Borrowed chord

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A borrowed chord is a chord borrowed from the parallel key (minor or major scale with the same tonic). If the root of the borrowed chord is not in the original key, then the chord is named by the accidental. For instance, in a major key, a chord built on the parallel minor's sixth degree is a "flat six chord" written ♭VI. Borrowed chords are an example of mode mixture.

Six chords borrowed from the parallel minor key are commonly found in the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras (shown here in C major):

• Diminished Supertonic Triad (ii^o): D, F, A♭
• Half-Diminished Supertonic Seventh (ii^Ø7): D, F, A♭, C
• Major Triad on the Lowered Third Scale Degree, or "Flat Three" (♭III): E♭, G, B♭
• Minor Subdominant (iv): F, A♭, C
• Major Triad on the Lowered Sixth Scale Degree, or "Flat Six" (♭VI): A♭, C, E♭
• Fully Diminished Leading-Tone Seventh (vii^o7): B, D, F, A♭

The following three chords are also found in Romantic era, albeit rarely:

• Minor Subdominant Seventh (iv^♭7): F, A♭, C, E♭
• Major-Minor Subdominant Seventh (IV^♭7): F, A, C, E♭
• Dominant Flat Ninth (V^♭9): G, B, D, F, A♭

The Major-Minor Subdominant Seventh, which contains an A natural, is borrowed from the parallel ascending melodic minor scale.

In popular music, the Major Triad on the Lowered Third Scale Degree (♭III), the Major Triad on the Lowered Sixth Scale Degree(♭VI) and the Major Triad on the lowered Seventh Scale Degree, or "Flat Seven" (♭VII, in C major: B♭, D, F) are common.

Borrowing from a parallel major key is a common feature of grunge, and can be occasionally be found in other styles of post-grunge Rock. Otherwise it is generally limited in western music to ending a minor piece on a major tonic triad, a chord which is then called a Picardy third, use of the Major Subdominant chord (in C minor: F, A, C, generally used when A is in the bass leading upward to B and then C) and the Major Dominant chord (in C minor: G, B, D). However, the latter of these could also be viewed as use of the Harmonic Minor scale.

[edit] See also

• Aeolian harmony

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