What Are Chords in Music? Understanding Chord Types, Qualities & Notation

Understanding Chords in Music

Table of Contents

• What Are Chords?
• Chord Qualities
• Chord Names and Notation
• Chord Types
• Helpful Tools for Learning Chords

What Are Chords?

A chord is a group of musical notes played together that sound good in harmony. These notes come from a musical scale, and different types of chords produce different emotional effects. For example:

• Major chords = bright, happy
• Minor chords = dark, sad
• Diminished chords = tense, dramatic

Chords are built around a main note called the root note. So, a C chord is built with C as the root. Most chords are made up of three or more notes — called triads. The specific intervals between the notes determine the quality of the chord.

Chord Qualities

Before diving into types of chords, it’s important to understand the qualities that make chords sound the way they do:

Tone

Major chords feel bright and joyful. Minor chords feel darker or more emotional. This emotional tone comes from how the notes are spaced (the intervals).

Intervals

Intervals are the distances between notes. They determine the chord’s mood and type — whether it’s major, minor, diminished, or augmented.

Consonance vs. Dissonance

Consonant chords sound stable and pleasant. Dissonant chords feel unresolved and tense, often creating the need for resolution in your music.

Resolution

Resolution is the return to a stable chord, often the tonic or root chord. This is what gives a chord progression a satisfying ending or rest point.

Chord Names and Notation

Chords are named using two elements: the root note and the chord quality (like major, minor, diminished, etc.).

Chord Notations

Musicians use chord symbols to quickly read and write chords. Here are some examples:

• C major 7th = Cmaj7
• C minor 7th = Cm7
• C diminished = C° or Cdim
• C augmented = C+ or Caug

Chord Types

There are three practical chord types you should know:

1. Triads

Triads have three notes and come in these forms: major, minor, diminished, augmented, or suspended. Changing one note changes the chord quality.

2. Seventh Chords

Seventh chords add one more note on top of the triad — the seventh scale degree. This adds depth and emotion. Common types: major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th.

3. Extended Chords

Extended chords build on sevenths by adding the 9th, 11th, or 13th scale degrees. They sound richer and are common in jazz and more complex progressions.

Helpful Tools for Learning Chords

If you're learning chords on piano or guitar, check out these tools to speed up your progress:

• Music Theory Simplified (Book) – Step-by-step music theory explained for beginners.
• Music Theory Cheat Sheet Poster – A handy reference guide to hang in your practice space.
• Music Theory Bundle – Includes the book, cheat sheets, and more.

Want to keep learning?

• How Piano Scales Work
• Note Names Explained
• Whole and Half Steps Explained