Reference
Chord library
Every chord is just a stack of intervals over a root. Learn the formulas and you can build any chord on any note without a chart.
Triads (three-note chords)
| Chord | Symbol | Formula | Example (C root) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major | C | 1 3 5 | C E G |
| Minor | Cm | 1 ♭3 5 | C E♭ G |
| Diminished | C° | 1 ♭3 ♭5 | C E♭ G♭ |
| Augmented | C+ | 1 3 ♯5 | C E G♯ |
| Suspended 2 | Csus2 | 1 2 5 | C D G |
| Suspended 4 | Csus4 | 1 4 5 | C F G |
C major triad
A minor triad
Seventh chords
| Chord | Symbol | Formula | Example (C root) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major 7 | Cmaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | C E G B |
| Dominant 7 | C7 | 1 3 5 ♭7 | C E G B♭ |
| Minor 7 | Cm7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | C E♭ G B♭ |
| Minor 7 ♭5 (half-dim) | Cm7♭5 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 | C E♭ G♭ B♭ |
| Diminished 7 | C°7 | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 | C E♭ G♭ B♭♭ (A) |
| Minor-major 7 | CmMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | C E♭ G B |
Cmaj7
G7 (dominant)
Am7
Extended chords (9, 11, 13)
Stack thirds beyond the 7th to get the 9th, 11th, and 13th. These tones add color without changing the chord's basic function.
| Chord | Symbol | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Major 9 | Cmaj9 | 1 3 5 7 9 |
| Dominant 9 | C9 | 1 3 5 ♭7 9 |
| Minor 9 | Cm9 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 |
| Add 9 | Cadd9 | 1 3 5 9 |
| Dominant 11 | C11 | 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11 |
| Dominant 13 | C13 | 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11 13 |
| 6th | C6 | 1 3 5 6 |
| Minor 6 | Cm6 | 1 ♭3 5 6 |
Altered dominants
Dominant chords with sharpened or flattened 5ths and 9ths — the "tension" sounds in jazz and blues.
| Chord | Symbol | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Dom 7 ♭9 | C7♭9 | 1 3 5 ♭7 ♭9 |
| Dom 7 ♯9 | C7♯9 | 1 3 5 ♭7 ♯9 |
| Dom 7 ♯5 (aug) | C7♯5 | 1 3 ♯5 ♭7 |
| Dom 7 ♭5 | C7♭5 | 1 3 ♭5 ♭7 |
| Dom 7 alt | C7alt | 1 3 ♭7 + any altered 5/9 |
The single biggest unlock: stop memorising chord shapes. Memorise the formula and the root, and let the shape come from that. You'll end up with chord vocabulary that survives any key change.