OPEN CHORDS
You need to have an understanding of scales, degrees and intervals before you try to understand chords. You may memorize the shapes and fingering of chords but you will not understand them unless you know the major scale.
Fingering
Before you can fret a chord you need to know what fingers to use. This diagram shows the standard finger numbering system used in most chord charts. "T" is your thumb, "1" is your index finger, "2" is your middle finger, "3" is your ring finger and "4" is your pinky. The numbers below each chord diagram corespond with the numbered fingers to tell you which finger to fret the string with.
These are the chords of C major
The chord names are shown here in order.
CHORD NAME: C, Dm, Em, F, G7, Am, Bdim, C,
CHORD TYPE: I, ii, iii, IV, V7, vi, vii, I,
Notice that the upper case Roman numbers
represent major chords while the lower case
ones represent minor chords.
C major is the first chord in the key of C. It is built on the C major scale and its' degrees are 1, 3, 5, 1 or C, E, G, C. The intervals are four half steps (C-E) and three half steps (E-G).
D minor is the second chord in the key of C. Its' degrees are 2, 4, 6 or D, F, A. The intervals have changed for this chord. Three half steps (D-F) and four half steps (F-A). Notice how all the notes in this chord are still selected from the notes in the C major scale.
E minor is the next chord. Building on the third degree of the C major scale, it is made up of a diferent notes than the first two chords but sharing the same intervals as the second chord. Starting on the third note of the C major scale the degrees are 3, 5, 7; the notes are E, G, B; and the intervals are three half steps (E-G) and and four half steps (G-B).
Try to see the changes in the intervals of the remaining chords? How many half steps apart are they? F, A, C, or 4, 6, 1 make up F major.
This is an interesting chord with an added twist. The last note of this chord comes in right behind the first note. G, B, D, and F, or 5, 7, 2, 4.
A, C, E or 6, 1, and 3.
This is the chord that is unique from all the others. It has no major third because all but one of its notes are three half steps apart. B, D, F, A, or 7, 2, 4, and 6.
C major is the first chord in the key of C. It is built on the C major scale and its' degrees are 1, 3, 5, 1 or C, E, G, C. The intervals are four half steps (C-E) and three half steps (E-G).
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