How chords are built
Every chord is a root plus notes picked from the scale above it, usually by stacking thirds. A triad stacks two (root, 3rd, 5th). A seventh chord stacks three. A ninth chord stacks four. Changing one of those notes by a half step, or swapping the third for a neighbouring note, gives every chord type in this guide.
The formulas
Formulas describe each chord as steps from a major scale. Major is 1 3 5. Minor flattens the third (1 ♭3 5). Diminished flattens the fifth too (1 ♭3 ♭5), augmented raises it (1 3 ♯5). Sus chords replace the 3 with a 2 or a 4. A seventh chord adds a 7 (or ♭7), and a ninth chord adds a 9 on top of that.
What to learn first
- Major and minor. Everything else is a variation of these.
- Dominant 7 (G7, D7, E7). Easy shapes, a strong sound, and the classic move to the home chord.
- Sus2 and sus4. One-finger changes from chords you already know.
- Major 7 and minor 7. The jump into jazz, soul and smoother pop.
- Add9 and 6th chords. Colour for any major chord.
- Diminished and augmented. Special-effect chords for passing and tension.
- Everything else. Ninth, 11th and 13th chords: once you can hear and build thirds, they follow.
Each family has its own page with a drill. Get the interval skills first with the interval builder, find shapes in the guitar and ukulele chord libraries, and see which chords fit a key in the chords in every key chart.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of chords?
Triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented), suspended chords (sus2, sus4), seventh chords (maj7, 7, m7, m7♭5, dim7), and colour chords such as 6th, add9 and 9th chords. Each is built by stacking or altering notes of the scale above a root.
What is the difference between a triad and a seventh chord?
A triad has three notes: root, third and fifth. A seventh chord adds a fourth note, the seventh, which makes the sound richer and more tense.
Which chords should I learn after major and minor?
Start with dominant 7 chords (G7, D7), then sus2 and sus4, then major 7 and minor 7. After that learn add9, 6th chords, and diminished and augmented chords as you need them.
What do the symbols +, °, ø and Δ mean?
+ means augmented (C+), ° means diminished (C°), ø means half-diminished (Cø7 or Cm7♭5), and Δ is a short way of writing major 7 (CΔ7 is Cmaj7).
Can I learn these on guitar and ukulele?
Yes. The guitar and ukulele chord libraries have a shape for every one of the chords in this guide, in every key.