40 Diatonic Chord Crawls
The diatonic chord crawl features triads built on each degree of the scale. In a chromatic chord crawl, all triads have the same quality (e.g. major, minor, etc.) because all the pitches move the same distance (one half step) between chords. A diatonic chord crawl features major, minor, and even diminished triads, all of which occur within the major scale.
40.1 | C Major Diatonic Chord Crawl
40.2
A helpful first step in mastering the diatonic chord crawl might be playing the scale with only right-hand 1 and left-hand 5, shown here in D Major.
40.3
Then progress to fifths. All the fifths in the major diatonic chord crawl are perfect except one—which one is diminished?
When performing the full diatonic chord crawl, say the chord quality and Roman numeral aloud before you play it, as shown here in D major:
Practice the diatonic chord crawl in C, D, E, F, G, A, and B major.
