Chord

 Toolbox    
Foundational  Triads  and  4-­‐note  chords  
 
Chord  –  three  or  more  notes  that  are  intended  to  be  heard  simultaneously.  
 
What  makes  a  chord  unique?  
1. The  number  of  notes  
2. The  distance  between  the  notes  
 
Interval  –  the  distance  between  two  notes  in  music.  
 
Half  step  –  the  distance  from  one  note  to  the  very  next  note  (whether  white  or  black  on  the  
piano).  The  half  step  is  the  unit  of  measurement  we  use  to  determine  the  size  of  intervals.  
 
Important  intervals  
Major  2nd  –  2  half  steps  
Minor  3rd  –  3  half  steps  
Major  3rd  –  4  half  steps  
Perfect  4th  –  5  half  steps  
 
Triads  –  3  note  chords.  There  are  four  primary  triads  and  one  special  one.  
 
Primary  triads  
  Bottom  interval   Top  interval  
Major     Major  3  
rd Minor  3rd  
Minor   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd  
Diminished   Minor  3  
rd Minor  3rd  
Augmented   Major  3rd   Major  3rd  
Suspended   Perfect  4  
th Major  2nd  
 
4-­‐note  chords  –  a  triad  plus  one  extra  note  (either  a  7th  or  a  6th)  
 
Important  intervals  for  4-­‐note  chords  
Major  7th  –  an  octave  minus  1  half  step  
Minor  7th  –  an  octave  minus  2  half  steps  
Major  6th/Diminished  7th  –  an  octave  minus  3  half  steps  
   
Important  4-­‐note  Chords  
 
  Bottom   Middle     Top     Alternate  way  
interval   interval   interval   to  build  

Major  7th   Major  3rd   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd   Add  a  major  7th  
to  a  major  triad  

Minor  7th   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd   Minor  3rd   Add  a  minor  7th  
to  a  minor  triad  

Dominant   Major  3rd   Minor  3rd   Minor  3rd   Add  a  minor  7th  
to  a  major  triad  

Full  diminished   Minor  3rd   Minor  3rd   Minor  3rd   Add  a  

diminished  7th  
to  a  diminished  
triad  

Half  diminished   Minor  3rd   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd   Add  a  minor  7th  
to  a  diminished  
triad  

Major  6   Major  3rd   Minor  3rd   Major  2nd   Add  a  major  6th  
to  a  major  triad  

Minor  6   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd   Major  2nd   Add  a  major  6th  
to  a  minor  triad  

Suspended     Perfect  4th   Major  2nd   Minor  3rd   Add  a  minor  7th  
dominant   to  a  suspended  
triad  

Minor  Major  7th   Minor  3rd   Major  3rd   Major  3rd   Add  a  major  7th  
to  a  minor  triad  

Augmented  7th   Major  3rd   Major  3rd   Major  2nd   Add  a  minor  7th  
to  a  augmented  
triad  

 
 Chord Toolbox - Part 1
Worksheet 1

4
Identify these intervals

&4 ww # ww ww b ww

& # # ww # ww ww b ww

& b ww b ww # ww
ww

Build the requested interval above the given note

& w w w
w
Major 3rd Perfect 4th Major 2nd Minor 3rd

& w bw #w
#w
Minor 3rd Major 3rd Perfect 4th Minor 3rd

& w #w w
w
Major 3rd Perfect 4th Minor 3rd Major 2nd

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.
 Chord Tool Box - Part 1
Worksheet 1 Answer Key

4
Identify these intervals

&4 ww # ww ww b ww
Minor 3rd Major 3rd Minor 3rd perfect 4th

& # # ww # ww ww b ww
Major 3rd Major 2nd Perfect 4th Minor 3rd

& b ww b ww # ww
ww
Major 3rd Minor 3rd Major 2nd Major 2nd

Build the requested interval above the given note

ww ww ww
& b ww
Major 3rd Perfect 4th Major 2nd Minor 3rd

ww b b ww # # ww
& # ww
Minor 3rd Major 3rd Perfect 4th Minor 3rd

& # ww # # ww ww
ww
Major 3rd Perfect 4th Minor 3rd Major 2nd

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.
 Chord Toolbox - Part 1
Worksheet 2

4
Identify these chords
b ww b www
&4 www # www w

& # # # www # www www b b www

www
& b www b www b b www

Build the requested triads above the given note

& w w w
w
Major Diminished Minor Augmented

& w bw #w
#w
Minor Major Suspended Minor

& w w w
w
Diminished Augmented Minor Diminished

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.
 Chord Toolbox - Part 1
Worksheet 2 Answer Key

4
Identify these chords
b ww b www
&4 www # www w
Minor Major Diminished Suspended

& # # # www # www www b b www

Major Augmented Suspended Diminished

www
& b www b www b b www
Augmented Minor Major Suspended

Build the requested triads above the given note

ww ww www
& w w # ww
w
Major Diminished Minor Augmented

b www w # # # www
& b ww # # www
Minor Major Suspended Minor

b ww # www b ww
& w # ww w
w
Diminished Augmented Minor Diminished

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.
 Chord Toolbox - Part 1
Worksheet 3

4
Identify these chords
ww w
&4 b b wwww # wwww ww b www

& wwww # wwww # # wwww b b wwww

w w b www
& b b b www # www bw
b b b www w

Build the requested chords above the given note

& w w w
w
Major 7th Dominant Half Diminished Minor 6

& w bw w
w
Minor Major 7th Minor 7th Augmented 7th Major 6

& w w w
w
Full Diminished Major 7th Half Diminished Suspended Dominant

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.
 Chord Toolbox - Part 1
Worksheet 3 Answer Key

4
Identify these chords
ww w
&4 b b wwww # wwww ww b www
Full Diminished Dominant Major 7th Minor Major 7th

& wwww # wwww # # wwww b b wwww

Minor 6 Augmented 7th Major 6 Half Diminished

w w b www
& b b b www # www bw
b b b www w

Major 7th Dominant Minor 7th Suspended Dominant

# # wwww
Build the requested chords above the given note
# ww
ww b wwww
& b wwww
Major 7th Dominant Half Diminished Minor 6

b wwww b bb wwww # b wwww # wwww

&
Minor Major 7th Minor 7th Augmented 7th Major 6

b b www ww wwww
& w # # wwww ww

Full Diminished Major 7th Half Diminished Suspended Dominant

©2014 Greg Howlett Productions. All rights reserved. More information at www.greghowlett.com.