Note: If you have not viewed the lesson on major scales, it is highly recommended you do so before going through this course.
What are Chords?
A Chord is simply a group of three or more notes played at the same time. There are many different chord types and combinations of notes that can create chords. In music, the most common types of chords are major and minor chords. In this chapter, we will discuss how to create and play these chords.
Major Chords
A Major chord is a combination of a Root note, (usually the lowest note of the chord), the 3rd note, and the 5th notes of the Major Scale. We call these notes the 3rd and 5th of the chord, due to their place in the major scale.
As you see in the diagram below, if we start with the note “C” as our root, the 3rd would be the note “E”, which is two whole-steps above the root. The fifth is found 1.5 steps above the note E, which is the note “G”. This combination gives us the notes of a C Major chord. Major Chords are characterized by a bright, happy sound.
When we combine the Root, 3rd and 5th notes of a major scale, we hear a major chord.
In a Major Chord, the distance between the Root and the 3rd (two whole steps) is known as a Major 3rd (M3) and the distance between the 3rd and 5th degrees (1.5 steps) is known as a Minor 3rd (m3).
Minor Chords
Like a major chord, a minor chord contains a Root, 3rd, and 5th. Unlike the major chord, the 3rd of a minor chord is lowered by one fret, giving the chord a darker, sadder sound. The 3rd of the chord (E) is lowered to an E flat, creating a C minor chord.
When we combine the Root, lowered 3rd and 5th notes of a major scale, we hear a minor chord.
Note the lowered 3rd of the minor chord. Also note that the Minor 3rd is now between the root and 3rd, while the Major 3rd is between the 3rd and 5th.
