So … major chords are easy to play. They’re all built from a basic note pattern of “1-3-5” … and each one has a nice, strong sound that goes well with most songs. But the truth is, the major chord isn’t our only option. Because, really, it’s just one of four basic chords in music:
In the key of C, for example, these basic chords include the:
- C major triad
- C minor triad
- C augmented triad
- C diminished triad
Like four superheroes—each with its own special powers—these chords show up in all sorts of music. The major triad and minor triad are definitely the leaders of the pack … while the augmented and diminished triads are used a little less often. As you play each of these chords, notice how they’re all really similar to the major chord. The only difference is in the way we play note 3 and note 5:
The intervals in each chord are what make them sound unique. For example, the major triad sounds the most stable or “consonant” because it includes a major-third (3) and perfect fifth (5)—which are both at strong intervals from the root note (1). The minor triad sounds a little less stable because of its minor-third note (b3). This sad, melancholy sound makes it a little less popular than the happy-sounding major triad.
The augmented triad sounds even more unstable (or “dissonant”) because of its augmented (or raised) fifth note (#5). So it’s even less popular than the minor triad. And with its minor-third note (b3) and diminished fifth (b5), the diminished triad is probably the least popular … because it sounds very dissonant.
To tell each chord apart, musicians label them with special little symbols … like this:
Basically, the major chord is so popular that it simply goes by the letter name of its root note. (For example, the C major chord is labeled “C.”) And the other chords are given symbols that mean “minor” (-), “augmented” (+), and “diminished” (o).
As you start to play different songs in music, you’ll also notice that—for some weird reason—there isn’t a standard set of chord symbols. So you might see a few different labels from time to time. For example, check out the following chord labels. Each one is pretty common … but they all mean the same thing:
No matter which labels we use, these basic triads are good to know. And because the major and minor chords are especially popular in music, let’s get a really nice feel for each one, shall we? As you practice hitting these chords in each key, your brain will definitely get smarter … and your hands will, too. By learning to move between these different chords, we’re totally setting ourselves up for greatness.
