Ear Training: Basic Chords

Alright, I’ve taught you about musical intervals. To review, musical intervals are sets of two notes that can be played either in succession or at the same time for musical effect. Now I think you’re all old enough to learn about a musical concept even cooler than intervals: chords.

Chords are basically three or more notes played at the same time or in succession, meant to add a sort of emotional effect to the music. For example, a major chord usually sounds happy, and a minor chord usually sounds sad or angry. A large part of a musical piece, however, depends on the order the chords are played in. I can’t really help you with that just yet: chord progressions are really up to the individual to experiment with (aka: I have no idea what chord progressions are). Also, I don’t entirely know how to use scale degrees, so I’ll be describing the chords by the intervals they use. Most musicians need this sort of ear training anyway

I’ll start with some basic chords. The tonic note of all the following chords is C, but I will tell you the invervals of each chord so that you can play them in any key. The intervals will all be from the tonic note.

If you’re a visual learner, refer to this keyboard to what each chord would look like on a piano. If you’re an aural learner (which most musicians are) then you can click on the name of each chord to hear it played on your computer speakers.



Major Chord

Tonic Note – Major Third – Perfect Fifth
E.g.: C – E – G

The major chord, as I mentioned, usually sounds happy, or at least creates a positive emotion in the listener. This is one of the first chords people learn.

Minor Chord

Tonic Note – Minor Third – Perfect Fifth
E.g.: C – Eb – G

This has a one note difference from the major chord, but sounds much sadder or angrier, depending on how it’s played.

Augmented

Tonic Note – Major Third – Minor Sixth
E.g.: C – E – G#

This chord has a harsh, scary sound to it.

Seventh

Tonic Note – Major Third – Perfect Fifth – Minor Seventh
E.g.: C – E – G – Bb

This is like a major chord with an extra note added on top.

Minor Seventh (Chord)

Tonic Note – Minor Third – Perfect Fifth – Minor Seventh
E.g.: C – Eb – G – Bb

This is a bit like the Seventh, but sadder. Try not to get the minor seventh chord confused with the minor seventh interval. Remember, a chord is made up of three or more notes, but an interval is made up of two notes.

Diminished

Tonic Note – Minor Third – Diminished Fifth – Major Sixth
E.g.: C – Eb – Gb – A

This chord sounds kind of scary, like the kind of piano chord you’d expect to see in those old black-and-white movies when the leading lady is tied to the railroad tracks and the train is coming.


Well, this has been an introduction to chords. I will add more chords in the future, but you’ll actually be using the chords listed above most often.

If you want to see what these chords look like on a piano keyboard and find out more information about them, you can use this chord finder.