Couple of guestions abot scales and chords (please help)

First of all im sorry if i didnt put this thread in wright place and for my language if i wont type something wright, because im from Slovenia.
So my guestions:

1.If i got the C major scale, which chords goes with that scale ?

2.When you composing song you got to choose a scale first wright ?

3.Do you got to start with first note of certian scale and end with the first note ?

4.Can you change the scales in one song that you can go from C major to D major ?

Thanks for answers.

1. You can play all the chords within the scale, basically that means that you can make a chord using all the keys available in the scale you are playing in.

2. You dont have to, you can compose without having knowledge of music theory, but that's not a good way to do stuff. The best way is to pick a scale before composing, so the answer is kinda yes.

3. You should end at the same note you started on, that way the piece will sound finished. But when playing in C major, you can start at the E key, but then you'll have to end at the E. If i'm not wrong that's how different modes work. In the C major scale you have C-D-E-F-G-A-B to play with. Starting on this or that chooses the mode you are playing in.

C = Ionian
D = Dorian
E = Phrygian
F = Lydian
G = Mixolydian
A = Aeolian
B = Locrian

Different modes makes the scale sound different, kinda a scale within the scale. The Aeolian mode in C major is actually the same as A Minor.

4. Yes, you can.

Thank you for answer, but now im little confused for the first guestion you said that i can play any chord within the scale but if i play D major chord is this still in C major scale because D major chord got sharp and C major scale doesnt ?

And what are those modes i didnt hear of them yet ?

Well... Composing isnt black and white for sure.
You can build themes around what key you want really in a key ect and you can build it around the 5th or 3rd or whatever, and dont need to end on the same key as you start.

The thing is that if you want a closed ending you have to end on the Tonic of the key signature you are in when you end the piece.

If your in A major, you should lead the voice to the tonic and then end. There are many different ways, but yeah, that the most basic. But you dont have to end on the key you start on. Composers also often Lead you into a scales aswell and not starting on the tonic.

In my F#min nocturne I use a 3-5-1-3 lead before I base the theme around the 5th. But still, when I end, I lead to the 1 for closure!


If you are in C major you can still use other chords that are out of that scale. Like in Cmajor - a DMAJOR chord is the II in Cmajor. Major second. Ect read on Wikipedia, cause I dont got enough to complete this basic stufff so you get the whole picture. And There are many things. One good thing is to just TRY t out on the piano Ect

Thank you very much.

I was sure I had to start with the tonic too ( aka start/end at the same key ), but seems that's not the case ( looked at some sheets ).

Learned a new thing today then ^_^

P.S.: The rules are more of a guide, it's not like you'll go to jail or make a bad song because you break the rules by going outside a scale etc. Aslong as it sound the way you want it to sound it's ok.

Mitya wrote:1.If i got the C major scale, which chords goes with that scale ?

More technically, the chords would be:
C Major
D minor
E minor
F Major
G Major
A minor
B half-diminished

In short, you would use the chords that are composed of the keys in the scale
And in fact, every major scale follows this pattern for the chords it contains: I Major, II minor, III minor, IV Major, V Major, VI minor, VII half-diminished

That's only the most basic rule, however. Take Jazz for example, the composers rarely follow these rules, and yet their music is very pleasant to the ears

Thomandy wrote:
If you are in C major you can still use other chords that are out of that scale. Like in Cmajor - a DMAJOR chord is the II in Cmajor. Major second. Ect read on Wikipedia, cause I dont got enough to complete this basic stufff so you get the whole picture. And There are many things. One good thing is to just TRY t out on the piano Ect

actually the second in a major scale is a minor chord, so it would be a D minor in this case