Return to Answer

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the IV chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (called parallel chords) are called tonic-parallel, subdominant-parallel, and dominant-parallel, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord, and when it does it is called a tonic-parallel chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the subdominant-parallel ii chord contains D-F-A, and the subdominant IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the subdominant chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The dominant-parallel iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the dominant chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the IV chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (sometimes called parallel chords) are sometimes called tonic-parallel, subdominant-parallel, and dominant-parallel, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the ii chord contains D-F-A, and the IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the IV chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the V chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the IV chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (called parallel chords) have parallel tonic, parallel subdominant, and parallel dominant functions, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord, and when it does it is called a parallel tonic chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the parallel subdominant ii chord contains D-F-A, and the subdominant IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the subdominant chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The parallel dominant iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the dominant chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the IV chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (called parallel chords) are called tonic-parallel, subdominant-parallel, and dominant-parallel, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord, and when it does it is called a tonic-parallel chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the subdominant-parallel ii chord contains D-F-A, and the subdominant IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the subdominant chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The dominant-parallel iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the dominant chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the VI chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (called parallel chords) have parallel tonic, parallel subdominant, and parallel dominant functions, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord, and when it does it is called a parallel tonic chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the parallel subdominant ii chord contains D-F-A, and the subdominant IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the subdominant chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The parallel dominant iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the dominant chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.

The chord built on the sixth degree of the major scale is closely related to the I chord, and similarly the chord built on the second degree is closely related to the IV chord, and the chord built on the third degree is closely related to the V chord. The I, IV, and V chords have tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions, respectively, and the vi, ii, and iii chords (called parallel chords) have parallel tonic, parallel subdominant, and parallel dominant functions, respectively.

In the key of C Major, the I chord contains C-E-G, and the vi chord contains C-E-A; that is, the vi chord can be formed by raising the 5th a whole step. Since the vi chord shares the root and the third of the I chord, it can function as a tonic chord, and when it does it is called a parallel tonic chord. The fifth of the I chord is relatively unimportant, so you might think of the vi chord as a I6 chord. There are no other triads in the key that share the root and third of the tonic chord.

The same considerations can be applied to the ii and iii chords. In the key of C Major, the parallel subdominant ii chord contains D-F-A, and the subdominant IV chord contains F-A-C; these share the root and third of the subdominant chord, so the ii chord can function as a subdominant chord. The parallel dominant iii chord contains E-G-B, and the dominant V chord contains G-B-D; these share the root and third of the dominant chord, so the iii chord can function as a dominant chord.