Suppose a tune has this key signature: This is the key signature for A major (see how to find the key).

Write out the scale as in the example above starting with the name of the note that is the key (the note A).
The scale above starts on A and goes up for 2 measures to the top A. The numbers 1 through 7 below each note in this example are the scale degrees in the key of A major. Notice that the top note A is called 1 because it is the same note name as the bottom note even though it is in a different octave. Notice measure 3 in the example above. When you are just learning to harmonize tunes, it is a good idea to write down the scale degrees of each note in a tune. Even though the scale starts on A, and you want to write the A major scale upwards to show the scale degrees, you might want to write a few notes going downwards to refer to their scale degrees also, as in measure 3. In this way, you will see the scale degrees of more notes in the tune.

How to Build Chords from the Scale Degrees

NOTE: For chorded instruments (guitar, autoharp) you don't need to write down the notes of the chords in order to harmonize tunes - just finger the chords. Use the chords with the names of scale degrees 1, 4 and 5 in the key of the tune that you want to play. Use the chords A, D and E7 in the key of A, for example. If you don't know when to choose I, IV or V7, and you can't yet hear where the chords fit the tune, see

1. Write down the bottom note of the chord.

   For the I chord in the key of A, write A (scale degree 1).
   For the IV chord in the key of A, write D (scale degree 4).
   For the V7 chord in the key of A, write E (scale degree 5).

2. Write notes above each bottom note to build chords. First make a basic 3-note chord, called a triad. Then add a 4th note in the E or V chord to make it a V7 chord as follows: Work from the bottom up.
• If the bottom note of the triad is on a space, write the other 2 notes on top of it on the 2 spaces above it.
• If the bottom note of the triad is on a line, write the other 2 notes on top of it on the 2 lines above it.

For I (A), write C# and E above the A to complete the triad.
For IV (D), write F# and A above the D to complete the triad.
For V7 (E7): 1. Write G# and B above the E to complete the triad. You have written an E chord (V in the key of A). You can use the V chord just like the V7 chord when you harmonize tunes. Most people use V7 whenever they can because V7 has more dissonance, so it sounds more "convincing," or like there is more harmonic movement. Click to listen to the difference between V-I chords and V7-I chords.
2. To make the V7 from the V triad, add another note on top in the same way (D in this case). It is called the V7 chord because the 4th note of the chord is a 7th from the bottom ("root") note of the chord. Counting from the bottom note E=1 up to the top note of the chord D is 7 notes away.

3. Rewrite the chords so that the notes are spaced closer together. Use the same note names but switch octaves so that the chords are easier to reach on the piano keyboard. This also gives the best sound, as demonstrated below. For the V7 chord, the least important of the 4 notes is scale degree 2. Therefore, in easy piano chording, this note is usually omitted so that the V7 is written as a 3-note chord.
   When you play chords on the guitar or another chord instrument, the chords already have the notes close together because of the way that the strings on these instruments are pitched.



Click to hear the chords A-D-E7-A in root position, written like the first 3 measures above. Click to hear the chords A-D-E7-A written closer together, like the second 3 measures above.