Major chord
C · 1 3 5The major triad: a major third and a perfect fifth above the root. It sounds bright, open and stable, and it is the basic chord of major keys.
Chords, in every key
24 chord types from triads to altered dominants, spelled by letter name in every key, with inversions, piano and guitar diagrams, and the keys each chord belongs to. 324 pages, all playable.
Triads
Minor chord
Cm · 1 ♭3 5The minor triad: a minor third and a perfect fifth above the root. It sounds darker and more inward than major, and it anchors minor keys.
Diminished chord
Cdim · 1 ♭3 ♭5The diminished triad: a minor third and a diminished fifth above the root. Built from two minor thirds, it sounds tense and unstable.
Augmented chord
Caug · 1 3 ♯5The augmented triad: a major third and an augmented fifth above the root. Its notes are equally spaced, so it is symmetrical and has no home.
Suspended and power
Suspended second chord
Csus2 · 1 2 5The suspended second chord: the third replaced by the second. It has no major or minor quality, so it sounds open and unresolved.
Suspended fourth chord
Csus4 · 1 4 5The suspended fourth chord: the third replaced by the fourth. It has no major or minor quality, and it usually leads back to a triad.
Power chord chord
C5 · 1 5The power chord: a root and a perfect fifth with no third. It is neither major nor minor, and it is the basic voicing of rock and metal guitar.
Sixths
Major sixth chord
C6 · 1 3 5 6The major sixth chord: a major triad with the sixth added and no seventh. It sounds bright and sweet, and it is a common tonic colour in jazz.
Minor sixth chord
Cm6 · 1 ♭3 5 6The minor sixth chord: a minor triad with the sixth added. It sounds dark and lyrical, and it is common in jazz, pop and minor-key harmony.
Sevenths
Dominant seventh chord
C7 · 1 3 5 ♭7The dominant seventh chord: a major triad with a minor seventh added. It sounds unsettled and pulls strongly toward a tonic a fourth above its root.
Major seventh chord
Cmaj7 · 1 3 5 7The major seventh chord: a major triad with a major seventh added. It sounds bright and settled, with a slight colour, and it is a common tonic.
Minor seventh chord
Cm7 · 1 ♭3 5 ♭7The minor seventh chord: a minor triad with a minor seventh added. It sounds soft and smooth, and it is the usual ii, iii and vi chord of major keys.
Half-diminished seventh chord
Cm7♭5 · 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7The half-diminished seventh: a diminished triad with a minor seventh. Written Cm7♭5 or Cø7, it is dark and unstable, and it is the ii chord of minor.
Diminished seventh chord
Cdim7 · 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7The diminished seventh chord: four notes stacked in equal minor thirds. It has only three distinct forms, and each one has four names.
Minor-major seventh chord
Cm(maj7) · 1 ♭3 5 7The minor-major seventh chord: a minor triad with a major seventh. It is dark with a sharp edge, and it is the tonic chord of harmonic minor.
Augmented seventh chord
C7♯5 · 1 3 ♯5 ♭7The augmented seventh chord: a dominant seventh with a raised fifth. The raised fifth adds tension, and jazz often uses it as an altered dominant.
Dominant seventh suspended fourth chord
C7sus4 · 1 4 5 ♭7The dominant seventh suspended fourth: a fourth in place of the third, with a minor seventh. It sounds open and waits for the third before resolving.
Extended
Add nine chord
Cadd9 · 1 3 5 9The add nine chord: a major triad with the ninth added and no seventh. It sounds bright and open, and it is common in pop and folk guitar.
Dominant ninth chord
C9 · 1 3 5 ♭7 9The dominant ninth chord: a dominant seventh with the ninth added. It is a bright, colourful dominant used in jazz, blues, soul and funk.
Major ninth chord
Cmaj9 · 1 3 5 7 9The major ninth chord: a major seventh chord with the ninth added. It sounds lush, open and stable, and it is common in jazz and pop.
Minor ninth chord
Cm9 · 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9The minor ninth chord: a minor seventh chord with the ninth added. It sounds soft and smooth, and it is a common ii chord in jazz.
Dominant thirteenth chord
C13 · 1 3 5 ♭7 9 13The dominant thirteenth chord: a dominant seventh with the ninth and thirteenth added. It is rich, and jazz uses it often.
Altered dominants
Dominant seventh flat nine chord
C7♭9 · 1 3 5 ♭7 ♭9The dominant seventh flat nine chord: a dominant seventh with the ninth lowered a semitone. It is tense and altered, and common in jazz.
Dominant seventh sharp nine chord
C7♯9 · 1 3 5 ♭7 ♯9The dominant seventh sharp nine chord: a dominant seventh with the ninth raised a semitone. Bright and biting, it is often called the Hendrix chord.
The ebook
Music Theory: the site as a book
The site's working library as a structured ebook: intervals, keys, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, form, tuning, orchestration and the history behind them.
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