Major chords

A chord is three or more notes played together. The MAJOR CHORD is the most common chord in music — the bright, happy one.

Recipe: take the root (the note the chord is named after), go up a major 3rd (4 semitones), then a minor 3rd more (3 semitones). The three notes are called root, 3rd and 5th.

C major = C, E, G. Written on lead sheets as just "C".

Learn each chord as a hand shape AND as its recipe — the shape for speed, the recipe so you can build any chord from any root.

root + 4 + 3 semitones = 1 · 3 · 5

C major: C–E–G.

Practise this in the trainer — it opens with this lesson the first time the concept comes up.