Chord Construction Theory (cont.)

The "A" mode:

(notes in an "A" minor, or 6m or vi chord)

The last mode starts on "B":

(notes in a "B" minor 7b5 or B half dim., or 7m7b5 or viim7b5 chord)

Nobody seems to quite know what to do with the "B" chord formed here. To have a true minor sound, the "F" would have to be an "F#". What most theorists do is add a 7th note to the chord (the "A" note) and call it a Bmin7b5. Others will call this chord a half-diminished. We hardly ever use the thing.To recap, here are the chords based on the scale degrees of the key of C. Notice I took the chicken-hearted way out and made these charts in the easiest key of all ("C" - no sharps or flats). You should figure out the other keys and the chord spellings when you get the time. I will try to give hints on how to play in strange keys without really having to know the exact names of the chords you are playing:

C Major or I or 1
D minor or ii (iim) or 2m
E minor or iii (iiim) or 3m
F Major or IV or 4
G Major or V or 5 - Can also be V7 or 57 (this chord name is exactly why
I prefer to name the chord using the Roman numeral system)
A minor or vi (vim) or 6m
B min7b5 or viim7b5 or 7min7b5 or B half dim.

Having said all of that, we can now get to the business of learning chord progressions and their related sounds beginning with the major chords.
Mike Perry