Chords
A chord is a combination of three or more notes sounded together.
Chords are built by stacking intervals (usually in thirds).
Basic chord types include major, minor, diminished,
and augmented.
Bass Tip: You won’t often strum chords on bass, but understanding chord structures
is crucial for targeting chord tones in your lines.
Introduction to Chords
Chords form the harmony in music. A triad is the simplest chord (three notes),
and a seventh chord adds another third on top (four notes).
Triads: Major, minor, diminished, augmented.
Seventh chords: Dominant 7th, major 7th, minor 7th, half-diminished, fully diminished, etc.
Triad Inversion
Inversion means a chord tone other than the root is in the bass.
- Root position: Root is lowest.
- First inversion: Third is lowest.
- Second inversion: Fifth is lowest.
Bass Tip: Using inversions can create smoother bass lines as you move from chord to chord.
Seventh Chords
Seventh chords stack four notes: root, third, fifth, and seventh.
The quality of the 3rd, 5th, and 7th define the chord type.
- Major 7th (M7): Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, major 7th.
- Dominant 7th (7): Root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th.
- Minor 7th (m7): Root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th.
- Half-Diminished 7th (m7♭5): Root, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, minor 7th.
More Seventh Chords
Additional seventh chords include fully diminished and augmented variations.
- Fully Diminished 7th (dim7): Root, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, diminished 7th.
- Augmented Major 7th (M7#5): Root, major 3rd, augmented 5th, major 7th.
- Augmented 7th (7#5): Root, major 3rd, augmented 5th, minor 7th.
Bass Tip: These chords appear often in jazz, fusion, and some rock contexts.
Seventh Chord Inversion
Seventh chords have three inversions beyond root position:
- First inversion: 3rd in the bass.
- Second inversion: 5th in the bass.
- Third inversion: 7th in the bass.
Bass Tip: In jazz, playing a chord’s 3rd or 7th in the bass can add color and smooth voice leading.