CHORD CONSTRUCTION

 

We are now going to study about Chord Theory. By the end of this very chapter, you should be able to construct any chord in the world. You should be able to do this with only a blank piece of paper and a pencil!

Let us review THE formula for the construction of any Major Scale: 2-2-1-2-2-2-1

As an example, we're going to construct the A-Major Scale and then "derive" all the chords...

A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A

That's it! Once you have the Major Scale for any Key (in this case we chose "A"), then you can find all the chords in that particular key.

So if you wanted to find all the different C-chords, then you need to first construct the C-Major Scale (using the 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 formula).

Let's go back to the A-Major Scale and construct all the different types of chords:

  • Major
  • Minor
  • Major7
  • Dominant7
  • Suspended Chords
  • Minor7
  • Diminished Chords

Before you move on, it's important to note that all chords (all of them!) are classified as being either a Major-type or a Minor-type.

What this means is that every chord that you'll ever come across is either a variation or extension of that particular Major chord or Minor chord.

For example, a diminished-chord is nothing but a variation of a minor chord...and the Major7 and Dominant-chords are slight variations of a Major chord...let's begin!

 

Chart No.1

I II III IV V VI VII
A B C# D E F# G#

 

Just to make things clear, the notes of the A-Major Scale are on the bottom Row in Blue and the Intervals are in Red Roman Numerals in the top row.

Just in case you didn't read the previous chapters - do it now! You might not understand this very easily if you don't.

The A-Major scale was constructed by using the formula 2-2-1-2-2-2-1...and it is:

A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A

Now just as we have a formula for constructing any Major Scale (the 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 semitone formula), in the same way we also have formulae for constructing chords.

 

Chart No.2

CHORD-TYPE ABBREVIATION

FORMULA
Major M I-III-V
Major7 M7 I-III-V-VII
Dominant 7 I-III-V-bVII
Dominant7th, Diminished 5th 7b5 I-III-bV-bVII
Dominant7th, Augmented5th 7aug5 I-III-#V-bVII
Dominant 9th 9 I-III-V-bVII-IX
Augmented aug I-III-#V
Minor m I-bIII-V
Minor7 m7 I-bIII-V-bVII
Diminished dim I-bIII-bV
Minor7,Flat5 m7b5 I-bIII-bV-bVII
Diminished 7th dim7 I-bIII-bV-bbVII
Suspended 4th sus4 I-IV-V
Suspended 2nd sus2 I-II-V
Add9 add9 I-III-V-IX
Minor9 m9 I-bIII-V-bVII-IX

 

So now suppose we want to construct the A-Major chord we refer to this chart and see that it is made up of I-III-V

Next look up the notes for the positions of I, III and V (in Chart No.1)...you see that...

I = A

III = C#

V = E

Therefore the A-Major CHORD will have the notes of A, C# and E

 

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Ok, now let's find out the notes that make up the A-Minor Chord:

Step1: Refer to Chart No.2 for the formula for a Minor-Chord...we see that it is I-bIII-V

That means the I-position, the flattened-III position, and the V position.

Next refer to Chart No.1 above...you see that...

I = A

bIII = C (since III = C#, if you flatten the sharp it just become a natural note)

V =  E

Hence, the A-Minor Chord is made up of A, C and E

 

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Now let's do a tough one: A(add9)

First we find the formula...I-III-V-IX

Next we find the notes that correspond to I-III-V-IX becomes A C# E B

Therefore, the notes that make up Aadd9 are A, C#, E and B

 

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Ok let's try another one: Am7b5

First step: find the formula : I-bIII-bV-bVII ...Remember to flatten the III, V and VII notes

Next find the corresponding notes: A - C - bE - G

Therefore, the notes that make up the Am7B5 CHORD are A, C, Eb and G

 

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That's it! Now on your own, work out all the remaining A-Chords.

After you are done, then it is best to practice by finding random chords like...

 

C#sus4 bA7aug5 G#9 bEdim7 D#add9 CM7 Bsus2 Am7 bFaug