1.What is a Chord? 2.Major & Minor Triads 3.Inversions 4.Seventh Chords 5.Extended Chords 6.Suspended Chords 7.What is a Progression? 8.Common Progressions 9.Cadences 10.Borrowed Chords 11.Secondary Dominants
Lesson 10

Borrowed Chords

What borrowed chords are (modal interchange), how to use chords from the parallel key, and which ones sound best. Free interactive lesson.

By the end: You can borrow a chord from a parallel key, name its altered note, and use it to change a progression's colour.

Borrowed chords come from the parallel key - the major or minor scale that shares the same root. In C major, you can borrow chords from C minor. They're not "wrong" - they're intentional.

The borrowed chord keeps the original tonic but changes one or more scale degrees. Used briefly, that contrast can mark a transition or give a repeated progression a new point of focus.

How borrowing works

In a major key, chords from the parallel minor can be used for contrast. Common choices include the following chords, although the best choice depends on the melody and the chord before and after it:

Common borrowed chords in C major (from C minor)

bVII
Bb Major from C minor
bVI
Ab Major from C minor
bIII
Eb Major from C minor
iv
F Minor from C minor

Hear the borrowed chords

Compare each borrowed chord against what you'd normally expect in C major.

bVII - Bb major vs diatonic V - G major

bVI - Ab major vs diatonic vi - A minor

iv - F minor vs diatonic IV - F major

Where you hear them

Borrowed chords are everywhere once you know what to listen for:

  • - bVII - Rock, pop, EDM. Gives a powerful, modal lift.
  • - bVI - Film scores, epic moments. Think Hans Zimmer.
  • - iv - Bittersweet moments. "Creep" by Radiohead uses IV -> iv.
  • - bIII - Psychedelic, dreamy. Common in classic rock.

Hear them all

All four common borrowed chords in C major. Tap to hear how each one brings a different colour.

Why borrowed chords matter

Diatonic chords give you a solid foundation, but they can start to feel predictable. Borrowed chords let you break the rules deliberately - adding surprise and emotional depth without leaving the key entirely.

Key takeaway

Borrowed chords come from the parallel key (same root, opposite mode). Common examples include bVII, bVI, bIII, and iv. They add chromatic colour while still retaining a relationship to the parallel key.

Next: secondary dominants - borrowing the V -> I pull and pointing it at any chord in the key for extra tension.

Try it

Pick one pair, such as IV and iv. Before playing, predict which note changes when the chord is borrowed from the parallel minor. Play both versions and name the change: F major to F minor lowers A to Ab.

Now place the borrowed chord after C major in a four-chord loop. Decide whether it works best as a brief colour or as the emotional centre of the loop.

Try borrowed-color progressions in the Harmonic Map

Browse and audition progressions with richer harmonic colour before you build around them.