LIST OF BASIC CHORD FORMULAS - MUSIC THEORY COURSESTable of Important Chord Formulas for Musicians, Improvisers and Composers.Colors can be used as a visual exercise to memorize the formula. Majors are red, Minor are blue and Dominants are green. An innovative system is taught at the private guitar music school in London. It introduces 4 new colors of chord tonalities, CHROMASONICS. |
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In music theory, all chords are formulated from the major scale of the root of the chord. 2 notes constitute the quality of a chord. They are divided into 3 categories MAJOR MINOR and DOMINANT. Chord Theory can be complex to understand if you don't know your Key Signatures, Cycle of 4ths and 5ths and the Formulae. When soloing or playing over changes like jazz chord progressions you have to phrase around the main notes of the chords or resolve your melodies on the arpeggio of the chord, to attain a musical pleasing effect or sound. If you replace a 3b or Natural 3rd with a 4th then the chord becomes a Sus or Sus4 Chord. Sus is short for Sustained. |
MAJOR |
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Name |
Formula |
Symbol |
| Major | 1, 3, 5 |
None or ▲ |
| Major Add Nine | 1, 3, 5, 9 |
maj/9, /9 |
| Augmented | 1, 3, #5 |
Aug, + |
| Major Sixth | 1, 3, 5, 6 |
maj6, ▲6, M6 |
| Major Seventh | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
ma7, maj7, ▲7, |
| Major Ninth | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 |
ma9, maj9, ▲9, |
| Major Thirteenth | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13 |
ma13, maj13, ▲13, |
| Major Sixth Seventh | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 |
ma67, maj67, 6 |
| Major Six Ninth | 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 |
ma69, 69, 6/9, ▲69 |
| Major Seventh Flat Five | 1, 3, b5, 7 |
ma7b5, ▲7b5, |
| Major Seventh Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7 |
ma7#5, ▲7#5, |
| Major Ninth Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b, 7, 9 |
ma9b5, ▲9b5, |
| Major Ninth Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7, 9 |
ma9#5, ▲9#5, M |
| Major Eleventh Flat Five | 1, 3, b5, 7, 9, 11 |
ma11b5, ▲11b5, |
| Major Eleventh Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7, 9, 11 |
ma11#5, ▲11#5, |
| Major Thirteenth Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b, 7, 9, 13 |
ma13b5, ▲13b5, |
| Major Thirteenth Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7, 9, 13 |
ma13#5, ▲13#5, M |
| Major Thirteenth Add Eleven | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 |
ma13/11, ma11/13, |
| Major Seventh add Eleven | 1, 3, 5, 7, 11 |
ma7/11, maj7/11, |
Form Object
MINOR |
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Name |
Formula |
Symbol |
| Minor | 1, 3b, 5 |
min, mi, m, -
|
Minor Augmented |
1, 3b, 5# |
min.aug, mi.aug, m+, -+
|
Diminished (Triad) |
1, 3b, 5b |
dim
|
| Minor Add Nine | 1, 3b, 5, 9 |
min/9, mi/9, m/9, -/9
|
Minor Sixth |
1, 3b, 5, 6
|
min6, mi6, m6, -6
|
Minor Seventh |
1, 3b, 5, 7b
|
min7, mi7, m7, -7
|
Minor Ninth |
1, 3b, 5, 7b, 9
|
min9, mi9, m9, -9
|
Minor Thirteenth |
1, 3b, 5, 7b, 9, 13
|
min13, mi13, m13, -13
|
Minor Sixth Seventh |
1, 3b, 5, 6, 7b
|
min67, mi67, m67, -67
|
Minor Six Ninth |
1, 3b, 5, 6, 9
|
min69, mi69, m6/9, m69,-69
|
Minor Major Seventh |
1, 3b, 5, 7
|
min.maj7, mi.ma7, -M
|
Minor Major Ninth |
1, 3b, 5, 7, 9
|
min.maj9, mi.ma9, -M
|
Minor Major Eleventh |
1, 3b, 5, 7, 9, 11
|
min.maj11, mi.ma11, -M
|
Minor Major Thirteenth |
1, 3b, 5, 7, 9, 13
|
min.maj13, mi.ma13, -M
|
| Dimished Seventh (Quadrad) | 1, 3b, 5b, 6 |
dim7th, dim7, o7th, o7, o |
| Half-Diminished or Minor Seventh Flat Five |
1, 3b, 5b, 7b |
min7b5, m7b5, Ø7, Ø |
| Dimished Major Seventh | 1, 3b, 5b, 7 |
dim.ma7th, dim |
| Dimished Major Ninth | 1, 3b, 5b, 7, 9 |
dim.ma9th, dim |
| Dimished Major Eleventh | 1, 3b, 5b, 7, 9, 11 |
dim.ma11th, dim |
| Dimished Major Thirteenth | 1, 3b, 5b, 7, 9, 13 |
dim.ma13th, dim |
DOMINANT |
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Name |
Formula |
Symbol |
| Seventh | 1, 3, 5, 7b |
7, 7th |
| Ninth | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9 |
9, 9th |
| Eleventh | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9, 11 |
11, 11th |
| Thirteenth | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9, 13 |
13, 13th |
| Thirteenth Add Eleventh | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9, 11, 13 |
13/11, 13th/11 |
| Seventh Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7b |
7#5, 7+ |
| Seventh Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b, 7b |
7b5 |
| Ninth Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7b, 9 |
9#5, 9+ |
| Ninth Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b, 7b, 9 |
9b5 |
| Eleventh Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7b, 9, 11 |
11#5, 11+ |
| Eleventh Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b, 7b, 9, 11 |
11#5, 11+ |
| Thirteenth Sharp Five | 1, 3, 5#, 7b, 9, 13 |
13#5, 13+ |
| Sixth Seventh | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7b |
67 |
| Seventh Sharp Nine | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9# |
7#9, 7+9 |
| Seventh Flat Nine | 1, 3, 5, 7b, 9b |
7b9 |
| Seventh Sharp Five Sharp Nine | 1, 3, 5#, 7b, 9# |
7#5#9, 7+5+9 |
| Seventh Flat Five Sharp Nine | 1, 3, 5b, 7b, 9# |
7b5#9, 7b5+9 |
| Seventh Flat Five Flat Nine | 1, 3, 5b, 7b, 9b |
7b5b9 |
BASIC TRIADS |
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Name |
Formula |
Symbol |
| Major | 1, 3, 5 |
None or ▲ |
| Minor | 1, 3b, 5 |
min, mi, m, - |
| Augmented | 1, 3, 5# |
Aug, + |
| Diminished | 1, 3b, 5b |
dim |
| Sus4, Sus | 1, 4, 5 |
sus4, sus |
| Sus2 | 1, 5, 9 |
sus2 |
| Major Flat Five | 1, 3, 5b |
majb5, mab5, ▲b5 |
| Minor Augmented | 1, 3b, 5# |
min.aug, mi.aug, m+, -+ |