Unit 6, Lesson 1 of 2
Brainlag Plus Music

Which chords fit each note

Music theory, Harmonising a melody, 12 minutes

Every note of the scale belongs to three chords; how to find them, and which of them to prefer.

Three chords for every note

Every note of the scale is the root of one triad, the 3rd of another and the 5th of a third. So each melody note fits three chords. In C major, the note E belongs to I (as its 3rd), III (as its root) and VI (as its 5th).

The note E in three chords of C major

Question 2 of the paper asks you to choose among them so the chords make sense together, not just one by one.

The rest of this lesson and its 4 practice questions are in Plus Music.

Screen 1 of 3, free to read.

  • 4 exam-style questions, marked as you go, each with a worked solution
  • Anything you get wrong is saved to your flashcards