B major · Modal interchange

Borrowed chords in B major

A borrowed chord comes from a scale that shares B major's tonic but not all of its notes. Across the seven parallel scales close enough to borrow from, there are 42 chords to borrow. The ones heard most come from B minor: Em and G.

From B Lydian

B Lydian shares 6 of its 7 notes with B major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

II
Outside the key:
II7
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Outside the key:
Vmaj7
Outside the key:
vii
Outside the key:
vii7
Outside the key:

From B Mixolydian

B Mixolydian shares 6 of its 7 notes with B major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

iii°
Outside the key: A
iiiø7
Outside the key: A
v
Outside the key: A
v7
Outside the key: A
A
Outside the key: A
Amaj7
Outside the key: A
B7I7
Outside the key: A

From B Dorian

B Dorian shares 5 of its 7 notes with B major. Two notes apart: a clear change of colour without leaving home.

D
Outside the key: D A
Dmaj7
Outside the key: D A
E7IV7
Outside the key: D
vi°
Outside the key: D
viø7
Outside the key: D
Bmi
Outside the key: D
Bm7i7
Outside the key: D A

From B Aeolian

B Aeolian shares 4 of its 7 notes with B major. Further away, so these chords sound darker or stranger against the key.

ii°
Outside the key: G
iiø7
Outside the key: G
Emiv
E G B
Outside the key: G
Em7iv7
E G B D
Outside the key: G D
G
G B D
Outside the key: G D
Gmaj7
Outside the key: G D
A7
Outside the key: A G

From B Phrygian

B Phrygian shares 3 of its 7 notes with B major. Further away, so these chords sound darker or stranger against the key.

C
C E G
Outside the key: C G
Cmaj7
C E G B
Outside the key: C G
D7
Outside the key: D A C
v°
Outside the key: A C
vø7
Outside the key: A C
Am
A C E
Outside the key: A C
Am7
A C E G
Outside the key: A C G

From B Harmonic Major

B Harmonic Major shares 6 of its 7 notes with B major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

EmMaj7ivmaj7
Outside the key: G
G+
Outside the key: G
Outside the key: G
vii°7
Outside the key: G

From B Melodic Minor

B Melodic Minor shares 6 of its 7 notes with B major. One note apart, so these chords sound like a gentle shift of colour.

D+
Outside the key: D
Outside the key: D
BmMaj7imaj7
Outside the key: D

How borrowed chords sound

A borrowed chord keeps the tonic and changes the colour. The note it brings in is a note of the parallel scale, so the ear hears the same home with a different light on it. The minor iv and the flat VI are the classic examples: the moment a major key turns wistful without going anywhere.

In the app, section 2 teaches modal mixture: naming borrowed chords, hearing the borrowed colour, and where mixture sits on the tonic, subdominant and dominant axis.