We introduce the G Dominant 7 Chord. There is now a strong sense of urgency that we must return home, to the tonic family. This is the Dominant Family.

These represent the fundamental cycles of consonance, dissonance, and resolution all music boils down to. Now, just because we can lead someone's ear, doesn't mean we have to necessarily bring them to where we are leading them ;)

Let's look at the major scale and natural minor scale chord families.

Major Scale Chord Families

I Chord = Tonic Family
ii Chord = Subdominant Family
iii Chord = Tonic Family
IV Chord = Subdominant Family
V Chord = Dominant Family
vi Chord = Tonic Family
vii Chord = Dominant Family

Natural Minor Scale Chord Families

i Chord = Tonic Family
ii Chord = Subdominant Family
bIII Chord = Tonic Family
iv Chord = Subdominant Family
v Chord = Dominant Family
bVI Chord = Subdominant Family
bVII Chord = Dominant Family

(Notice in natural minor the bVI chord is subdominant, whereas the vi chord in major is tonic.)

Experiment

We can substitute one chord for another within our chord families since they are performing the same function.

If you have a song that resolves from the IV chord or V chord to the I chord, try to resolve to the iii chord or vi chord instead. This may be useful as a variation or to set up another section of the composition.

In minor keys, if you have a song that goes from the i chord to the iv chord, try to substitute the iv chord with the bVI chord.

Play with the diatonic chords and try using chord substitutions with your songs.

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