To fully understand this course you will need to master everything we learned previously (go here if you want to do not remember) but most importantly, the scales, as chords are build with them. With this course, you will be able to actually compose songs, because chords are one of the main components of music. I suppose you're eager to learn, so lets get to it.
Firstly, chords are groups of notes played together, they can be use to make melodies and arpeggios, or they can be ordered in progression. There are many types of chords and just like scales, they are built by a formula. We will start with one of the easiest: The Triads.
Firstly, chords are groups of notes played together, they can be use to make melodies and arpeggios, or they can be ordered in progression. There are many types of chords and just like scales, they are built by a formula. We will start with one of the easiest: The Triads.
Triads
To build a chord, you need the corresponding scale (see how to make a scale here). Thus, if we want to build a D major chord, we need to know what a D major scale is first.
D E F# G A B C# D
Now that we have our scale,let's build our first triad. They are three notes chords, the first one gives to the chord its name and the second its type. The major triad formula is 1, 3 and 5 or the root, the third and the fifth degrees of the scale. If you already know about intervals, you should have already noticed which intervals compose this chord...They are a major third and a perfect fifth.
If we take back our D major scale, we can now build a D major triad or a D major chord:
If we take back our D major scale, we can now build a D major triad or a D major chord:
D F# A
R 3 5
R 3 5
Pretty easy isn't it? Let's move on.
Chords can be major, minor, augmented and diminished. To build them, we will modify the major triad formula:
The minor chord formula is 1, b3 and 5, we flat the third to play a minor third and a perfect fifth:
Chords can be major, minor, augmented and diminished. To build them, we will modify the major triad formula:
The minor chord formula is 1, b3 and 5, we flat the third to play a minor third and a perfect fifth:
D F A
1 b3 5
1 b3 5
The augmented chord formula is 1, 3 and #5, we sharp the fifth degree to play a major third and an augmented fifth:
D F# A#
1 3 #5
1 3 #5
And finally, the diminished chord formula is 1, b3 an b5, this time the third and fifth degrees are both flatted, this chord contains a minor third and a diminished fifth.
D F Ab
1 b3 b5
1 b3 b5
Inversions
You now know how to build triads, lets look at a C major:
C E G
A C major chord contains these three notes, but what happens when we order them differently?
E G C
G C E
G C E
They can be ordered or "voiced" differently, they will still be a C major chord, they will, however produce different intervals:
If the root, here it is C, is on the bottom of the chord, the voicing is called root position. If it is the third, E, that is on the bottom position, the voicing is called first inversion. If the fifth, G, is on the bottom position, this voicing is called second inversion.
Do not over stress it, you just have to know that the notes of the chords can be voiced in other order or that the bass note (the lowest pitch) can be changed.
- C E G: a major third and a minor third.
- E G C: a minor third and a perfect fourth.
- G C E: a perfect fourth and a major third.
If the root, here it is C, is on the bottom of the chord, the voicing is called root position. If it is the third, E, that is on the bottom position, the voicing is called first inversion. If the fifth, G, is on the bottom position, this voicing is called second inversion.
Do not over stress it, you just have to know that the notes of the chords can be voiced in other order or that the bass note (the lowest pitch) can be changed.
Four-Voice Chords
Chords can have more than three notes, here are some examples:
These chords are actually triads with an added note:
These chords are actually triads with an added note:
- Dominant Seventh: they are a major triad with an added minor seventh, so its formula is 1, 3, 5 and b7. Lets try it with the C major chord, C E G remember, a C7 chord is C E G and Bb.
- Major Seventh: like dominant seventh, major seventh are major triad but with an added major seventh, 1, 3, 5 and 7. A Cmaj7 is C E G B.
- Minor Seventh: this time, it is a minor triad with an added minor seventh, 1, b3, 5 and b7. A Cmin7 chord is E Cb G Bb.
- Minor Sixth: this is a minor triad with an added major sixth, 1, b3, 5 and 6. A Cmin6 is E Cb G and A.
- Half-Diminished Seventh: this is a diminished minor triad with a minor seventh, 1, b3, b5 and b7. A Cm7 is E Cb Gb and Bb.
- Diminished Seventh: a diminished minor triad with added diminished seventh, it is 1, b3, b5 and bb7. Cdim7 is E Cb, Gb and Bbb.
Variations
These chords are called variations, and there are plenty of them and to build them, just like normal basic chords, you have to learn their formula. Here are some more examples:
Name Notation Chord Formula
Added Ninth add9 1 3 5 9
Major Ninth maj9 1 3 5 7 9
Major Eleventh maj11 1 3 7 7 9 11
Major Thirteenth maj13 1 3 5 7 9 11 13
Minor Ninth m9 1 b3 5 b7 9
Minor Eleventh m11 1 b3 5 b7 9 11
Minor Thirteenth m13 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13
Diminished dim 1 b3 b5
Augmented aug 1-3-#5
When you have a number greater than 8, it means that you have to take the note of the following octave.
Name Notation Chord Formula
Added Ninth add9 1 3 5 9
Major Ninth maj9 1 3 5 7 9
Major Eleventh maj11 1 3 7 7 9 11
Major Thirteenth maj13 1 3 5 7 9 11 13
Minor Ninth m9 1 b3 5 b7 9
Minor Eleventh m11 1 b3 5 b7 9 11
Minor Thirteenth m13 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13
Diminished dim 1 b3 b5
Augmented aug 1-3-#5
When you have a number greater than 8, it means that you have to take the note of the following octave.
C D E F G A B C D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
To build a Cmaj9, you need the 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 degrees:
C E G B D
1 3 5 7 9
1 3 5 7 9
That's the end of this lesson, with this you should be able to understand and build chords on your own.
Prepare yourself for the next lesson or you can check on the Musikal Knowledge timeline on facebook or twitter, click on the icons and visit our sponsored link:
Prepare yourself for the next lesson or you can check on the Musikal Knowledge timeline on facebook or twitter, click on the icons and visit our sponsored link:
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