In music, a parallel chord (relative) is an auxiliary chord derived from one of the primary triads and sharing its function: subdominant, dominant and tonic and subdominant parallel, dominant parallel, and tonic parallel.
For example the major tonic and tonic parallel and minor tonic and tonic parallel.
| Major | Minor | ||||
| Parallel | Note letter in C | US name | Parallel | Note letter in C | US name |
| Tp | A minor | Submediant | tP | Eb major | Mediant |
| Sp | D minor | Supertonic | sP | Ab major | Submediant |
| Dp | E minor | Mediant | dP | Bb major | Subtonic |
- The tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords, in root position, each followed by its parallel. The parallel is formed by raising the fifth a whole tone.
- The minor tonic, subdominant, dominant, and their parallels, created by lowering the fifth (German)/root (US) a whole tone.
Read more about this topic: Parallel Key
Famous quotes containing the words parallel and/or chord:
“There isn’t a Parallel of Latitude but thinks it would have been the Equator if it had had its rights.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“Give me the keys. I feel for the common chord again,
Sliding by semi-tones till I sink to a minor,—yes,
And I blunt it into a ninth, and I stand on alien ground,
Surveying a while the heights I rolled from into the deep;
Which, hark, I have dared and done, for my resting-place is found,
The C Major of this life: so, now I will try to sleep.”
—Robert Browning (1812–1889)