Home
> Guitar
Songwriting
> Submediant
The Submediant ChordOver the past 5 parts (contents here), we've been building the following chord scale... As we can see, there are 3 remaining chords to complete this foundation scale. By just playing around with those 4 chords we've already added, you can create simple, 4 chord songs using different chord combinations. You may even recognise some of these combinations as very popular songs. This scale is used by professional songwriters more often than you might think. It's where many of those "radio friendly" hit songs come from. However, I don't want you to be restricted to this scale, so we'll eventually expand out of it. Today we're going to add the 6th degree of the chord scale - the vi chord. The submediant (vi) chordAs with the other chord positions we've been learning, don't worry about what the name "submediant" means, just get to know its relationship with the other chords in the scale.The submediant, in its natural form, is a minor chord, represented by the lower case numerals (vi), but as we'll learn later, we can turn it into a major VI chord. First let's look at its position on the fretboard in relation to the tonic I chord. Below is a movable major scale pattern. Just like we've done in previous lessons, all you need to do is identify the same degree of the major scale as the chord degree. So in this case it's iv/6 - the 6th degree of the major scale... 1 W 2 W 3 H 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 H 1  Now, as we want to build chords onto this 6th degree, we need to know its position on one of the lower bass strings of the guitar, as this will be the root note for our vi chords. Let's say our tonic chord (built on the first degree of the scale) was rooted on the low E string. Here's how the submediant root note would look in relation to that...  But don't forget the A string...  ^ With the tonic rooted on the A string, the same submediant position lies in two immediate places. The submediant position on the low E string allows us to build barre/movable chord shapes that use a low E string bass note. You can see also how this then links to the first diagram, with the vi on the low E string. Also, the position of vi can be identified as one whole step (two frets) higher than the V chord (which we learned the position of in a previous lesson)...  This whole step V - vi relationship interval is the same on the E A and D root note strings. If we were to combine the positions of all the root notes of the chords we've learned so far, here's how it would look, starting with the tonic (I) chord rooted on the low E string...  ...and the tonic chord rooted on the A string...  Learn how these root note positions sit alongside each other in their sequence. Once you learn their positions, you'll be able to move between the chords intuitively. So, now we know the basic vi position in relation to the other chords, let's get to know the sound of its chord relationship. Starting with a tonic A major - F# minor example...
Click to hear > Just from hearing/playing this, you may recognise this movement as used in many popular and classical pieces. The relationship between the tonic and submediant is similar to that between the tonic and sub-dominant - it's a relaxed movement that doesn't create much tension/resolution at all (unlike the relationship between the tonic and dominant, for example). Let's look at how the submediant can interact with the other 4 chords we've learned in this course so far... I ii IV V vi chord progressionsBy now, you should know what the next stage is! Yep - simply experiment with different combinations,So, just like in previous lessons, I'll show you a few example combos. Remember, you don't have to use all 5 chords and you don't always have to begin on the I tonic chord. When I say "experiment" I really mean it! ;) Here are some commonly used major key progressions that involve the vi chord (we'll come to minor key progressions in a later lesson)... I vi IV V - click to hear >
Note that, because the positions of some of the chords in the above key of A major, I was able to use those common open chords in place of barre chords. Something to think about. I V vi IV - click to hear >
ii V I vi - click to hear >
...and don't forget, as your songwriting develops, you might want to create progressions that use alternating patterns. For example... I vi IV I ii V A final word...The most important thing is that you learn, using both your ears and eyes on the fretboard, these relationships in any key. It's all about relative movements. If the tonic chord changes position, so does the rest of the chord scale, but their intervals remain intact.Over time, you'll be able to "feel" when, for example, a vi chord might be an effective addition to one of your chord sequences. By learning its sound in relation to the other chords in this scale we're building, that feeling will become more and more intuitive. See you in the next part!  < Guitar Songwriting Contents
|
