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Major 6 Thguide

This document provides an overview of major sixth chords through four chapters: 1) It identifies the intervals that make up a major sixth chord as a major third, perfect fifth, and major sixth. 2) It describes forming major sixth chords using the major pentatonic scale. 3) It explains an interval approach using the defining intervals. 4) It outlines a chord approach by adding the sixth tone to a major triad. The document seeks to comprehensively cover the major sixth chord through these intervallic, scale, and chord-based formation methods.

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100% found this document useful (1 vote)

206 views

Major 6 Thguide

Uploaded by

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You are on page 1/ 225

Jermaine Griggs

& Chuku Onyemachi

QUICK
REFERENCEON

Major Sixth

Chords

Contents
Acknowledgement
PRELIMINARY CHAPTER
CHAPTER 1
Intervallic Components of the Major Sixth Chord
CHAPTER 2
Scale Approach to Major Sixth Chord Formation
CHAPTER 3
Interval Approach to Major Sixth Chord Formation
CHAPTER 4
Chord Approach to Major Sixth Chord Formation
WorkBook
Exercises
Workbook
Answers

PRELIMINARY
CHAPTER

MajorSixth
Chords
Defined

Therearesomanywaystodefinethemajorsixthchord.Heresa
simpledefinitionyoucaneasilyremember:

The addition of the sixth tone of the major scale to a major

triad will produce the major sixth chord.
InthemajorscaleofC:

...addingthesixthtoneofthescale(A):

...totheclassicCmajortriad:

...willproducetheCmajorsixthchord:

Themajorsixthchordconsistsofthe1st,3rd,5th,and6thdegreesof
themajorscale,(whicharefournotesaltogether)versusthethree
notesthattriadsaremadeupof(coveredinpreviousquickreference
guides).
Getready!
Inthisquickreferenceguide,wearegoingtocoveratonof
informationonthemajorsixthchordrangingfromintervallic
components,tothreepracticalapproachestoitsformationandmore.

CHAPTER1
Intervallic
Components
oftheMajor
SixthChord

Themajorsixthchordconsistsofthefirst,third,fifth,andsixthtones
ofthemajorscale.Themajorsixthchord,ifformedinthekeyofC:

...wouldconsistofC,E,G,andA:

...whicharethefirst,third,fifth,andsixthtonesoftheCmajorscale,
respectively.
Themajorsixthchordcanbebrokendownintosmallercomponents
knownasintervals.

"Howmany
intervalscanyou
spotinthemajor
sixthchord?"

Anintervalistherelationshipbetweentwonotesintermsofthe
distance
betweenthem.
Intervalsareformedbetweenthefirstandanyotherchordtone.In
themajorsixthchord,herearethethreeintervalsyoushouldbeable
tospot:
CE:

...the
majorthird
.
CG:

...the
perfectfifth
.

CA:

...the
majorsixth
.
Abreakdownofthemajorsixthchordinthismannerhasshownus
theintervalsit'smadeupof(aka"intervalliccomponents").
Therearethreeintervalliccomponentsinthemajorsixthchord:
Majorthird
Perfectfifth
Majorsixth
Oneoftheapproachestochordformationthatwe'llcoverinthis
coursewillfeaturetheuseoftheseintervals.

TheMajorThird
Themajorthirdisformedbetweenthefirstandthirdtonesofthe
majorscale.
InthemajorscaleofC:

...thethirdscaletoneisE:

...therefore,CE:

...isamajorthird.

Theintervalofthe
majorthird
inthemajor6thchordiswhatmakes
themajorsixthchordamajorchord(aka"tonality").

Rememberthis...
Whatmakesachordmajororminor(aka"tonality")dependsonthe
qualityofthirdithas.Themajorsixthchord:

...isamajorchordbecauseithasamajorthird:

ThePerfectFifth
Thesecondintervalliccomponentofamajorsixthchordisthe
perfectfifth.
Itisformedbetweenthefirstandthefifthtonesofthemajorscale.In
themajorscaleofC:

...thefifthscaletoneisG:

...therefore,CG:

...isaperfectfifth.
Theperfectfifthintervalisa
universally
consonantintervalformed
betweenthefirstandfifthdegreesofthemajorscale.Owingtothe
universalconsonanceandstabilityoftheperfectfifthinterval,the
majorsixthchordtendstobestable.

Notethis...

Ifyoustackthemajorthird:

...andperfectfifth:

...togetherinoneoctave,thiswouldproduce:

...theclassicCmajortriad.
However,themajorsixthchordhasanextraintervalliccomponent
themajorsixthinterval.

TheMajorSixth
Themajorsixthisformedbetweenthefirstandsixthtonesofthe
majorscale.InthemajorscaleofC:

...thesixthscaletoneisA:

...therefore,CA:

...isamajorsixth.

Ifwestackanintervalofamajorsixthontopoftheintervallic
componentswediscussedearlier(majorthirdandperfectfifth),this
willproduceanaddedtonechord.
Addedtonechordsfeaturenontertiantoneslikethe2nd,4thand6th
tonesofthemajorscale,whichareskippedintertianharmony.

Payattentionto
this...
Ifyouarefamiliarwithmy
pickandskip
technique,youwill
rememberthatinthekeyofCmajor:

...wecanpickC:

...skipDandpickE:

...skipFandpickG:

...skipAandpickB:

Ifweputallthenotesthatwereskippedtogether,we'llhaveD,F,
andA:

Addingthesetonestotriadsproduces"addedtone"chords.

Inthiscasewherewe'readdingthesixth(A)totheregularCmajor
triad,thiswouldproducea
Cmajorsixthchord.
Soremember:Major6thchordsare"addedtone"chords.
Havingcoveredtheintervalsthatmakeupthemajorsixthchord(aka
"intervalliccomponents"),let'sgointochordformation.

ChordFormationoftheMajor
SixthChord
Nodoubt,therearesomanywaystoformthemajorsixthchord.
However,I'llshowyouthreeapproaches...
Thescaleapproach
Theintervalapproach
Thechordapproach

CHAPTER2
ScaleApproach
toMajorSixth
Chord
Formation

Inthisapproach,we'llbeusingaknownscaletoformthemajor
sixthchord.Thescaleforthischordformationisthemajor
pentatonicscale.BelowistheCmajorpentatonicscale:

TheCmajorpentatonicscalecanproducethemajorsixthchordif
thesecondtoneofthisscaleisremoved.
IfweplaytheCmajorpentatonicscale:

...withoutthesecondtone,thiswouldproduceamajorsixthchord:

Nowthatyouknowthemajorsixthchordcanbeformedfromthe
pentatonicscale,knowledgeofthepentatonicscaleinallthekeys
willhelpyoudothis.
Belowareallthemajorsixthchordsderivedfrommajorpentatonic
scales:
CmajorpentatonicscalevsCmajorsixthchord:

DbmajorpentatonicscalevsDbmajorsixthchord:

DmajorpentatonicscalevsDmajorsixthchord:

EbmajorpentatonicscalevsEbmajorsixthchord:

EmajorpentatonicscalevsEmajorsixthchord:

FmajorpentatonicscalevsFmajorsixthchord:

GbmajorpentatonicscalevsGbmajorsixthchord:

GmajorpentatonicscalevsGmajorsixthchord:

AbmajorpentatonicscalevsAbmajorsixthchord:

AmajorpentatonicscalevsAmajorsixthchord:

BbmajorpentatonicscalevsBbmajorsixthchord:

BmajorpentatonicscalevsBmajorsixthchord:

CHAPTER3
Interval
Approach
to
MajorSixth
Chord
Formation

Intheearliersegment,webrokethemajorsixthchorddowntoits
intervalliccomponents,whicharethemajorthird,perfectfifth,and
themajorsixthintervals.
Chordformationofthemajorsixthcanbedoneusingtheseintervals.
InthekeyofC:

...themajorthirdisCE:

...theperfectfifthisCG:

...themajorsixthCA:

Puttingtheseintervalstogetherwithinthecompassofanoctave
wouldproducetheCmajorsixthchord:

CHAPTER4
Chord
Approach
to
MajorSixth
Chord
Formation

Wecanapproachchordformationofthemajorsixthchordwiththe
majortriad.
RememberwhatIsaidinanearliersegment:
"majorsixthchordsare
addedtonechords."
Therefore,additionofthesixthtoneofthemajorscaletothemajor
triadwillproducethemajorsixthchord.
Checkoutthemajorsixthchordsderivedfromthemajortriadsinall
keysbelow:
CmajortriadvsCmajorsixthchord:

DbmajortriadvsDbmajorsixthchord:

DmajortriadvsDmajorsixthchord:

EbmajortriadvsEbmajorsixthchord:

EmajortriadvsEmajorsixthchord:

FmajortriadvsFmajorsixthchord:

GbmajortriadvsGbmajorsixthchord:

GmajortriadvsGmajorsixthchord:

AbmajortriadvsAbmajorsixthchord:

AmajortriadvsAmajorsixthchord:

BbmajortriadvsBbmajorsixthchord:

BmajortriadvsBmajorsixthchord:

FinalWords
Tobehonest,themajorsixthchordwasn'talwaysanactivechordin
mychordalvocabularyseveralyearsagobecausetheaddedsixth
tonesoundedprettymuchliketheminorseventhchordofthe
sixth
degreeofthemajorkey(Aminor).
Therearemanypeopleouttherewhowon'tappreciatethemajor
sixthchordaschord1,andthisisbecauseithasarelationshipwith
the
seventhchord
ofthesixthdegreeofthemajorscale.
Forexample,inthekeyofC:

...thesixthscaletoneisA:

Ifyouformaseventhchordusingthepickandskiptechniquewe
coveredearlier,you'llpickA:

...skipBandpickC:

...skipDandpickE:

...skipFandpickG:

...andthatcreatesanAminorseventhchord.
FirstinversionoftheAminorseventhchord:

...looksprettymuchliketheCmajorsixthchord.
Inafuturepost,I'llshowyouthedifferencebetweenthemajorsixth
chordandtheminorseventhchord.
Seeyouthen!

Major Sixth
Chord
QUICK REFERENCE ON
MAJOR SIXTH CHORDS

Workbook
126Exercises

YOU WILL BE GIVEN A NOTE. DETERMINE THE

MAJOR THIRD INTERVAL FROM THE NOTE GIVEN.

Question:
Given the root note in the key of Db, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.
Answer:

Question#1
Question:
Given the root note in the key of C, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#2
Question:
Given the root note in the key of F, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#3
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Bb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#4
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Eb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#5
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Ab, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#6
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Db, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#7
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Gb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#8
Question:
Given the root note in the key of B, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#9
Question:
Given the root note in the key of E, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#10
Question:
Given the root note in the key of A, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#11
Question:
Given the root note in the key of D, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#12
Question:
Given the root note in the key of G, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#13
Question:
Given the root note in the key of C, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third of a key is four half steps from the
root note.

Answer:

Question#14
Question:
Given the root note in the key of G, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#15
Question:
Given the root note in the key of D, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The
major third of a key is four half steps from the root
note.

Answer:

Question#16
Question:
Given the root note in the key of A, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#17
Question:
Given the root note in the key of E, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The
major third of a key is four half steps from the root
note.

Answer:

Question#18
Question:
Given the root note in the key of B, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#19
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Gb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The
major third of a key is four half steps from the root
note.

Answer:

Question#20
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Db, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#21
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Ab, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The
major third of a key is four half steps from the root
note.

Answer:

Question#22
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Eb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

Question#23
Question:
Given the root note in the key of Bb, dot the
major 3rd.

Clue: The
major third of a key is four half steps from the root
note.

Answer:

Question#24
Question:
Given the root note in the key of F, dot the major
3rd.

Clue: The major third interval is four half steps from the
given note.

Answer:

YOU WILL BE GIVEN A NOTE TO DETERMINE THE

PERFECT FIFTH OF THE NOTE GIVEN IN THE SCALE
DEGREE.

Question:
Given the root note of Db, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#25
Question:
Given the root note of C, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#26
Question:
Given the root note of F, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#27
Question:
Given the root note of Bb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#28
Question:
Given the root note of Eb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#29
Question:
Given the root note of Ab, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#30
Question:
Given the root note of Db, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#31
Question:
Given the root note of Gb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#32
Question:
Given the root note of B, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#33
Question:
Given the root note of E, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#34
Question:
Given the root note of A, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#35
Question:
Given the root note of D, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#36
Question:
Given the root note of G, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#37
Question:
Given the root note of C, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#38
Question:
Given the root note of G, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#39
Question:
Given the root note of D, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#40
Question:
Given the root note of A, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#41
Question:
Given the root note of E, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#42
Question:
Given the root note of B, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#43
Question:
Given the root note of Gb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#44
Question:
Given the root note of Db, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#45
Question:
Given the root note of Ab, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#46
Question:
Given the root note of Eb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#47
Question:
Given the root note of Bb, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

Question#48
Question:
Given the root note of F, dot the Perfect 5th.

Answer:

YOU WILL BE GIVEN A NOTE. FORM THE MAJOR

SIXTH ON THE NOTE GIVEN.
Question:
Given the root note Db, dot the Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#49
Question:
Given the root note C, dot the C Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#50
Question:
Given the root note F, dot the F Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#51
Question:
Given the root note Bb, dot the Bb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#52
Question:
Given the root note Eb, dot the Eb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#53
Question:
Given the root note Ab, dot the Ab Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#54
Question:
Given the root note Db, dot the Db Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#55
Question:
Given the root note Gb, dot the Gb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#56
Question:
Given the root note B, dot the B Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#57
Question:
Given the root note E, dot the E Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#58
Question:
Given the root note A, dot the A Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#59
Question:
Given the root note D, dot the D Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#60
Question:
Given the root note G, dot the G Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#61
Question:
Given the root note C, dot the C Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#62
Question:
Given the root note G, dot the G Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#63
Question:
Given the root note D, dot the D Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#64
Question:
Given the root note A, dot the A Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#65
Question:
Given the root note E, dot the E Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#66
Question:
Given the root note B, dot the B Major 6th chord.

Answer:

Question#67
Question:
Given the root note Gb, dot the Gb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#68
Question:
Given the root note Db, dot the Db major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#69
Question:
Given the root note Ab, dot the Ab Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#70
Question:
Given the root note Eb, dot the Eb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#71
Question:
Given the root note Bb, dot the Bb Major 6th
chord.

Answer:

Question#72
Question:
Given the root note F, dot the F major 6th chord.

Answer:

YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE PENTATONIC SCALE IN

ANY KEY TO FORM A MAJOR SIXTH CHORD.
Question:
Given the pentatonic scale of Db, derive the Db
Major 6th chord.