Forming of chords

A combination of notes can have many chord names. When the root note is not the lowest note the chord must be an inversion. Which name to use for the chord depends which note you select as the root note, also what is the key and chord progression of the piece.

Scale notes 9, 11, 13 are same notes as 2, 4, 6 but an octave higher. In chord inversions these notes can be intermixed.

The 5th note can be dropped out from the chord (so can the root).

Chord Symbol Scale notes

Comments

Two note "chords" aren't really chords.

X5

1, 5

Power Chord

Three note chords

X

1, 3, 5

basic major triad

Xm

1, b3, 5

basic minor triad

Xdim

1, b3, b5

Xsus2

1, 2, 5

Xsus4

1, 4, 5

= Xsus

X+5

1, 3, #5

Xb5

1, 3, b5

Xsus2+5

1, 2, #5

Xsus4+5

1, 4, #5

Chords with the 6th

X6

1, 3, 5, 6

Xm6

1, b3, 5, 6

X6sus2

1, 2, 5, 6

X6sus4

1, 4, 5, 6

X6add9

1, 3, 5, 6, 9

X6add7add9

1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9

Xmaj9(13), 6=13!

Xm6add9

1, b3, 5, 6, 9

Chords with the 7th

X7

1, 3, 5, b7

Xm7

1, b3, 5, b7

Xmaj7

1, 3, 5, 7

Xm-maj7

1, b3, 5, 7

Xdim7

1, b3, b5, bb7

=1, b3, b5, 6

X7sus2

1, 2, 5, b7

X7sus4

1, 4, 5, b7

=X7sus

X7sus6

1, 3, 6, b7

Xmaj7sus2

1, 2, 5, 7

Xmaj7sus4

1, 4, 5, 7

Xmaj7sus6

1, 3, 6, 7

X7add6

1, 3, 5, 6, b7

X7#5

1,3, #5, b7

X7b5

1,3, b5, b7

X7#9

1, 3, 5, b7, #9

X7b9

1, 3, 5, b7, b9

X7b5b9

1, 3, b5, b7, b9

X7b5#9

1, 3, b5, b7, #9

X7#5b9

1, 3, #5, b7, b9

X7#5#9

1, 3, #5, b7, #9

X7add11

1, 3, 5, b7, 11

X7#11

1, 3, 5, b7, #11

X7add13

1, 3, 5, b7, 13

Xmaj7b5

1, 3, b5, 7

Xmaj7#5

1, 3, #5, 7

Xmaj7#11

1, 3, 5, 7, #11

Xmaj7(13)

1, 3, 5, 7, 13

Xm7b5

1, b3, b5, b7

(=Xhalf-dim7)

Xm7b9

1, b3, 5, b7, b9

Xm7add11

1, b3, 5, b7, 11

Xm7add13

1, b3, 5, b7, 13

Xm-maj7add11

1, b3, 5, 7, 11

Xm-maj7add13

1, b3, 5, 7, 13

Chords with the 9th

X9

1, 3, 5, b7, 9

Xm9

1, b3, 5, b7, 9

Xmaj9

1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Xm9-maj7

1, b3, 5, 7, 9

X9sus2

1, 2, 5, b7, 9

Note! 9 = 2

X9sus4

1, 4, 5, b7, 9

X9sus6

1, 3, 6, b7, 9

Xmaj9sus2

1, 2, 5, 7, 9

Note! 9 = 2

Xmaj9sus4

1, 4, 5, 7, 9

Xmaj9sus6

1, 3, 6, 7, 9

Xadd9

1, 3, 5, 9

X9b5

1, 3, b5, b7, 9

X9#5

1, 3, #5, b7, 9

X9#11

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, #11

X9b13

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, b13

Xmaj9#5

1, 3, #5, 7, 9

Xmaj9#11

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, #11

Xm-Add9

1, b3, 5, 9

Xm9b5

1, b3, b5, b7, 9

Chords with the 11th

X11

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11

Xm11

1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 11

Xmaj11

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

Xm-maj11

1, b3, 5, 7, 9, 11

X11sus2

1, 2, 5, b7, 9, 11

9 = 2

X11sus4

1, 4, 5, b7, 9, 11

11=4

X11sus6

1, 3, 6, b7, 9, 11

Xmaj11sus2

1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11

9 = 2

Xmaj11sus4

1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

11=4

Xmaj11sus6

1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11

X11-

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, b11

X11+

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, #11

X11b9

1, 3, 5, b7, b9, 11

Chords with the 13th

X13

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 13

Xm13

1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 13

Xmaj13

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13

Xm-maj13

1, b3, 5, 7, 9, 13

X13sus2

1, 2, 5, b7, 9, 13

Note! 9 = 2

X13sus4

1, 4, 5, b7, 9, 13

X13sus6

1, 3, 6, b7, 9, 13

Note! 13=6

Xmaj13sus2

1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 13

Xmaj13sus4

1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13

Xmaj13sus6

1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13

Note! 13=6

X13b5

1, 3, b5, b7, 9, 13

X13b9

1, 3, 5, b7, b9, 13

X13b5b9

1, 3, b5, b7, b9, 13

 


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