Major chords should be at the core of every musician’s repertoire; whether just starting out or an experienced musician alike. Major chords are commonly found in songs.
Chord charts typically consist of dots with numbers on them that represent which fret and finger should play which chord. You may also encounter symbols with an “X” or an “O”, signifying to skip over any string altogether.
Major Scale
The Major Scale is at the core of Western harmony and learning to play it will make your chords much more harmonious. Furthermore, knowing it well will enable improvising or understanding solos played by other artists.
Every major scale possesses a set of whole and half steps that repeats from its tonic note to higher octaves, adding one whole step at each repetition. This pattern produces a four note scale segment called tetrachords which then connect with another similar one that continues this same sequence of whole and half steps.
All major scales are named for their starting note, known as the keynote. For instance, in example 6-3 middle C is both its starting and finishing note – hence it always sounds the same regardless of key signature or spelling with sharps or flats.
Major Triad
The major triad is an iconic chord in Western music, comprising of only three notes yet being powerful and full of creative potential. Repetition of its root, third, and fifth can create basslines with unlimited potential, while rhythmic options exist when placing these notes within beats.
The quality of a chord is determined by its interval between third and fifth; major triads have major thirds while minor ones feature minor thirds.
Triads may be arranged in various vertical arrangements, each one bearing its own name and sound. Triads with their roots in the bass are known as root position; first inversion is comprised of three inversions that involve placing one third and fifth thirds respectively into the bass; while fifths may form second inversions – each has its own sound and function that should be familiarized for basslines you play later.
Minor Triad
Minor triads are essential chords in all styles and keys of music, being used to create interesting and distinctive sonorities as well as being used for advanced harmony or improvisatory techniques.
This diagram depicts four inversions of R 5 b3, the initial chord being R 5 b3; its second and third inversions both being R 5 b3, followed by its final inversion being R 5 b3.
Triad quality is determined by the note intervals between its root, third, and fifth notes – these could be either major, minor, diminished or augmented depending on what chord type is being played.
When creating triads, if the root note comes from a major scale then its chord will be major; otherwise if its root comes from minor scale then its chord will be minor – an essential point to keep in mind when creating chords.
Minor Scale
Minor scale is essential as it gives us another set of chords and scales to build upon, as well as having darker and more melancholic sounds than major. There are three distinct versions: natural harmonic and melodic.
Melodic minor is an ascending scale based on the same interval pattern of major scales but with three degrees reduced by half step at each scale degree: third, sixth and seventh scale degrees are reduced. This creates a unique ascending pattern unique to melodic minor.
Every major key has an equivalent in the minor scale. To identify it, start from its tonic note (the tonic), count down three semitones (commonly known as minor thirds), and subtract the appropriate relative minor key – for instance G major has one sharp in it so its relative minor is A minor – this method makes counting easier since counting steps requires you to remember whole steps instead of increments of whole steps at first.