Chord Function Chart Allan Chase 12/93; rev.

4/09c for Berklee

Chromatic Major Dom. or Chrom. Lydian Ionian Mixo- Dorian Nat. Mi/ Phryg- Locrian Ascend. Harm. Blues,
scale (Dia- Sec. Passing Modal (=Maj.) lydian Modal Aeolian ian Modal Melodic Minor Special
degree of tonic) Dom.** Chords Interch. Modal Interch. Modal Modal Interch. Minor Function,
root Function Interch. Interch. Interch. Other
1 IMaj7 V7/IV IMaj7 IMaj7 I7 I-7 I-7 I-7 I-6 I-(Maj7) I7
(9, 13) (9, 13) (9,+11,1 (9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 11, (9, 11) (11) (Maj 7, 9, (9, 11) (+9,13)
3) 13) 11) (and
V7/IV +11?)
I6 (9**, b13) I6 I6 I7 I-6 I-(Maj7)
(Maj 7, 9) in minor (Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9) (sus 4) (9, 11) (9,11, I7
context +11) (9, 13) 13) (Maj 7, 9,
11)
#1 #I7
(Maj 7,
b13)
b2 sub V7 bIIMaj7
(9,+11, (9,+11,
13) 13)

sub V7 bII6
(+9, (7, 9,
+11,13) +11)
2 II-7 V7/V II7 II-7 II-7 II-7 II-7(b5) II-7 II-7(b5) II7 (9,
(9, 11) (9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 11, (9, 11) (11) (11, b13) (11) (11) +11, 13)
(13?) (or 9, 13?) (also 9* (13?) not
+11,13)** in major acting as
context) V7/V
#2 #II7
(Maj7,
b13)
b3 sub V7/II bIII7 bIIIMaj7 bIIIMaj7 bIIIMaj7 bIIIMaj7 bIII7 (9
(9,+11, (Maj 7, 9, (9,+11, (9, 13) (+5) (+5) +11, 13)
13) b13) 13) (9,+11) (9) not
acting as
V7/bVI bIII-7 bIII6 bIII6 sub V7/II
(9, 13) in (9, 11) (Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9)
minor +11)
context
3 III-7 V7/VI III-7 III-7
(11) (b9, +9, (9, 11) (11)
b13)
III7 or
VII7/IV
(11, b13)

1993, 2010 Allan S. Chase

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Chord Function Chart Allan Chase 12/93; rev. 4/09c for Berklee
Chromatic Major Dom. or Chrom. Lydian Ionian Mixo- Dorian Nat. Mi/ Phryg- Locrian Ascend. Harm. Blues,
scale (Dia- Sec. Passing Modal (=Maj.) lydian Modal Aeolian ian Modal Melodic Minor Special
degree of tonic) Dom. Chords Interch. Modal Interch. Modal Modal Interch. Minor Function,
root Function Interch. Interch. Interch. Other
4 IVMaj7 sub V7/III IVMaj7 IVMaj7 IV7 IV-7 IV-7 IV7 IV-7 IV7
(9,+11, (9,+11, (9,+11, (9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 11, (9, 11) (9,+11, (9, 13) (9)
13) 13) 13) 13) 13) (or +9)
(+11, 13)
IV6 IV6 IV6 IV-6 IV-6
(Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9) (9, 11) (9, 11)
+11) +11) (also Maj
7* in
major
context)
#4 #IV7
(Maj 7,
11, b13)

#IV-7 #IV-7
(b5) (b5)
(11, b13) (11, b13)
b5 sub bV7 bVMaj7
V7/IV (7, 11, (9,+11,
(9,+11, b13) 13)
13)
bV6
(Maj 7, 9,
+11)
5 V7 V7 VMaj7 V7 V-7 V-7 V-7 V7 V7 V7
(9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 13) (9, 11, (9, 11) (11) (9, b13) (b9, (9, 11)
13) b13) usually
leading
V7 V7 V7 V7 V7 to V7
(sus4) (sus4) (sus4) (sus4) (sus4)
(9, 13) (9, 13) (b9) (9) (b9)
#5 #V7
(Maj 7,
b13)
b6 sub V7/V bVI7 bVIMaj7 bVIMaj7 bVIMaj7 bVI7 (9,
(9,+11, (Maj 7, (9,+11, (9, 13) (+11, +11, 13)
13) b13) 13) 13) not
acting as
bVI-6 (9) bVI6 bVI6 sub V7/V
as a (Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9)
dominant +11)

1993, 2010 Allan S. Chase

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Chord Function Chart Allan Chase 12/93; rev. 4/09c for Berklee
Chromatic Major Dom. or Chrom. Lydian Ionian Mixo- Dorian Nat. Mi/ Phryg- Locrian Ascend. Harm. Blues,
scale (Dia- Sec. Passing Modal (=Maj.) lydian Modal Aeolian ian Modal Melodic Minor Special
degree of tonic) Dom. Chords Interch. Modal Interch. Modal Modal Interch. Minor Function,
root Function Interch. Interch. Interch. Other
6 VI-7 V7/II VI-7 VI-7 VI-7 VI-7(b5)
(9, 11) (9, b13) (9, 11, (9, 11) (11) (9,11,
or (b9, 13) b13)
+9, b13)
b7 sub bVIIMaj7 bVIIMaj7 bVII7 bVII-7
V7/VI (9,+11, (9, 13) (9, 13) (9,11,
(9,+11, 13) (also 13)
13) +11* in
bVII6 bVII6 major
(Maj 7, 9, (Maj 7, 9) context)
+11)
bVII7
(sus 4)
(9, 13)
7 (LT) VII-7 (b5) V7/III VII7 (9, VII-7 VII-7 (b5) VII-7 (b5) VII7 VII7 (9,
(11, b13) (b9, +9, +11, 13) (11) (11, b13) (b13) (b13) +11, 13)
b13) (Maj 7 not
also used acting as
VII7 but not in V7/III
(Maj 7?, Harm. mi.
11, b13) scale)

Notes: (1) The all-capital Roman numerals followed by full chord symbols used here are often used in jazz and popular music analysis, where
major and minor modes are mixed freely. Flats and sharps are relative to the tonic major scale; for example, even in a C minor
context, a chord on Eb is labeled bIII. (An alternative system that is more consistent with most classical analysis is to use lower-case
Roman numerals for any chords with a minor third.)
(2) The symbols and numbers used here are generally consistent with those used at Berklee in Harmony department courses. sub V7/x
means the tritone substitute for the dominant of x. For example, in F major, Gb7 is sub V7, the tritone substitute dominant that can
be used in place of V7 (C7). The two chords share the same tritone (spelled enharmonically), and the descending half-step root
motion of Gb7 to F substitutes for the descending perfect fifth root motion of C7 to F. (Like other primary and secondary dominants,
sub V7 chords may resolve deceptively they dont always progress to their expected target chord.)
(3) The most common chord extensions (tensions at Berklee) are given in (). They are numbered from the root of the chord in relation to
the major scale regardless of the diatonic context; for example, Ab on a C7 chord in an F minor context is called b13, not 13. In most
cases, the commonly used tensions are diatonic to the key of the passage, and/or to the mode or scale which is the source of the
chord tones. (sub V7s are an exception; they all have 9, +11, and 13 as their usual, expected tensions). However, dominant 7th and
th
7 chords may also use other tensions (including any of the following: 9 or b9/+9, +11[b5], b13 [+5] or 13 for dominant 7 chords
with any kind of dominant function; Maj 7, 9, 11, b13 for 7s). Tensions not found on the chart above are usually resolved by half-
step to a diatonic tone. Tensions given in the chart can be treated as harmonic tones; that is, they can be leapt away from, or

1993, 2010 Allan S. Chase

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Chord Function Chart Allan Chase 12/93; rev. 4/09c for Berklee
followed by a rest. However, in traditional melodic styles, tensions (and major 7ths) are usually resolved by step to more consonant
tones, often indirectlysometimes very indirectly, after a relatively long delay. (The term tension comes from arranging practices in
which tensions are usually resolved by step.)
th th
The abbreviation 7(alt) is used to indicate the combination of altered 5 and 9 , or a group of tensions with b9 and/or +9 and b5 and/or
th th th
+5 on a dominant 7 chord (with no perfect fifth). The choice of which altered 5 and 9 to use is left up to the player. The implied
th
scale is the altered scale (also called Superlocrian), which is like starting an ascending melodic minor scale on its 7 degree: 1 b9
+9 3 b5 +5 b7 (spelled enharmonically as is convenient).
**Diatonic tensions on some secodary dominants (V7/x, not sub V7/x) are different when the chord occurs in a minor-key context, and
not all of these differences are shown here due to space limitations.
(4) Dominant 7th chords with secondary dominant function may be preceded by the -7 or -7(b5) chord whose root is a perfect fifth above
(forming a secondary II V progression) or a minor second above (forming a chromatic II V; this is more common when the dominant
is a sub V7). If this secondary II (or related II-7) chord also functions as a diatonic or modal interchange chord in the primary key
(dual function), then it usually has the tensions given for its primary key function. If it does not have a function in the primary key,
then its tensions come from the secondary key, as if it were II-7: the -7 chord in a major (secondary) key context has tensions 9 and
11 (and rarely 13), and -7(b5) chords in major or minor (secondary) key contexts have tensions 11 and b13 (and sometimes 9).
(5) The 7th (or 6th) of any chord listed here may be omitted, making it a triad.
*(6) 9 on II-7(b5), Maj 7 on IV-6, and +11 on bVII7 are not diatonic to the natural minor scale (Aeolian mode), but are often used in a
major-key context because they are diatonic to the major key. (In all three cases, the note in question is scale degree 3 of the major
key.)
(7) Aside from related II-7s and II-7(b5)s that dont have dual function, this chart aims to list every tertial (or sus 4) functional chord one is
likely to find in tonal or modal music. Some rare special cases exist, but most chords found in tonal or modal jazz or popular music
tunes which are not in this chart are either non-functional harmonies (often using parallel motion), deliberately ambiguous
harmonies, transitional harmonies between keys, or better heard in relation to a new key. Having said that, there are many
examples of exceptions to common practice in jazz where unexpected dissonances are used freely, dating back at least to 1939 (for
example, some Coleman Hawkins solos). Exceptions become more common by 1949 (for example, Birth of the Cool arrangements,
Lennie Tristano tunes and solos by members of his band, etc.). Rather than thinking of them as rules, these patterns of common
practice are better understood as expected conventions that can be, and often are, violated for good musical effect.

1993, 2010 Allan S. Chase

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