What are the diatonic chords of C Messiaen's Mode #4?

The diatonic chords of C Messiaen's Mode #4 are built by harmonizing each degree of the scale in thirds. The scale degrees are 1 ♭2 2 4 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 and the intervals are H-H-3H-H-H-H-3H-H. The triads are: C (1-2-♭5), Db (1-3-♭5), D (1-3-♭5), F (1-2-♭5), F# (1-2-♭5), G (1-3-♭5), Ab (1-3-♭5), B (1-2-♭5).

What is scale harmonization?

Scale harmonization is the process of building chords from each degree of a scale by stacking thirds. Each note of the scale becomes the root of a chord, producing a set of diatonic chords (triads and seventh chords) that naturally belong to that key.

What is Practice Mode in the Scale Harmonizer?

Practice Mode is an interactive study tool that cycles through all diatonic chords with a synchronized fretboard visualization (switch between scale and arpeggio view), adjustable tempo (40–240 BPM), and audio playback. It includes ii-V-I progressions and secondary dominant exercises — the fretboard automatically shows the contextually correct scale for each chord (e.g., Dorian for the ii, Mixolydian for the V7).

C messiaen's mode #4 chords

All 5-string banjo chords for the C messiaen's mode #4 scale

Show scale diagram ↓

Chord Voicings

Harmony

Originalii–V–ISec. Dom.

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Fretboard

ScaleArpeggio

C messiaen's mode #4 scale diatonic chords

IC (1-2-♭5)

IIC♯ (1-3-♭5)

IIID (1-3-♭5)

IVF (1-2-♭5)

VF♯ (1-2-♭5)

VIG (1-3-♭5)

VIIA♭ (1-3-♭5)

VIIIB (1-2-♭5)

C messiaen's mode #4 scale seventh chords

IC (1-2-♭5-♭6)

IIC♯ (1-3-♭5-♭7)

IIID (1-3-♭5-♭7)

IVF (1-2-♭5-♭6)

VF♯ (1-2-♭5-♭6)

VIG (1-3-♭5-♭7)

VIIA♭ (1-3-♭5-♭7)

VIIIB (1-2-♭5-♭6)

C messiaen's mode #4 — Banjo scale

Banjo fretboard diagram

Display

C messiaen's mode #4 scale — chords and intervals

Diatonic chords: C (1-2-♭5), Db (1-3-♭5), D (1-3-♭5), F (1-2-♭5), F# (1-2-♭5), G (1-3-♭5), Ab (1-3-♭5), B (1-2-♭5).

Intervals: H-H-3H-H-H-H-3H-H.

Use the interactive harmonizer above to explore triads, seventh chords, and chord voicings for composing with the C messiaen's mode #4 scale on Banjo.