Chords & Harmony

Understanding Songs

Remember thirds?
We learned about two types of 3rds: Major 3rds (4 half-steps) and minor 3rds (3 half-steps).

2 C

4 E

Major 3rd 4 half-steps

Minor 3rd 3 half-steps

 When we stack thirds, we create chords. Chord names have 2 parts: the lowest note in the stack of 3rds is the Root, and the type of 3rds in the stack determines the quality or color. In their simplest form, chords may be major, minor, diminished or augmented.

 Here are graphic representations of major and minor thirds:

M a j o r 3 r d

M i n o r 3 r d

 A minor 3rd on a major 3rd builds a major chord.

M a j o r 3 r d

M i n o r 3 r d

E C Major chord

 A major 3rd on a minor 3rd makes a minor chord.

Eb

M a j o r 3 r d

M i n o r 3 r d

G C Minor chord

 A minor 3rd on a minor 3rd creates a diminished chord.

M i n o r 3 r d

M i n o rC 3 r d

Eb

Gb

C Diminished chord

 A Major 3rd on a major 3rd creates an augmented chord.

G#

M a j o r
3 r d

M a j o r
3 r d

C Augmented chord

These three-note chords are called Triads

Major, minor, diminished and augmented thats all there is.

 Rather than thinking in terms of combinations of major and minor 3rds, many musicians think of the triads as formulas from a major scale. A major triad is R (root), 3rd and 5th. A minor triad is R, flat 3rd, and 5th. A diminished triad is R, flat 3rd, and flat 5th. An augmented triad is R, 3rd, and sharp 5th.

 A triad constructed as weve described is called a closed voicing.

Notice that the notes are in the most compact arrangement possible. If we take the middle note up (or down) an octave we create and open voicing.

 Chords with the root as the lowest note are in root position. (Every chord weve looked at so far has been in root position.) The sequence of notes doesnt affect the chords name or quality. Any note in the chord can be the lowest.

 Chords with notes other than the root in the bass (the lowest note) are inversions:

Root Position Root in the Bass

First Inversion 3rd in the Bass

Second Inversion 5th in the Bass

 Just like root position chords, inversions may be closed or open voicing.
1st Inversion Closed Voicing 1st Inversion Open Voicing

2nd Inversion Closed Voicing

2nd Inversion Open Voicing

Now, lets put these triads in context.

Think of a major scale.
G major Scale

 We can stack thirds on each note in the scale, creating a triad on each scale degree.

 If we analyze the arrangement of major and minor thirds in these triads, we find major chords on the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of the scale; minor chords on the 2nd, 3rd and 6th notes of the scale; and a diminished chord on the 7th degree of the scale. We abbreviate this formula using upper case roman numerals for the Major chords, lower case roman numerals for the minor chords and a following a lower case numeral to indicate a diminished chord.

I ii iii IV V vi vii I

These triads can also be referred to with the scale degree names.

 Lets apply what youve learned.

Heres a very common chord progression.

vi

ii

iii

vi

ii

This is the analysis of the chord progression.

 You can use the analysis to transpose the progression to any key. Eb, for example.

The resulting progression would be:

I know your heads about ready to explode. But theres only one more thing!

Chords can have more than three notes.

A seventh chord adds another 3rd to our stack. Here is our harmonized G scale.

IV

 A note has been added to each of the major chords in the scale.

Major 3rd

Major 3rd

Minor 3rd

The I and IV chords are called major 7 chords. The V is called a dominant 7 because the only place that arrangement of thirds occurs in on the 5th, or dominant, chord.

 As a rule, we dont say the word dominant. So, when someone refers to a G7, they mean a G dominant 7. The formula for a dominant 7 is: R, 3, 5, flat 7.

 Since we have one more note in the chord, its possible to have one more note in the bass, creating a different inversion.

C7 Root Position Root in Bass

C7 1st Inversion 3rd in Bass

C7 2nd Inversion 5th in Bass

C7 3rd Inversion 7th in Bass

 Like everything else

this takes practice.

Try spelling different chords. Try looking at a church hymnal and see if you can figure out some of the chords. Go to musictheory.net and use the Triad trainer.

Practice!