Chord reference
Major triad
1 – 3 – 5 · example: C = C – E – G
A major third with a minor third stacked on top. The default, brightest triad.
Written as a formula it is 1 – 3 – 5: the degrees of the major scale it keeps, with any that are altered marked. On C that gives C = C, E, G.
How it is built
- Gthird
- Emajor
- Croot
The intervals above the root
| Chord tone | Interval above the root | Semitones | Note in C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perfect unison | 0 | C |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | E |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G |
Inversions
The same notes can be stacked in any vertical order. The chord keeps its name; what changes is which note is in the bass. See chord inversions for why that matters.
| Position | Notes | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | C – E – G | C |
| First inversion | E – G – C | C/E |
| Second inversion | G – C – E | C/G |
This chord on every root
| Root | Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | C | C – E – G |
| D♭ | D♭ | D♭ – F – A♭ |
| D | D | D – F♯ – A |
| E♭ | E♭ | E♭ – G – B♭ |
| E | E | E – G♯ – B |
| F | F | F – A – C |
| F♯ | F♯ | F♯ – A♯ – C♯ |
| G | G | G – B – D |
| A♭ | A♭ | A♭ – C – E♭ |
| A | A | A – C♯ – E |
| B♭ | B♭ | B♭ – D – F |
| B | B | B – D♯ – F♯ |