Here's a list of some of the most common chords found in music today. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are hundred's more to choose from. Ted Greene's "Chord Chemistry" book of chord inversions could keep you busy for years! But this is a good start. The 3rd column is the numbers used to make the chord, and they come from the major scale. For example, the major chord has the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the scale in it. Keep in mind, these notes don't have to be in the order listed below. Arranging the numbers differently just gives you a different inversion of the same chord. Also, when you get into the extended chords, with 4 or more notes, you don't always have to play all the notes. Have Fun!

Here's an example of the notes in the C major scale: After the first seven, the sequence just repeats, so a 13th, for example, is 7 notes, plus 6, or the same note as the 6th. An 11th is the same note as the 4th, (7 + 4), and so on.

C major scale =...... C......D.......E.......F.......G.......A.......B.......C......D......E........F.....etc. numerical position : 1st ..2nd....3rd.....4th.....5th.....6th.....7th.....8th....9th....10th....11th

Chord Name

Major
Major 7th
Major 9th
Major 11th
Major 13th
Minor
Minor 7th
Minor 6th
Minor 9th
Minor 11th
Minor 13th
Augumented
Diminished
Diminished 7th
Half Diminished
Fifth
Sixth
Seventh
Ninth
Suspended Fourth

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abbreviation

(no abbrev)
maj7
maj9
maj11
maj13
m
m7
m6
m9
m11
m13
aug or +
dim
dim7
m7b5
5
6
7
9
sus4

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Notes used to form chord

1, 3, 5
1, 3, 5, 7
1, 3, 5, 7, 9
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
1, b3, 5
1, b3, 5, b7
1, b3, 5, 6
1, b3, 5, b7, 9
1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 11
1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 11, 13
1, 3, #5
1, b3, b5
1, b3, b5, 6
1, b3, b5, b7
1, 5
1, 3, 5, 6
1, 3, 5, b7
1, 3, 5, b7, 9
1, 4, 5

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