The Music StemCourses

Chords and Scales

Chords

This page gives the formula, the chord symbol and the notes of each chord in the book, built on C. The chords range from triads to thirteenth chords, and each one is drawn on the staff.

Each formula counts from the root, which is 1. A ♭ lowers a degree by a semitone and ♯ raises it. The C examples make the shapes easy to compare, and the same formulas work in any key.

Build a chord

Choose a root, count the semitones of each interval and then check the letter names. For Cmaj7, play C–E–G–B.

Practice inversions

Play a triad in root position, first inversion and second inversion. Keep common tones when you change chords.

Hear the difference

Alternate Cmaj7 (C–E–G–B) and C7 (C–E–G–B♭). Listen to the seventh.

Triads

Triads and smaller shapes that everything else grows from.

Major triad

Symbol
C
Formula
1 3 5
From C
C E G
Where it is used
A stable major sound. The I, IV and V chords of a major key are major triads.
Treble clef.Major triad on C: C E GTREBLE CLEF

Hear the major triad

Minor triad

Symbol
Cm
Formula
1 ♭3 5
From C
C E♭ G
Where it is used
A major triad with its third lowered, which gives the minor sound.
Treble clef.Minor triad on C: C E♭ GTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the minor triad

Diminished triad

Symbol
Cdim
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5
From C
C E♭ G♭
Where it is used
A tense triad built on the leading tone (vii°) and on ii° in minor keys.
Treble clef.Diminished triad on C: C E♭ G♭TREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the diminished triad

Augmented triad

Symbol
Caug
Formula
1 3 ♯5
From C
C E G♯
Where it is used
A symmetrical triad of two major thirds, with a raised fifth.
Treble clef.Augmented triad on C: C E G♯TREBLE CLEF

Hear the augmented triad

Suspended second

Symbol
Csus2
Formula
1 2 5
From C
C D G
Where it is used
The second replaces the third, which gives an open and unresolved sound.
Treble clef.Suspended second on C: C D GTREBLE CLEF

Hear the suspended second

Suspended fourth

Symbol
Csus4
Formula
1 4 5
From C
C F G
Where it is used
The third is replaced by the fourth, which often resolves down to the third.
Treble clef.Suspended fourth on C: C F GTREBLE CLEF

Hear the suspended fourth

Power chord

Symbol
C5
Formula
1 5
From C
C G
Where it is used
Root and fifth, often doubled at the octave. It is neither major nor minor.
Treble clef.Power chord on C: C GTREBLE CLEF

Hear the power chord

Sixths and Added Notes

Color without a seventh.

Major sixth

Symbol
C6
Formula
1 3 5 6
From C
C E G A
Where it is used
A warm tonic color in jazz and popular music.
Treble clef.Major sixth on C: C E G ATREBLE CLEF

Hear the major sixth

Minor sixth

Symbol
Cm6
Formula
1 ♭3 5 6
From C
C E♭ G A
Where it is used
A minor triad with a major sixth added.
Treble clef.Minor sixth on C: C E♭ G ATREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the minor sixth

Added ninth

Symbol
Cadd9
Formula
1 3 5 9
From C
C E G D
Where it is used
A major triad with the ninth added and no seventh.
Treble clef.Added ninth on C: C E G DTREBLE CLEF

Hear the added ninth

Minor added ninth

Symbol
Cm(add9)
Formula
1 ♭3 5 9
From C
C E♭ G D
Where it is used
A minor triad brightened by an added ninth.
Treble clef.Minor added ninth on C: C E♭ G DTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the minor added ninth

Six-nine

Symbol
C6/9
Formula
1 3 5 6 9
From C
C E G A D
Where it is used
A major triad with the sixth and ninth and no seventh.
Treble clef.Six-nine on C: C E G A DTREBLE CLEF

Hear the six-nine

Minor six-nine

Symbol
Cm6/9
Formula
1 ♭3 5 6 9
From C
C E♭ G A D
Where it is used
A minor triad with the major sixth and the ninth.
Treble clef.Minor six-nine on C: C E♭ G A DTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the minor six-nine

Seventh Chords

Harmony in four notes.

Dominant seventh

Symbol
C7
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7
From C
C E G B♭
Where it is used
The V7 chord that pulls toward the tonic. Blues and rock also use it without resolving.
Treble clef.Dominant seventh on C: C E G B♭TREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the dominant seventh

Major seventh

Symbol
Cmaj7
Formula
1 3 5 7
From C
C E G B
Where it is used
A smooth major chord with a major seventh above the root.
Treble clef.Major seventh on C: C E G BTREBLE CLEF

Hear the major seventh

Minor seventh

Symbol
Cm7
Formula
1 ♭3 5 ♭7
From C
C E♭ G B♭
Where it is used
The ii chord of the ii–V–I progression and a staple of modal jazz.
Treble clef.Minor seventh on C: C E♭ G B♭TREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the minor seventh

Minor-major seventh

Symbol
Cm(maj7)
Formula
1 ♭3 5 7
From C
C E♭ G B
Where it is used
A minor triad with a major seventh. It sounds like a dark and suspended tension.
Treble clef.Minor-major seventh on C: C E♭ G BTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the minor-major seventh

Half-diminished seventh

Symbol
Cm7♭5
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7
From C
C E♭ G♭ B♭
Where it is used
The iiø7 chord of a minor key, also written Cø7.
Treble clef.Half-diminished seventh on C: C E♭ G♭ B♭TREBLE CLEF♭♭♭

Hear the half-diminished seventh

Diminished seventh

Symbol
Cdim7
Formula
1 ♭3 ♭5 𝄫7
From C
C E♭ G♭ B𝄫
Where it is used
A symmetrical stack of minor thirds. B𝄫 sounds the same as A.
Treble clef.Diminished seventh on C: C E♭ G♭ B𝄫TREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the diminished seventh

Augmented seventh

Symbol
C7♯5
Formula
1 3 ♯5 ♭7
From C
C E G♯ B♭
Where it is used
A dominant seventh with a raised fifth, also written C+7.
Treble clef.Augmented seventh on C: C E G♯ B♭TREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the augmented seventh

Major seventh sharp fifth

Symbol
Cmaj7♯5
Formula
1 3 ♯5 7
From C
C E G♯ B
Where it is used
An augmented triad with a major seventh. It sounds bright and unsettled.
Treble clef.Major seventh sharp fifth on C: C E G♯ BTREBLE CLEF

Hear the major seventh sharp fifth

Seventh suspended fourth

Symbol
C7sus4
Formula
1 4 5 ♭7
From C
C F G B♭
Where it is used
A dominant chord with the fourth in place of the third.
Treble clef.Seventh suspended fourth on C: C F G B♭TREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the seventh suspended fourth

Seventh flat five

Symbol
C7♭5
Formula
1 3 ♭5 ♭7
From C
C E G♭ B♭
Where it is used
A dominant seventh with a lowered fifth.
Treble clef.Seventh flat five on C: C E G♭ B♭TREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the seventh flat five

Extended and Altered Chords

Ninths, elevenths and thirteenths.

Dominant ninth

Symbol
C9
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 9
From C
C E G B♭ D
Where it is used
A dominant seventh with the ninth added.
Treble clef.Dominant ninth on C: C E G B♭ DTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the dominant ninth

Major ninth

Symbol
Cmaj9
Formula
1 3 5 7 9
From C
C E G B D
Where it is used
A major seventh chord with the ninth added.
Treble clef.Major ninth on C: C E G B DTREBLE CLEF

Hear the major ninth

Minor ninth

Symbol
Cm9
Formula
1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9
From C
C E♭ G B♭ D
Where it is used
A minor seventh chord with the ninth added.
Treble clef.Minor ninth on C: C E♭ G B♭ DTREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the minor ninth

Dominant flat ninth

Symbol
C7♭9
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 ♭9
From C
C E G B♭ D♭
Where it is used
The usual dominant color when resolving to a minor chord.
Treble clef.Dominant flat ninth on C: C E G B♭ D♭TREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the dominant flat ninth

Dominant sharp ninth

Symbol
C7♯9
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 ♯9
From C
C E G B♭ D♯
Where it is used
The major third clashes with the raised ninth. It is common in blues, funk and rock.
Treble clef.Dominant sharp ninth on C: C E G B♭ D♯TREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the dominant sharp ninth

Dominant eleventh

Symbol
C11
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 9 11
From C
C E G B♭ D F
Where it is used
Usually voiced without the third to avoid the E–F clash.
Treble clef.Dominant eleventh on C: C E G B♭ D FTREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the dominant eleventh

Minor eleventh

Symbol
Cm11
Formula
1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11
From C
C E♭ G B♭ D F
Where it is used
A rich minor color in modal jazz.
Treble clef.Minor eleventh on C: C E♭ G B♭ D FTREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the minor eleventh

Dominant thirteenth

Symbol
C13
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 9 13
From C
C E G B♭ D A
Where it is used
The eleventh is left out. Players often omit the fifth or ninth too.
Treble clef.Dominant thirteenth on C: C E G B♭ D ATREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the dominant thirteenth

Major thirteenth

Symbol
Cmaj13
Formula
1 3 5 7 9 13
From C
C E G B D A
Where it is used
An extended major color. The symbol does not fix one voicing.
Treble clef.Major thirteenth on C: C E G B D ATREBLE CLEF

Hear the major thirteenth

Minor thirteenth

Symbol
Cm13
Formula
1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11 13
From C
C E♭ G B♭ D F A
Where it is used
The full stack of thirds. Real voicings leave several tones out.
Treble clef.Minor thirteenth on C: C E♭ G B♭ D F ATREBLE CLEF♭♭

Hear the minor thirteenth

Seventh sharp eleven

Symbol
C7♯11
Formula
1 3 5 ♭7 ♯11
From C
C E G B♭ F♯
Where it is used
The Lydian dominant color. A ninth is often added.
Treble clef.Seventh sharp eleven on C: C E G B♭ F♯TREBLE CLEF♭

Hear the seventh sharp eleven

Also: Scales · the whole book

Chord symbols and voicings vary by style. No chord–scale pairing is right in every context.

Hear them in Chords and Scales →

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