C major
The reference point every other scale is measured from.
Seven notes and no accidentals. When a note in another scale gets called “flat” or “sharp”, this is the pattern it’s being compared to.
It’s also the parent of the seven modes. Play the same notes from D to D and you get D Dorian; start on G and it’s G Mixolydian. Nothing changes except which note feels like home.
- How it sounds
- Settled more than happy. The major third gives it warmth and the fifth keeps it steady. It’s good at sincere things like hymns, love songs and nostalgia, and pushed too far it turns naive. Songwriters stain it with borrowed chords to stop that happening.
- Where it lives
- Pop, rock, country, folk, gospel, classical and musical theatre. Film scores reach for it when the scene is hopeful. So do most children’s songs.
On the neck
- High E string: E at fret 0, F at fret 1, G at fret 3
- B string: B at fret 0, C at fret 1, D at fret 3
- G string: G at fret 0, A at fret 2
- D string: D at fret 0, E at fret 2, F at fret 3
- A string: A at fret 0, B at fret 2, C at fret 3
- Low E string: E at fret 0, F at fret 1, G at fret 3
The notes
In order, with the frets between them: C2D2E1F2G2A2B1C
The distances below aren’t even, and everything else on this page comes out of that. Two notes do most of the work. E is what makes the key sound major. B sits one fret under C and wants to get there.
Home. Every other note is measured from it. B sits one fret below.
C
Perfect unison
Two frets up from C: whole step.
D
Major second
Two frets up from D: whole step.
E
Major third
One fret up from E: half step.
F
Perfect fourth
Two frets up from F: whole step.
G
Perfect fifth
Two frets up from G: whole step.
A
Major sixth
Two frets up from A: whole step.
B
Major seventh
The chords
Every chord below is built the same way. Start on a note, skip the next one, take the one after, skip again, take again. C, skip D, E, skip F, G: that’s the C chord. Skip once more, add B, and it’s Cmaj7.
The method stays the same. The spacing doesn’t. C to E is four frets, D to F only three. Four frets at the bottom gives a major chord and three gives a minor one, so I, IV and V come out major while ii, iii and vi come out minor.
The numerals next to each chord are the same seven chords, written so they work in any key. Uppercase means major, lowercase means minor, and the small circle means diminished. In C major, I–IV–V is C–F–G.
Learn a progression as I–V–vi–IV and you have it in twelve keys. Learn it as C–G–Am–F and you have it in one.
- High E string: E at fret 0
- B string: C at fret 1
- G string: G at fret 0
- D string: E at fret 2
- A string: C at fret 3
- Low E string: not played
The three functions
Every chord in the key does one of three jobs. Most progressions are a trip across these three and back. In C major, C, Am and Em are home, F and Dm move away, and G and Bdim build the tension.
Tonic
home
- CI
- Amvi
- Emiii
Pre-dominant
moving
- FIV
- Dmii
Dominant
tension
- GV
- Bdimvii°rare
resolves back to C
Chords land in the same group because they share notes. C is C–E–G, Am is A–C–E, Em is E–G–B. Am and Em each keep two of C’s three notes, so either can stand in for home without much moving underneath.
That swap is all substitution means: keep most of the chord, change one note.
Progressions
Pop and rock
Pop makes the whole trip and then won’t finish it. The dominant arrives on schedule, and instead of resolving home the loop goes straight back to the top. That’s how four bars can carry a five-minute song without anyone minding.
| Name | Numerals | In C |
|---|---|---|
| The axiscommon | I–V–vi–IValso from vi–IV–I–V and IV–I–V–vi | C – G – Am – F |
| Doo-wop / 50scommon | I–vi–IV–V | C – Am – F – G |
| Three-chordcommon | I–IV–V | C – F – G |
| Simple rock | I–V–IV | C – G – F |
| Sensitive | I–iii–vi–IV | C – Em – Am – F |
| Liftrare | I–IV–vi–V | C – F – Am – G |
Jazz and standards
Jazz runs the cycle hard and often: pre-dominant to dominant to tonic, ii–V–I, then again from wherever that landed. The tension never lasts long. It just keeps getting renewed.
| Name | Numerals | In C |
|---|---|---|
| The cadencecommon | ii–V–I | Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 |
| Turnaroundcommon | I–vi–ii–V | Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 |
| Long turnaround | iii–vi–ii–V | Em7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 |
| Extendedrare | I–IV–iii–vi–ii–V–I | Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 |
Classical
Classical states the cadence plainly. The dominant turns up where you expect it and goes where it promised. On the rare occasions it doesn’t, you’re meant to notice.
| Name | Numerals | In C |
|---|---|---|
| Authentic cadencecommon | V–I | G – C |
| Plagal (“amen”) | IV–I | F – C |
| Deceptiverare | V–vi | G – Am |
| Pachelbel canon | I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V | C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G |
Borrowed chords
Chords pulled in from C minor while home stays where it is. A lot of the emotional weight in pop songwriting comes from here. The key stays put and the weather changes.
| Chord | Numeral | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Fm | iv | C – F – Fm – CThe quickest way to make a major key sound sad. |
| A♭ | ♭VI | C – A♭ – B♭ – CAn instant heroic lift. Plenty of rock songs change colour at the chorus with this one. |
| B♭ | ♭VII | C – B♭ – F – CThe mixolydian rock cadence: a step down, then back. |
| E♭ | ♭III | C – E♭ – F – CHard rock. The flat third turns up as a whole chord instead of a single note. |
Writing with this
Putting chords under a melody
A melody note doesn’t belong to one chord.
Hold an E and you can put C, Em or Am under it without touching the tune. C makes it bright, Em shades it, and Am sits somewhere between.
A lot of what we hear as a songwriter’s style comes down to which of the three they reach for.
The family
- C MajorC D E F G A B
From C major: remove 4 and 7
C Major PentatonicC D E G AFrom C major: flatten 3, 6 and 7
C Natural MinorC D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ ♭3 ♭6 ♭7From C natural minor: remove 2 and ♭6
C Minor PentatonicC E♭ F G B♭ ♭3 ♭7From C natural minor: raise the 7 back
C Harmonic MinorC D E♭ F G A♭ B ♭3 ♭6From C harmonic minor: raise the 6 back
C Melodic MinorC D E♭ F G A B ♭3