The tune keeps leaving the key

What Is This Thing Called Love is in C major and almost never sits on C. Here is how four note collections carry you through every chord in it — and why each one is a single note away from the one before it.

The one table that holds the whole tune: five collections, seven columns, one change per row.
Why the note that leaves the key is always the chord tone that forced it — so you can work it out rather than memorize it.
The two ii–Vs you can play with one collection each, no scale change mid-phrase.
All five shapes in one hand position, frets 6 to 10.
Two ways to keep the same ii–V interesting the fourth time round.

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The idea the guide is built on

Bend the key, one note at a time

Every collection the tune needs, written out starting from C so the columns line up. Each row differs from the row it came from in exactly one note — and that note is marked.

C majorthe key signature none C D E F G A B

C harmonic majorfrom C major 1 note C D E F G A♭ B

C harmonic minorfrom C harmonic major 2 notes C D E♭ F G A♭ B

F melodic minorfrom C harmonic major 2 notes C D E F G A♭ B♭

F harmonic minorfrom F melodic minor 3 notes C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭

Four collection types in total — major, harmonic major, melodic minor, harmonic minor. Learn the move, not the shapes.

What is in the seven pages

Built on one tune, not a scale list

Why each note had to change

A♭ is the ♭5 of Dm7♭5. E♭ is the ♯5 of G7♯5. B♭ is the ♭7 of C7. Every departure from the key is a chord tone, named.

One collection per ii–V

C harmonic minor covers Dm7♭5 to G7♯5. F harmonic minor covers Gm7♭5 to C7♭9. One shape where most players juggle two.

Five shapes, one position

All five collections drawn at frets 6 to 10, eighteen notes each, with the two or three dots that actually move marked in colour.

The ii chord is the V chord

Put a G under Dm7♭5 and you get G7♭9 with the 11 sitting where the 3rd belongs. A shortcut for thinking V across both bars.

Two ways to say it differently

G altered and E♭ harmonic major over the same V chord — one note apart, and that note is the 5th.

A practice plan

Five steps that start with moving a single note and end with the altered sound, in the order worth doing them.

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