Guitar Music Theory ( Part 2 )

• page 1: constructing triads
• page 2: constructing seventh chords
• page 3: tensions
• page 4: guitar chord list & shortcut
• page 5: applying music theory on guitar
• page 6: solutions to the exercises

This online music theory tutorial will teach you 2 systems to construct guitar chords

1. The first system starts from the major scale.

• Construct the major scale with the same root as the chord you want to construct (how to construct major scales).
  For example: when you want to create an Am chord, construct the A major scale : A B C# D E F# G#
• Find the notes of the major chord : 1 3 5
  In our example in the key of A this would be : A C# E
• Apply the chord formula on the major chord.
  The minor chord formula is 1 b3 5, so the 3rd of the major chord has to be lowered with a half step : A C E

2. The second system involves some memorization and will be explained later in the tutorial.

Now we know how to make chords with 3 different notes, but what about chords with 4 or more notes? Chords with 4 different notes are called seventh chords and are used a lot in jazz and some kinds of pop music. Let's have a look at how to construct seventh chords:

We'll begin with the C major scale again:

C Major Scale	C D E F G A B
	1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Seventh chords are made the same way as triads : by stacking 3rds on top of the root.
Triads were constructed by stacking 2 thirds, seventh chords are constructed with 3 thirds.

Let's try to construct a chord on the 1 of the C major scale :

C E G B

1 3 5 7

This results in a C major 7 chord (Cmaj7). C to E makes a major third, E to G a minor third and G to B a major third : this structure is typical for major 7 chords.
Chord formula for major 7 chords: 1 3 5 7

The 2nd note of the C major scale :

D F A C

1 b3 5 b7

This results in a D minor chord (Dmin7). D to F makes a minor third, F to A a major third and A to C a minor third : this structure is typical for minor 7 chords.
Chord formula for minor 7 chords: 1 b3 5 b7

Let's jump to the 5th note of the C major scale :

G B D F

1 3 5 b7

This results in a G dominant 7 chord (G7). G to B makes a major third, B to D a minor third and D to F a minor third: this structure is typical for dominant 7 chords.
chord formula for dominant 7 chords: 1 3 5 b7

Let's do it on the 7th note of the scale:

B D F A

1 b3 b5 b7

This results in a B half diminished chord (Bm7b5). B to D makes a minor third, D to F a minor third and F to A a major third: this structure is typical for half diminished chords.
Chord formula for half diminished 7 chords: 1 b3 b5 b7

Here's the list with all the seventh chords of the C major scale: :

	Notes	Formula	Chord Name	Symbol
1	C E G B	1 3 5 7	C major 7	Cmaj7
2	D F A C	1 b3 5 b7	D minor 7	Dm7 or D-7 or Dmin7
3	E G B D	1 b3 5 b7	E minor 7	Em7 or E-7 or Emin7
4	F A C E	1 3 5 7	F major 7	Fmaj7
5	G B D F	1 3 5 b7	G dominant	G7
6	A C E G	1 b3 5 b7	A minor 7	Am7 or A-7 or Amin7
7	B D F A	1 b3 b5 b7	B half diminished	Bm7b5 or Bmin7b5