Signposts

Reading the map

The upper rows offer approaches to the chord directly below. Select an approach to hear the two chords together; the sounding chord lights up on the map and the staff.

Choose Tonal minor for the paired IV/iv and V/v options. Aeolian shows the natural-minor collection. Approaches in the named modes are optional ways to explore their chords.

Reading the score

The unmetered grand staff shows the exact notes and octaves played. Courtesy naturals help make altered notes returning to natural clear.

“Tendency tones” shows blue LT and raspberry 7th labels together with their resolution arrows. These name the leading tone and seventh of the destination’s implied V7—even in diminished chords and tritone substitutes. A diminished approach may also mark the bass LT. Uncheck it for plain notation. Bass and soprano receive equal, slightly stronger emphasis than the inner voices.

Each chord tone gets a turn in the soprano—the highest note. Use ↑ and ↓ to explore three voicings for a triad or four for a seventh chord. The counter shows your place in this set. The supporting notes may rearrange while the bass stays put and the destination follows the new voicing. A diminished-triad resolution may omit its fifth so the note marked 7th can fall by step. Each change plays what you see. The buttons stop at either end; with a button focused, you can also use the up/down arrow keys. Click the same chord to hear it again; choose another harmony to start from its default voicing.

The approach selector changes the optional sevenths. Tritone substitutions and half-diminished approaches keep their sevenths.