Chords can be formed by combining multiple notes into chords. You can further manipulate their sounds to enhance or alter their ‘flavor’.
Major chords produce a bright sound and can evoke feelings of happiness and optimism, thanks to being comprised of the first, third and fifth scale degrees.
Triads
Triads are three-note chords composed of root position, first inversion and octave doublings that can be played in various ways to alter how they sound; for instance, C major triads may sound either bright or dull depending on which intervals are chosen between root and fifth notes.
Major triads consist of a perfect fifth and major third, and have high agreement among their partials, creating an enjoyable harmonic sound and making them suitable for melodies.
Songwriters use triad progressions to express emotion and structure a song. Triads can be either major or minor and have many different expressive qualities; some sound happy while others produce sounds with sad and melancholy tones; the differences are mostly determined by cultural perceptions as the quality does not change when shifting key signatures.
Major thirds
A major third refers to any two notes of a scale which are both one and a half steps higher than their respective root note; this form the building block for triads; by adding another note (like G), you create an augmented triad.
These chords are very common and sound great in lower registers where they sound mellow instead of harsh or strident, though their effect in higher registers may become harsh or grating.
As people begin learning music, they are typically instructed that major chords sound happy while minor ones seem melancholic. Unfortunately, it remains unknown whether this is due to actual physical properties of chords themselves or simply how they have been used through time; either way major chords seem happier when directly compared with minor ones; although additional factors influence mood in songs, including tempo, instrumentation, meter, rhythms and lyrics.
Perfect fifths
The perfect fifth is an interval between two notes that is more stable than any other, save for unison and octave intervals. It forms the basis of all major and minor chords; its presence determines if one sounds bright and cheerful or dark and melancholic; many songwriters use major and minor chords to stir emotions among their listeners.
Major chord triads consist of the root note, major third note and perfect fifth. For example, C major is composed of C, E and G notes; other major chords may contain other notes but must contain this characteristic three-note structure.
Major chords tend to sound happy while minor chords tend to sound sad due to how music has been utilized across cultures and some studies have even demonstrated how certain genres can alter people’s emotions.
Dominant sevenths
Dominant sevenths are one of the most frequently used chords, creating tension and dissonance within your music to add movement and interest. You’ll often find them used in blues, jazz and rock music genres.
These chords contain a minor seventh that is one semitone lower than what’s found in major triads, creating a dissonant interval and giving dominant sevenths their unique sound.
A flat seventh, as it is a tritone interval, sounds tense and dissonant, making dominant sevenths particularly suitable for blues music.
Building a seventh chord involves stacking the notes from your scale. Starting with the fifth scale degree will yield a major triad, and then progressing through major and diminished sevenths until reaching an appropriate chord sound. Each interval has its own specific sound; how you assemble these notes determines its overall sound.