Piano Diana Blog: The Essential Chords

Composer Charles Ives chose the chord above as...

The Essential Chords

Minor Chords

To make any minor chord just lower the middle note of the corresponding major chord one half-step. (This assumes that the major chord is constructed so that the root is the lowest note of the chord.)

* The Twelve Major Chords

C = CEG
Db = DbFAb
D = DF#A
Eb = EbGBb
E = EG#B
F = FAC
Gb = GbBbDb
G = GBD
Ab = Ab C Eb
A = AC#E
Bb = BbDF
B = BD#F#

* The Twelve Minor Chords

Cm = CEbG
Dbm = DbEAb
Dm = DFA
Ebm = EbGbBb
Em = EGB
Fm = FAbC
Gbm = GbADb
Gm = GBbD
Abm = AbBEb
Am = ACE
Bbm = BbDbF
Bm = BDF#

* Seventh Chords

To make any seventh chord take the corresponding major chord and add a fourth note to it. The note that you add is one whole-step (two half-steps) below the root. The seventh chord will sound better if you place this extra note at the top of the chord, leaving the root at the bottom.

This is a C seventh (C7) chord ... C E G Bb

* The Twelve Seventh Chords

C7 = CEGBb

Db7 = DbFAbB

D7 = DF#AC

Eb7 = EbGGBbDb

E7 = EG#BD

F7 = FACEb

Gb7 = GbBbDbE

G7 = GBDF

Ab7 = AbCEbGb

A7 = AC#EG

Bb7 = BbDFAb

B7 = B#D#F#A

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