Chords 2

Triads And The Harmonized Major Scale

We have already discussed how that by starting on the 1st note of the major scale and then counting every other note from there, you get a major chord. We also discussed how that if we do this on the 7th note of the major scale we get a diminished triad.

If we do the same for all seven notes of the major scale, that is, start on the one and then count every other note and then start on the two and count every other note and so on…we get the following seven triads:

1. Major
2. Minor
3. Minor
4. Major
5. Major
6. Minor
7. Diminished

In the Key of C Major that would be:

1. C E G or C Major
2. D F A or D minor
3. E G B or E minor
4. F A C or F Major
5. G B D or G Major
6. A C E or A minor
7. B D F or B Diminished

This is what is known as the harmonized Major scale or “Diatonic Harmony”. Which means that these are all the triads that appear naturally from note to note in the Major scale. In diatonic harmony each chord is normally numbered with roman numerals to get the following :

I Maj / ii min / iii min / IV Maj / V Maj / VImin / VIIDim

(Capitol roman numerals are used for major and lower case are used for minor)

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Triads And The Harmonized Minor Scale

 We can also harmonize the natural minor scale in the same way that we did with the Major scale. So if we start on the one of the A minor scale and then count every other note, we get A C E or an A minor triad. If we do this for all seven notes of the A minor scale we get the following seven triads:

1. A C E or A minor
2. B D F or B Diminished
3. C E G or C Major
4. D F A or D minor
5. E G B or E minor
6. F A C or F Major
7. G B D or G Major

This would make the order of roman numerals: i min / II Dim / III Maj / iv min / v min / VI Maj / VII Maj

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Chord Symbols

 

Here now is a list of the most common characters and abbreviations used to name chords.

First here are the characters

• ♯ = sharp as in F^♯
• ^o = diminished as in C^o
• ♭= flat as in C♭
• ^–  = minor as in C^–  (This is just a dash (-) after the letter in superscript)
• ⁺ = Augmented as in C⁺ ( This is just a plus sign (+) after the letter in superscript )
• ^Ø = Half Diminished Seventh as in C^Ø
• Δ (Delta) = Major Seventh  as in CΔ

Now the abbreviations

• M or Maj = Major as in C M or C Maj
• m or min = minor as in C m or C min
• Dim = Diminished as in C Dim
• M7 or Maj7 = Major seventh as in C M7 or C Maj7
• m7 or min7 =minor seventh as in Cm7 or Cmin7
• 7 = Seventh or Dominant Seventh as in C7
• ^O7 = Diminished Seventh as in C^o7
• C = A letter by itself is assumed to be a major triad as in C by itself is assumed to be a C Major triad

Next I will list all spellings of chords and their extensions. You will be able to see that symbols and abbreviations are not only devices used to name chords but are actually directions telling you which intervals must be found after the root note to get the desired chord. Here are a few examples: 

•  The minor triad is named for its 3rd interval which should be a minor 3rd 
• The diminished triad is named for its 3rd  and 5th intervals which should both be diminished.
• The augmented triad is named for its 5th interval which should be an augmented interval

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List of Chord Structures

Triads

(R = Root or 1 tone)

(♭= Flat)

( ♭♭= Double Flat)

(♯ = Sharp)

• Major = R-3^rd-5^th
• Minor = R-♭3^rd-5^th
• Diminished = R-♭3^rd-♭5^th
• Augmented = R-3^rd -♯5^th 

Seventh Chords

• Major Seventh = Major triad with the note 2 steps (a major 3^rd) above the 5^th (or a Major 7^th from the root)
• Dominant Seventh(usually simply called a Seventh)=Major triad with the note 1½ steps (a minor 3^rd) above the 5^th (or a minor 7^th above the root)
• Minor Seventh=Dominant 7^th with a ♭3^rd
• Augmented Seventh=Dominant 7^th with a ♯5^th
• Half Diminished Seventh(also called a Minor Seventh Flat Five)=Minor 7^th with a ♭5^th or a Major Seventh with a ♭3^rd, ♭5^th and ♭7^th
• Diminished Seventh=Minor 7th with a ♭5^th and ♭7^th or a Major 7^th with a ♭3^rd,♭5^th and ♭7^th
• Minor Major Seventh= Major 7^th with a ♭3^rd

Sixth Chords

• Major Sixth=Major triad with the note one step (minor 2^nd) above the 5^th (or Major 6^th above the root)
• Minor Sixth = Minor triad with the note one step above the 5^th  (or a Major sixth from the root) In its third inversion it is the same chord as the Half Diminished Seventh chord and the notations are sometimes used interchangeably. For example: A^Ø =C min 6^th

Extended Chords

Extended chords are 7th chords that have additional notes (called extensions or “tensions”) added to them. Those extended notes are usually either a 9^th, 11^th, or 13^th and sometimes a combination of two called double tension chords. 

The 9^th, 11^th, and 13^th are actually the same letter note as the 2^nd,4^th , and 5^th .

• Ninth=Dominant 7^th with the 9^th added to it.
• Minor Ninth=Minor 7^th with the 9^th added to it.
• Eleventh=Dominant 9^th with the added 11^th.
• Minor Eleventh = Minor 9^th with the added 11^th

Whenever you see a chord refered to only by its number such a 9^th chord or an 11^th chord it should be assumed to be a dominant chord. In other words, a Dominant 7^th chord or rather a 7^th chord with tensions added to it. Major chords Larger than a 7^th are actually extensions of the Major 7^th chord.

• Major Ninth=Major 7^th with the added 9^th.
• Major Eleventh= Major 9^th with the added 11^th.
• Augmented Ninth= Augmented 7^th with the added 9^th (Augmented Dominant 9^th)
• Augmented Eleventh=Dominant Eleventh with the 11^th note sharped ½ step. Despite its name this chord does not contain the sharped (or augmented) 5^th.
• Major Thirteenth=Major 11^th with the added 13^th.
• Minor Thirteenth =Minor 11^th with the added 13^th.
• Dominant Thirteenth =Dominant 11^th with the added 13^th.

Every chord larger than a Major 7^th is assumed to include every possible extension beneath its number. For example 13^th chords are assumed to include the ♭7^th, 9^th, and 11^th in its structure although it would not be practical to play.

Suspended Chords

Suspended chords (or “sus” chords) are chords that have either the second or the fourth tone of the scale substituted for the third. In other words instead of playing the R, 3^rd and 5^th , you play the R, 2^nd and 5^th  as in the sus 2 chord or the R, 4^th and 5^th  as in the sus 4 chord. The sus 4 chord is used so much more than a sus 2 that when sheet music only uses “sus” without a number, it is assumed to be a sus 4 chord. remember, sus chords do not contain the 3^rd tone of the scale in their construction.

And Finally

• A 6/9 chord is a type of 9^th chord. It is a major triad with both a major 6^th and a major 9^th added to it
• A Suspended 9^th is a 9^th chord with no 7^th note.

In the next section we will get into seventh chords and the harmonized major and minor scales.

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