# All chord types (appendix)

Interactive version: [`chord-types.html`](chord-types.html). Part of [Theory and Practice](theory.md).

A chord is three or more notes played together. Almost every chord is built by **stacking
thirds** on a root — and every "type" is just a recipe of which scale degrees to include
and whether to raise or lower them.

> Degrees are measured against the root's **major scale**. **R** = root; numbers are the
> 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc. A **♭** lowers a degree a half-step, a **♯** raises it. So a minor
> triad, **R + ♭3 + 5**, is a major triad with a lowered third.

The tables below spell every chord **on C**. On the interactive page, the **Root** selector adds a
matching **“On \<root\>”** column right beside *On C*, so you can read the notes for any of the 12
roots at a glance (and hear them with **Play**).

## Triads (3 notes)

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Major | C | R 3 5 | C E G | bright, stable |
| Minor | Cm | R ♭3 5 | C E♭ G | dark, sad |
| Diminished | C° | R ♭3 ♭5 | C E♭ G♭ | tense, uneasy |
| Augmented | C+ | R 3 ♯5 | C E G♯ | dreamy, unsettled |

The seven chords each major key contains (its *relative* chords) live on the interactive
[chord cheat-sheet](chord-cheatsheet.md) — pick a key and click any chord to hear it.

## Suspended & power

Replace the 3rd (sus) or drop it entirely (power) — no major/minor, so they feel open.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Suspended 2nd | Csus2 | R 2 5 | C D G | open, airy |
| Suspended 4th | Csus4 | R 4 5 | C F G | wants to resolve |
| Power chord | C5 | R 5 | C G | raw, neutral (rock) |

## Sixth chords

A triad with the 6th added — sweet and vintage.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Major 6th | C6 | R 3 5 6 | C E G A | sweet, vintage |
| Minor 6th | Cm6 | R ♭3 5 6 | C E♭ G A | smooth, jazzy minor |

## Seventh chords (4 notes)

Stack one more third on a triad to add the 7th — the workhorses of jazz, blues and gospel.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Major 7th | Cmaj7 | R 3 5 7 | C E G B | lush, dreamy |
| Dominant 7th | C7 | R 3 5 ♭7 | C E G B♭ | bluesy, restless |
| Minor 7th | Cm7 | R ♭3 5 ♭7 | C E♭ G B♭ | mellow, soulful |
| Minor 7 ♭5 (half-dim) | Cm7♭5 | R ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 | C E♭ G♭ B♭ | moody (jazz ii°) |
| Diminished 7th | C°7 | R ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 | C E♭ G♭ A | very tense |
| Minor-major 7th | CmMaj7 | R ♭3 5 7 | C E♭ G B | noir, mysterious |
| Augmented 7th | C7♯5 | R 3 ♯5 ♭7 | C E G♯ B♭ | exotic tension |

## Extended: 9ths, 11ths, 13ths

Keep stacking thirds past the 7th. The 9th, 11th and 13th are the 2nd, 4th and 6th an
octave up. In practice pianists often drop the 5th or 11th.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Dominant 9th | C9 | R 3 5 ♭7 9 | C E G B♭ D | funky, full |
| Major 9th | Cmaj9 | R 3 5 7 9 | C E G B D | rich, warm |
| Minor 9th | Cm9 | R ♭3 5 ♭7 9 | C E♭ G B♭ D | smooth, deep |
| Dominant 11th | C11 | R 5 ♭7 9 11 | C G B♭ D F | open, gospel |
| Dominant 13th | C13 | R 3 ♭7 9 13 | C E B♭ D A | big band, lush |

## Added-tone chords

Add a color note to a plain triad *without* stacking a 7th first — common in pop and film.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Add 9 | Cadd9 | R 3 5 9 | C E G D | sparkly, modern pop |
| Six-nine | C6/9 | R 3 5 6 9 | C E G A D | jazzy, resolved |
| Minor add 9 | Cm(add9) | R ♭3 5 9 | C E♭ G D | wistful |

## Altered dominants

A dominant 7th with a raised/lowered 5th or 9th — maximum tension, the spice of jazz.

| Chord | Symbol | Degrees | On C | Feel |
|-------|--------|---------|------|------|
| Dominant 7 ♭9 | C7♭9 | R 3 5 ♭7 ♭9 | C E G B♭ D♭ | dark tension |
| Dominant 7 ♯9 | C7♯9 | R 3 5 ♭7 ♯9 | C E G B♭ D♯ | the "Hendrix" chord |
| Dominant 7 ♯11 | C7♯11 | R 3 5 ♭7 ♯11 | C E G B♭ F♯ | bright edge |
| Dominant 7 ♭13 | C7♭13 | R 3 5 ♭7 ♭13 | C E G B♭ A♭ | brooding |

## Chord dictionary — every chord in every key

The **chord dictionary** now has its own page: [`chord-dictionary.html`](chord-dictionary.html)
([`chord-dictionary.md`](chord-dictionary.md)). It transposes every chord type above to all twelve
keys, each with a **mini-keyboard** under the notes so you can see the exact keys to press — click a
row to hear it, or filter to a single key.

To spell any chord in any key by hand, take its **On C** notes from the tables above and transpose
every note up by the same number of half-steps as the new root (e.g. Dm7 = Cm7 up two half-steps — D F A C).

## Inversions & slash chords

The recipes above assume the **root is the lowest note** (root position). Play another
chord tone in the bass and you have an **inversion** — same chord, smoother voice-leading.

- **Root position** — C E G (C in bass)
- **1st inversion** — E G C (3rd in bass), written **C/E**
- **2nd inversion** — G C E (5th in bass), written **C/G**

A **slash chord** (e.g. **C/G**, "C over G") names the chord then the bass note. The bass
note need not belong to the chord — **D/F♯**, **F/G** and **Am/C** are common ways to
control the bass line under a familiar chord.

See also: the [modes appendix](modes.md) and the [Chords](theory.md) section.