Chords Construction

A chord is a combination of three or more notes play simultaneously.
The combination of the three notes is based on a formula that is called Chords formation formula.
There are various notes combinations are possible for many chords, so identify easier each chord receives a different name.
The notes in major and minor scales have specific names that is called Scale Degrees. They have a number and a name both.
Scale Degree numbers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 Name of the scale degree
• Tonic.
• Supertonic.
• Mediant.
• Subdominant.
• Dominant.
• Submediant.
• Leading Tone
Scale degrees have these names because the names indicate their function and also their position to each other on the scale. Just like the tonic is the primary note or called root note and the subdominant is below the dominant note, and leading note leads to the tonic note.
For learn about chords formation formula you should learn major and minor scales notes properly.

Chords Categories

1) Triads Chords or Three Notes Chords,
2) Seventh Chords,
3) Extended Chords

Triads Chords or Three Notes Chords
Triads or three notes chords are major, minor, diminished, augmented and suspended chords. Triads are exactly 3 notes, major, minor, diminished, augmented and suspended chords play with more notes its simply doubling some of the notes, that means you are playing same note on different octave, just like in C major chord you are playing C note on 5th string 3rd fret and 2nd string 1st fret both note is C but this C note is in two different octave.

Seventh Chords


 Seventh chord is a 4 note chords that have
tried notes plus seventh degree above the chords root. Seventh chords usually means a dominant seventh chord, when major or minor not specified.
The most common seventh chords are major 7, minor 7, and dominant 7.

 How seventh chords look like

C7 = C dominant seventh
CM7 = C major seventh
Cm7 = C minor seventh

Extended Chords


 Extended chords are ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth, these chords are considered the extended chords. Just notice one thing that ninth (9),eleventh(11), and thirteenth(13), are same two(2), four(4), and six(6). That means in scale C, the 2nd and 9th note both are D note, 4th and 11th note both are F note, The 6th and 13th note both are A note. So, now you can ask
that if 9, 11, 13, notes are same as 2, 4, and 6 so why we are calling 9th, 11th, 13th. The reasons behind this is when you use extend seventh chords then that is called 9,11,13, the 7th is the highest degree of a seventh chord they are extended with higher numbered notes.
If you know the major scale notes then its a very easy to understand the chords formation formula.

Major Chords Formula

1st note or tonic, 3rd note or mediant and 5th note or dominant, you can shortly written 1-3-5 degrees of a scale.

Example

First chose a root note, such as C
C major scale notes - C D E F G A B
Now apply the chords formation formula which is written above
As per formula first, third, and fifth note of the major scale create a major chord.
So C major chord has the notes C E G.

Minor Chords Formula

1st note, 3rd note flat, 5th note
1 - 3b - 5th is minor chord formula.

Example

In C minor chord the notes are
C Eb G

Augmented Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th#

Example

In C augmented chord notes are
C E G#


Diminished Chords Formula

1st, 3b, 5b

Example

In C diminished chord notes are
C Eb Gb

Suspended 4 chords Formula

1st, 4th, 5th

Example

In C suspended 4 chords notes are
C F G

Suspended 2 Chords Formula

1st, 2nd, 5th

Example

In C suspended 2 Chords notes are
C D G

Seventh Chords Formula

Seventh Chords its just a add of seventh degree with triads Chords.

 Dominant Seventh Chord Formula
1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th flat

Example

In C dominant seventh (C7) notes are
C E G Bb

Major Seventh Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th

Example

In C major seventh (CM7) notes are
C E G B

Minor Seventh Chords Formula

1st, 3rd flat, 5th, 7th flat

Example

In C minor seventh (Cm7) chords notes are
C Eb G Bb

Extended Chords Formula


 Extended Chords uses is very occasional in music. Mainly rock and pop musicians use extended chords. Extended seventh chords formation is a same way like seventh chords. We are ascending in order that's
why we are using the names 9th, 11th, 13th
instead of 2nd, 4th, 6th.
You will see one thing on 13th chord that is 7 notes when guitar have only 6 strings,
So what will you do?
You simply omit some notes by yourself
and another guitarist should play the omit
notes that means for playing 13th chords
you have to need two guitarist together.

Major 9th Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th

Example

In C major 9th (CM9) chords notes are
C E G B D

Dominant 9th Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th flat, 9th

Example

In C dominant ninth (C9) chords notes are
C E G Bb D

Dominant 11th Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th flat, 9th, 11th

Example

In C dominant 11th (C11) Chords notes are
C E G Bb D F

Dominant 13th Chords Formula

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th flat, 9th 11th, 13th

Example

In C dominant 13th (C13) chords notes are
C E G Bb D F A