The chords of a key
Build a triad on every note of the scale.
Lesson 2 of 5
Start the same shape (a note, skip one, a note, skip one, a note) on each note of the scale and you get a family of seven chords that all belong to the key.
Seven chords in C major
One chord on every degree, low to high.
| 1C6 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7B5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6A5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5G5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4F5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3E5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2D5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1C5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7B4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6A4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5G4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4F4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3E4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2D4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1C4 |
Listen for the difference: the chords on 1, 4 and 5 sound bright, they are major; the ones on 2, 3 and 6 sound softer, they are minor. The chord on 7 is tense and unstable (diminished) and is used less often.
Musicians name these chords with Roman numerals: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii°. Capitals are major, small letters are minor.