To play a major chord on keyboard, three basic notes are required: root note, major third and fifth note. Minor chords contain the same notes but with their third reduced by half step compared to major chords.
Are You Wanting to Form a D Major Chord? Simply count up four half steps from D, which gives you F-sharp.
Root
Root notes of chords define their names and are the basis upon which other notes can be stacked. For instance, C major chord is C-E-G; its first two notes always lie four half-steps apart which represents a major third chord; similarly used when creating other types of chords such as minor or diminished.
Major chords have an upbeat and powerful sound that also has somber and melancholic associations in certain cultures. Their formation involves the combination of three components – root, major third, and perfect fifth – which produce this harmonic structure.
An easy way to remember the roots of major triads is to imagine them as stacks of thirds, with the lowest note acting as its root. To locate this note, move four half-steps up the scale: F, A (right below G) and finally three additional white keys up until reaching C – this will bring up its root note.
Third
A major third chord will typically consist of the note which corresponds to the third tone in its scale – for C, that would be E. This three-note grouping, called a triad, can be found across all major keys; named according to their root note (which corresponds with lowest note) third note middle note and fifth note (highest note in scale) will give each chord its distinctive sound; major thirds typically are four semitones higher than root while perfect fifths rise seven half steps from root.
To create a major triad on the keyboard, all it takes is counting half steps between any two notes that are immediately adjacent, including white keys as well as black ones. This system makes chord-building possible in any key on piano.
Fifth
A fifth chord adds fullness and richness to a major triad. This note typically falls a perfect fifth above its root in the scale, though it can also be diminished or augmented accordingly.
Kool and the Gang’s classic track “Celebration” provides an excellent illustration of how simple chord structures can convey powerful feelings from joy to sorrow. Beginning with C major chord, then moving through G major and finally to A major, maintaining its positive atmosphere until finally adding in an E minor chord for depth and contrast.
Minor chords are constructed similarly to major ones, with the third note shifting down by half step. To convert from major to minor chord, simply flatten out its third note – like this.
Minor
An understanding of minor chord shapes will broaden your musical vocabulary, expand your interpretation of songs and advance improvisational abilities. Plus, they allow access to more notes and intervals in chords for fuller sounding chords.
To form a minor chord, begin by playing its root note and adding its third and fifth notes from the minor scale – like in major chords except that their third note should be reduced by half step for added sound realism.
There are also “sus” chords where the third is replaced by either a second or fourth note, such as Csus2 and Csus4. These chords are written using Roman numerals; Csus2 would be Cm2, while Csus4 is Cm4. Minor seventh chords (Cm7) combine major and minor triads into a single chord with additional notes from a major seventh – still remaining minor chords but featuring this additional dimension of sound.