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All chords, no matter how complex, can be seen as extensions
of the four basic triads.
Once you have a good understanding of triads it is useful
to look at the most commonly found chords that are simple
extensions of the Major and Minor Triads.
Chords created by extending the Major triad
1 3 5 8 = Major (Example C E G C = C)
(The formula is 1 3 5 as the 8th note is a repeat of the key
note)
1 3 5 7 = Major Seventh (Example C E G B
= Cmaj7)
1 3 5 b7 = Dominant Seventh (Example C E
G Bb = C7)
1 3 5 6 = Major Sixth (Example C E G A =
C6)
Chords created by extending the Minor triad
1 b3 5 8 = Minor (Example C Eb G C = Cm)
(The formula is 1 b3 5 as the 8th note is a repeat of the
key note)
1 b3 5 7 = Minor Major Seventh (Example
C Eb G B = CmMaj7)
1 b3 5 b7 = Minor Seventh (Example C Eb
G Bb = Cm7)
1 b3 5 6 = Minor Sixth (Example C Eb G
A = Cm6)
Note:
There is sometimes quite a bit of confusion over the naming
of seventh chords. In the world of Jazz musicians the Maj7th
chord is more common so when a Jazz Guitarist talks about
a seventh chord he may be referring to the Maj7th. But a blues
guitarist is going to come across Maj7ths almost never, so
to him, the seventh chord is the one with the flatted seventh
note in. The Jazzman will give this it’s full name -
the dominant seventh.
Chords created by extending the Augmented triad
1 3 #5 b7 = Augmented Seventh (Example C
E G# Bb = C7+)
Chords created by extending the Diminished triad
1 b3 b5 b7 = Half-diminished seventh (Example
C Eb Gb Bb = C?)
1 b3 b5 bb7 = Diminished seventh (Example
C Eb Gb Bbb = Co)
More possible cause for confusion:
There is little common consensus about chord symbols and
this has given rise to a number of possible ways of writing
the same chord. Please see List of Commonly
Used Chords, their names, formulas and symbols for a guide
that will lead you out of the chord-symbol maze!
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Chord
Formulas - Basic Triads
