What is a chord?
A chord is formed by a succession of 2 or more different tones built up in intervals of diatonic thirds from a given tone, or “Root”.
As an example, here are the tones of the chromatic scale starting from the “Root” of C:
Using the Major Scale as a reference, you can then build up from the “Root” C using these intervalic formulas to form triads, or 3-note chords:
Triad Formulas:
- Major Triad = 1 3 5 = C
- Minor Triad = 1 b3 5 = Cm
- Diminished Triad = 1 b3 b5 = C°
- Augmented Triad = 1 3 #5 = C+
Here is a quick animation to illustrate how to build a C Major Triad from the C Major Scale on the fretboard:
Building a triad from each note of any major scale yields the following chord types:
Major Key Diatonic Triads:
- I = C
- IIm = Dm
- IIIm = Em
- IV = F
- V = G
- VIm = Am
- VII° = B°
Likewise, building a triad from each note of any minor scale yields the same chord types, but arranged from the 6th, or relative minor key:
Minor Key Diatonic Triads:
- Im = Cm
- II° = D°
- III = Eb
- IVm = Fm
- Vm = Gm
- VI = Ab
- VII = Bb
By simply adding a fourth note to each triad, you’ll build 7th chords in the following sequences:
Major Key Diatonic Seventh Chords:
- Imaj7 = C Maj7
- IImin7 = D Min7
- IIImin7 = E Min7
- IVmaj7 = F Maj7
- V7 = G7
- VImin7 = A Min7
- VIIm7b5 = B Min(b5)
Minor Key Diatonic Seventh Chords:
- Imin7 = C Min7
- IIm7b5 = D Min7(b5)
- IIIMaj7 = Eb Maj7
- IVm7 = F Min7
- Vm7 = G Min7
- VIMaj = Ab Maj7
- VII7 = Bb7
⬇︎ Below you’ll find illustrations and analysis of all the important chord types across the fretboard.
Open Chords:
Barre Chords – Root 6:
Barre Chords – Root 5:
- Major + Minor
Triads – Close:
- Major
- Minor
- Augment
- Diminished
Triads – Spread:
- Major
- Minor
- Augmented
- Diminished
Diatonic 7th Chords – Drop 2 Voicings:
- Top 4 Strings
- Middle 4 Strings
- Bottom 4 Strings
Diatonic 7th Chords – Drop 3 Voicings:
- Top 4 Strings
- Middle 4 Strings
- Bottom 4 Strings