IV. Four-Note Chords
These are divided into two parts.A. The essential chords derived from harmonizing the major scale.
Quality |
Notes |
Example |
| Major | 1 3 5 7 (also described as "major-major)" | Cmaj7 |
| Minor 7 | 1 b3 5 b7 ("minor-minor") | Cmi7 |
| Dominant 7 | 1 3 5 b7 ("major-minor" or "seventh") | C7 |
| Minor 7b5 | 1 b3 b5 b7 ("half-diminished") | Cdim |
B. Other chords derived from the preceding essentials by substituting different notes:
| Diminished 7 | 1 b3 b5 bb7 ("fully diminished") | Cdim7 |
| Dominant 7 sus 4 | 1 2 4 b7 | C7sus4 |
| Major 6 | 1 3 5 6 | C6 |
| Minor 6 | 1 b3 5 6 (3rd is minor, 6th is always major) | Cmin6 |
| Major add 9 | 1 3 5 9 | Cadd9 |
| Minor add 9 | 1 b3 5 9 | Cmin(add9) |
| Minor major 7 | 1 b3 5 7 | Cmi(maj7) |
| Augmented 7 | 1 3 #5 b7 (really a dominant 7 #5 chord) | C+7, C7#5 |
Spell all the above chords from various roots and find two guitar voicings for each. Start with the major scale to find the pitches.