Other Chromatic Chords

Common-Tone Diminished 7ths

Other Common-Tone Dim/Aug Chords

Altered Dominants

Augmented Dominant Triads

Other Altered Dominants (7♭5, 7#5)

Other Augmented Chords

Chromatic Mediants

More Examples

Common-Tone Diminished 7ths

1) Gussie L. Davis, “The Fatal Wedding: Descriptive Waltz Song,” mm. 102–109 (1893)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:29–0:53)

2) Johanna Kinkel, “Die Geister haben’s vernommen,” mm. 1–7
From 6 Lieder, Op. 6 (1839). Lyrics by Heinrich Heine.

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:15)

3) Edmond Dédé, Chicago, Grande Valse à l'Américaine (1892), mm. 35–55

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:39–1:14)

4) Harry T. Burleigh, “A New Hidin' Place,” mm. 1–10
From the Southland Piano Sketches (1916)

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:38)

5) "Young and Foolish,” mm. 1–14
From the musical Plain and Fancy (1954), words and music by Arnold Horwitt and Albert Hague

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:49–1:39)

6) Sable Brothers, “Rosa Lee” (1830)

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio:

7) Louise Farrenc, Etude No. 9 in A, mm. 1–8

From 30 Etudes dan touse les tons majeurs et mineurs pour piano, Op. 26 (1876)

Score Copies: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: YouTube (0:00–0:11)

8) James A. Bland, “In the Morning by the Bright Light,” mm. 13–20
For male quartet TTBB and piano (1879)

Score Copies: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:12–0:20)

9) Rodgers & Hart, “You Took Advantage of Me,” mm. 1–8
From the musical Present Arms (1928), written by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Lorenz Hart. Performed by Katherine Evans.

Score: Image
Audio: YouTube (0:45–1:04)

10) Gussie L. Davis, “In the Baggage Coach Ahead,” mm. 49–55 (1896)

Score: PDF, Image, MuseScore
Audio: MP3

Other Common-Tone Dim/Aug Chords

1) Koji Kondo, “Underwater” theme, B Section

From the video game Super Mario Bros.

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:15–0:25)

2) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Clarinet Quintet, Op. 10, Movt. 2, mm. 63–74 (1906)

Score: PDF, Image, Musescore
Audio: X:XX–X:XX

Altered Dominants

Augmented Dominant Triads

1) Etta James, “At Last,” verse 1

From At Last! (1960), written by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:18–0:57), MP3

2) The Beatles, “Oh! Darling,” verse 1
From Abbey Road (1969) , written by Lennon-McCartney & Paul McCartney

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:35), MP3

3) The Beach Boys, “The Warmth of the Sun,” verse 1
From Shut Down, vol 2 (1964) , written by Mike Love & Brian Wilson

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:09–0:41), MP3

4) Leonard Bernstein, “I Feel Pretty,” first phrase
From the musical West Side Story (1957). Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Score: Image
Audio: Youtube (0:50–1:05), MP3

5) The Beatles, “From Me To You,” B and A sections
From Twist and Shout (1964), written by Paul McCartney & John Lennon

Audio: Youtube (0:34–1:03), MP3

Gm C7
I got arms that long to hold you

F
and keep you by my side.

D7
I got lips that long to kiss you

G G+
And keep you satisfied

C Am
If there's anything that you want,

C G7
If there's anything I can do,

F7 Am
Just call on me and I'll send it along

C G7 C
with love from me to you

6) Muse, “Blackout,” verse 1
From Absolution (2003), written by Dominic Howard, Chris Wolstenholme & Matt Bellamy

Audio: Youtube, MP3

Bb D/A Eb/G F+
Don't kid yourself

Bb Dm Eb F+
and don't fool yourself

Gm Gm/F Eb
this love's too good to last

7) Traditional arr. Harry T. Burleigh, “Deep River,” mm. 15-22 (1917)

Score Copies: MuseScore, PDF, Image
Audio: Youtube (1:15-1:48)

8) Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Three Silhouettes, II. “Lament,” mm. 36–39 (1904)

Score: MuseScore, PDF, Image
Audio: Youtube (2:14-2:27)

9) Chuck Berry, “School Day,” opening chords
From After School Session, written by Chuck Berry

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00-0:06)

10) The Beatles, “I Want You,” end of intro
From Abbey Road, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:00-0:16)

Other Altered Dominants (7♭5, 7#5)

1) Fred Astaire, “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” verse 1

From Steppin' Out: Astaire Sings (1994), music by George Gershwin, words by Ira Gershwin

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:10-0:22)

2) Chico Buarque, “Cordão,” mm. 9–12

From Construção (1971), written by Chico Buarque

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:13-0:21)

3) Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra, “Take the ‘A’ Train,” chorus

From Take the "A" Train—Fox Trot (1941), written by Billy Strayhorn

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:06-0:52)

4) Hitomi Sato, “Eterna Forest,” A section

From Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl OST (2006)

Score: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:15-0:41)

Other Augmented Chords

1) Roy Orbison, “Crying,” B section

From Crying (1962), written by Joe Melson & Roy Orbison

Score: Image, MuseScore, PDF
Audio: Youtube (0:31–1:20), MP3

2) Electric Light Orchestra, “Twilight,” chorus
From Time (1981), written by Jeff Lynne

Audio: MP3

C C+ F Fm
Twilight, I only meant to stay awhile

Dm Bb/F G G/B
Twilight, I gave you time to steal my mind

C Csus C Csus
Away from me

3) Selena, “No Me Queda Mas,” chorus
From Amor Prohibido (1994), written by Ricky Vela

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (1:08–1:19)

4) Stevie Wonder, “For Once in My Life,” verse
From Time (1981), written by Jeff Lynne

Audio: YouTube (0:13–0:32)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| F F+ | F D♭9 | Gm7 | Gm7 |
| Gm7| Gm7 C7 | F C+7 | F |

F F+ F6
For once in my life,

F6 D7♭9
I have someone who needs me

Gm7
Someone I've needed so long

Gm7
For once, unafraid,

C7
I can go where life leads me

F C+7 F
Somehow, I know I'll be strong

5) Carrie Underwood, “I Know You Won't,” verse
From Carnival Ride (2007), written by Steve McEwan, Neil Thrasher & Wendell Mobley

Audio: YouTube (0:18–0:40)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| B♭ | B♭+ | B♭6 | B♭7 | E♭∆ 7 | E♭m6 |

B♭ B♭+
I know you don't mean to be mean to me,

B♭6
‘cause when you want to, you can

B♭7 E♭∆7 E♭-6
make me feel like we belong, we belong.

Chromatic Mediants

1) Teddy Swims, “Lose Control,” chorus
From I've Tried Everything But Therapy (2024), written by Teddy Swims, Ammo, Julian Bunetta, Infamous & Mikky Ekko

Audio: YouTube (0:40–1:17)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| F#m| A | Dmaj7 | C#sus C# | (x2)

F#m A

I lose con...trol, when you're not

D∆ 7 C#sus C#

next to me, I'm fallin' apart right in front of you can't you see

F#m A

I lose con...trol, when you're not

D∆ 7 C#sus C#

next to me, yeah you're breakin' my heart baby you make a mess of me

2) Lady Gaga, “Happy Mistake,” chorus

From Harlequin (2024), written by Lady Gaga and BloodPop

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore
Audio: Youtube (0:42–1:29)

3) Fanny, “Charity Ball,” chorus

From Charity Ball (1971), written by Alice de Buhr, Jean Millington, and June Millington

Audio: YouTube ( 1:20–1:58)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| A | A | C | C | D | D | A | A | (x3)

A C

And I need you, I need you

D A

I need you, Charity Ball

A

I'm ready, I wanna be there

C

Yes, I'm ready, I wanna be there

D

I'm ready, I wanna be there

A C

Charity ball, I wanna be there

D A

I wanna be there, I wanna be there

4) Fanny, “Blind Alley,” verse 1

From Fanny Hill (1972), written by Alice de Buhr & Nickey Barclay

Audio: YouTube (0:42–0:57)
Note: Focus on the highlighted section.
Harmonic Rhythm:
| G | G F . . | G | G F . . |
| G | G F . . | G | G |
| C | F B♭. . | C | F | (x2)
| G | G | D B♭| C |

G F G F

Take care of yourself, this is your story

G F

Your voice is shakin' the walls,

G

and they're crumbling down

C F B♭

But what can I do

C F

except stand here watching you

C F B♭

My fearful eyes are paralyzed

C F G

with visions of tomorrows swept away

D B♭ C

And someone's gonna get burned

5) Fanny, “Cat Fever,” verse 1

From Charity Ball (1971), written by Nickey Barclay

Audio: YouTube (0:28–0:45)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| C | F | C | F |
| C | F | G . B♭ C |

C

They got to keep their influential name

F C

They're not allowing us to stake a claim

F C

It isn't whether you can play the game,

F G B♭ C
believe me, it's whether you shine your shoes

6) Nina Simone, “Lilac Wine,” B Section

From Wild Is the Wind (1966), written by James Shelton

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore, Braille
Audio: YouTube (1:10–2:15)
- (Miley Cyrus Version): YouTube (1:03–2:02) - Follows the same chords.

7) Fiona Apple, “On the Bound,” chorus

From When the Pawn Hits The Conflict... (1999), written by Fiona Apple

Audio: YouTube (0:51–1:26)

Harmonic Rhythm:
| Fm | Fm | Dm | Dm | (x4)

Fm Dm

You're all I need, you're all I need

Fm Dm

You're all I need, you're all I need

Fm Dm

You're all I need, you're all I need

Fm

You're all I need

Dm

And maybe some faith would do me good

8) Billie Eilish, “Halley's Comet,” B Section

From Happier Than Ever (2021), written Billie Eilish and FINNEAS

Scores: Image, PDF, MuseScore, Braille
Audio: YouTube (1:24–2:12)

9) Brandie Carlile, “The Joke,” chorus

From By the Way, I Forgive You (2018), written by Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth, Dave Cobb & Brandi Carlile

Scores: PDF, Image, MuseScore, Braille
Audio: YouTube (1:24–1:54)

10) David Bowie, “Space Oddity,” chorus

From David Bowie (a.k.a. Space Oddity) (1969)

Student Copies: Image
Audio: YouTube (1:22–2:11)

11) Lana Del Rey, “Get Free,” verse

From Lust for Life (2017), written by Kieron Menzies, Rick Nowels & Lana Del Rey

Audio: YouTube (0:02–0:46)

B♭ D

Finally, I'm crossing the threshold

E♭ E♭m

From the ordinary world, to the reveal of my heart

B♭ D

Undoubtedly, that will for certain

E♭ E♭m

Take the dead out of the sea, and the darkness from the arts

12) Radiohead, “Creep,” verse

From Pablo Honey (1993), written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Philip Selway, Ed O’Brien, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood & Radiohead

Scores: Image
Audio: YouTube (0:17–0:58)

13) The Jayhawks, “Blue,” chorus

From Tomorrow the Green Grass (1995), written by Mark Olson & Gary Louris

Audio: YouTube (0:47–1:07)

E G#

So Blue

A B

Why don't you stay behind

E G#

So Blue

A F# F#m

Why don't you stop and look at what's going down

14) Janelle Monaé, “Crazy Classic Life,” chorus

From Dirty Computer (2018), written by Chuck Lightning, Nate “Rocket” Wonder, Janelle Monáe

Audio: YouTube (1:16–1:36)

G A E

I want a crazy, classic, life

G A E

I want a crazy, classic, life

G A C#m

So if the world should end tonight

G A E

I want a crazy, classic, life

More Examples

Paula Maust, Expanding the Music Theory Canon: Common-Tone Diminished 7ths, Chromatic Mediants
Diverse Music Theory Examples: Common Tone Diminished 7th Chords, Augmented Triad, Dominant 9th Chords, 11ths and 13ths
Open Music Theory Harmony Anthology: See the section “Augmented Triads” and “Common-Tone Diminished 7ths”
Yale Musical Examples Database: See the “Chord Types” tab at the bottom.