Music Chords

A music chord is a group of three of more notes played together to form one harmonic sound.

 

Triads and Seventh Chords

A triad is a chord having three notes: a root, third, and fifth notes.  The most commonly used triads are: major triad, minor triad, augmented triad and diminished triad.

A seventh chord is a chord having four notes: a root, third, fifth, and seventh notes.  The most commonly used seventh chords are: major seventh chord, minor seventh chord, dominant seventh chord, half-diminished seventh chord and diminished seventh chord.

 

The Major Triads (Major Chords)

Major triads (also referred to as major chords) are constructed with the root, third (The third note of the major scale is a major third from the root.) and fifth (The fifth note of the major scale is a perfect fifth from the root.) notes of the major scales.

Example: C major chord

C is the root note. C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C  are the notes of the C major scale.

The C major chord is made of the root, third and fifth notes of the C major scale.

C – E – G are the notes of C major chord.

Major chords in different keys:
C major chord: C – E – G

C Sharp major chord: C♯ – E♯ – G♯
D Flat major chord: D♭ – F – A♭

D major chord: D – F♯ – A
E Flat major chord: E♭ – G – B♭
E major chord: E – G♯ – B
F major chord: F – A – C

F Sharp major chord: F♯ – A♯ – C♯
G Flat major chord: G♭ – B♭ – D♭

G major chord: G – B – D
A Flat major chord: A♭ – C – E♭
A major chord: A – C♯ – E
B Flat major chord: B♭ – D – F

B major chord: B – D♯ – F♯
C Flat major chord: C♭ – E♭ – G♭

*This piano chord book from Amazon contains 480 of the most commonly played piano chords including first inversions — Piano Chord Book: 480 Essential Chords

(Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.)

 

The Minor Triads (Minor Chords)

Minor triads (also referred to as minor chords) are constructed with the root, third and fifth notes of the minor scales. (The third note of the minor scale is a minor third from the root. A minor third is a half step smaller than a major third.) In short, minor triad is built with a minor third and a perfect fifth from the root.

Example: C minor chord

C is the root note. C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C are the notes of the C minor scale.

The C minor chord is made of the root, third and fifth notes of the C minor scale.

C – E♭ – G are the notes of C minor chord.

Minor chords in different keys:
C minor chord: C – E♭ – G
C Sharp minor chord: C♯ – E – G♯
D minor chord: D – F – A

E Flat minor chord: E♭ – G♭ – B♭
D Sharp minor chord: D♯ – F♯ – A♯

E minor chord: E – G – B
F minor chord: F – A♭ – C
F Sharp minor chord: F♯ – A – C♯
G minor chord: G – B♭ – D

A Flat minor chord: A♭ – C♭ – E♭
G Sharp minor chord: G♯ – B – D♯

A minor chord: A – C – E

B Flat minor chord: B♭ – D♭ – F
A Sharp minor chord: A♯ – C♯ – E♯

B minor chord: B – D – F♯

Piano Chords Reference Chart

If you want a large poster size wall chart with all the piano chords, get this 12″ x 18″ Piano Chords Chart Poster from Amazon. 

(Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.)

The Augmented Triads (Augmented Chords)

Augmented triads (also referred to as augmented chords) are constructed with a major third and an augmented fifth from the root. An augmented fifth is a half step larger than a perfect fifth.

C – E – G♯ are the notes of C augmented chord.

Augmented chords in different keys:
C augmented chord: C – E – G♯

C Sharp augmented chord: C♯ – E♯ – G♯♯
D Flat augmented chord: D♭ – F – A

D augmented chord: D – F♯ – A♯
E Flat augmented chord: E♭ – G – B
E augmented chord: E – G♯ – B♯
F augmented chord: F – A – C♯

F Sharp augmented chord: F♯ – A♯ – C♯♯
G Flat augmented chord: G♭ – B♭ – D

G augmented chord: G – B – D♯
A Flat augmented chord: A♭ – C – E
A augmented chord: A – C♯ – E♯
B Flat augmented chord: B♭ – D – F♯

B augmented chord: B – D♯ – F♯♯
C Flat augmented chord: C♭ – E♭ – G

 

The Diminished Triads (Diminished Chords)

Diminished triads (also referred to as diminished chords) are constructed with a minor third and a diminished fifth from the root. A minor third is a half step smaller than a major third, and a diminished fifth is a half step smaller than a perfect fifth.

C – E♭ – G♭ are the notes of C diminished chord.

Diminished chords in different keys:
C diminished chord: C – E♭ – G♭
C Sharp diminished chord: C♯ – E – G
D diminished chord: D – F – A♭

E Flat diminished chord: E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭
D Sharp diminished chord: D♯ – F♯ – A

E diminished chord: E – G – B♭
F diminished chord: F – A♭ – C♭
F Sharp diminished chord: F♯ – A – C
G diminished chord: G – B♭ – D♭

A Flat diminished chord: A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭
G Sharp diminished chord: G♯ – B – D

A diminished chord: A – C – E♭

B Flat diminished chord: B♭ – D♭ – F♭
A Sharp diminished chord: A♯ – C♯ – E

B diminished chord: B – D – F

 

How to build Seventh Chords?

The most commonly used seventh chords are: major seventh chord, minor seventh chord, dominant seventh chord, half-diminished seventh chord and diminished seventh chord.

 

Major Seventh Chords

Major seventh chord is constructed with a major third, a perfect fifth, and a major seventh from the root. The notes of the major seventh chord are the root, third, fifth, and seventh notes of the major scale.

Major seventh chords in different keys:
C major seventh chord: C – E – G – B

C Sharp major seventh chord: C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B♯
D Flat major seventh chord: D♭ – F – A♭ – C

D major seventh chord: D – F♯ – A – C♯
E Flat major seventh chord: E♭ – G – B♭ – D
E major seventh chord: E – G♯ – B – D♯
F major seventh chord: F – A – C – E

F Sharp major seventh chord: F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E♯
G Flat major seventh chord: G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F

G major seventh chord: G – B – D – F♯
A Flat major seventh chord: A♭ – C – E♭ – G
A major seventh chord: A – C♯ – E – G♯
B Flat major seventh chord: B♭ – D – F – A

B major seventh chord: B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯
C Flat major seventh chord: C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭

*Piano Chord Chart Poster from Amazon. It includes five chord types: major, minor, major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chords. 

(Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.)

 

Minor Seventh Chords

Minor seventh chord is constructed with a minor third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh from the root. The notes of the minor seventh chord are the root, third, fifth, and seventh notes of the minor scale.

Minor seventh chords in different keys:
C minor seventh chord: C – E♭ – G – B♭
C Sharp minor seventh chord: C♯ – E – G♯ – B
D minor seventh chord: D – F – A – C

E Flat minor seventh chord: E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
D Sharp minor seventh chord: D♯ – F♯ – A♯ – C♯

E minor seventh chord: E – G – B – D
F minor seventh chord: F – A♭ – C – E♭
F Sharp minor seventh chord: F♯ – A – C♯ – E
G minor seventh chord: G – B♭ – D – F

A Flat minor seventh chord: A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭
G Sharp minor seventh chord: G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯

A minor seventh chord: A – C – E – G

B Flat minor seventh chord: B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭
A Sharp minor seventh chord: A♯ – C♯ – E♯ – G♯

B minor seventh chord: B – D – F♯ – A

 

Dominant Seventh Chords

Dominant seventh chord is constructed with a major third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh from the root.

Dominant seventh chords in different keys:
C dominant seventh chord: C – E – G – B♭

C Sharp dominant seventh chord: C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B
D Flat dominant seventh chord: D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭

D dominant seventh chord: D – F♯ – A – C
E Flat dominant seventh chord: E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭
E dominant seventh chord: E – G♯ – B – D
F dominant seventh chord: F – A – C – E♭

F Sharp dominant seventh chord: F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E
G Flat dominant seventh chord: G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F♭

G dominant seventh chord: G – B – D – F
A Flat dominant seventh chord: A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭
A dominant seventh chord: A – C♯ – E – G
B Flat dominant seventh chord: B♭ – D – F – A♭

B dominant seventh chord: B – D♯ – F♯ – A
C Flat dominant seventh chord: C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭

 

Half-Diminished Seventh Chords

Half-Diminished seventh chord is constructed with a minor third, a diminished fifth, and a minor seventh from the root.

Half-Diminished seventh chords in different keys:
C half-diminished seventh chord: C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭
C Sharp half-diminished seventh chord: C♯ – E – G – B
D half-diminished seventh chord: D – F – A♭ – C

E Flat half-diminished seventh chord: E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭
D Sharp half-diminished seventh chord: D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯

E half-diminished seventh chord: E – G – B♭ – D
F half-diminished seventh chord: F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭
F Sharp half-diminished seventh chord: F♯ – A – C – E
G half-diminished seventh chord: G – B♭ – D♭ – F

A Flat half-diminished seventh chord: A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭ – G♭
G Sharp half-diminished seventh chord: G♯ – B – D – F♯

A half-diminished seventh chord: A – C – E♭ – G

B Flat half-diminished seventh chord: B♭ – D♭ – F♭ – A♭
A Sharp half-diminished seventh chord: A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯

B half-diminished seventh chord: B – D – F – A

 

Diminished Seventh Chords (Fully Diminished Seventh Chords)

Diminished seventh chord (Fully Diminished Seventh Chord) is constructed with a minor third, a diminished fifth, and a diminished seventh from the root.

Diminished seventh chords in different keys:
C diminished seventh chord: C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭
C Sharp diminished seventh chord: C♯ – E – G – B♭
D diminished seventh chord: D – F – A♭ – C♭

E Flat diminished seventh chord: E♭ – G♭ – B♭♭ – D♭♭
D Sharp diminished seventh chord: D♯ – F♯ – A – C

E diminished seventh chord: E – G – B♭ – D♭
F diminished seventh chord: F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭
F Sharp diminished seventh chord: F♯ – A – C – E♭
G diminished seventh chord: G – B♭ – D♭ – F♭

A Flat diminished seventh chord: A♭ – C♭ – E♭♭ – G♭♭
G Sharp diminished seventh chord: G♯ – B – D – F

A diminished seventh chord: A – C – E♭ – G♭

B Flat diminished seventh chord: B♭ – D♭ – F♭ – A♭♭
A Sharp diminished seventh chord: A♯ – C♯ – E – G

B diminished seventh chord: B – D – F – A♭

 

Select a chord root note to see a list of piano chords from that key:

C | C Sharp | D Flat | D | D Sharp | E Flat | E | F | F Sharp | G Flat | G | G Sharp | A Flat | A | A Sharp | B Flat | B | C Flat