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Guitar Chord Formulas


Learn Simple Formulas To Build Any Chord

Have you ever needed to know how to play a particular chord but didn’t have a chord chart handy? Solving this common problem can be as simple as learning the formulas for building the different chord types. Here are some basic tips for getting started:

1. Learn The Chromatic Scale

This is the grandmother of all scales. It contains all 12 of the notes used to form any scale or chord. It is important to note that the interval or space between each note of the Chromatic Scale (or between each fret on the guitar) is called a half step. An interval of two half steps is then logically called a whole step.

Example: the Chromatic Scale starting on the note A:

A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#

Example: the Chromatic Scale starting on the note C#:

C#, D, D#, E, F, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B

Note: The notes B# and E# do not exist as part of any scale or chord which is why they do not appear above. Also, scales only utilize the letters A through G before repeating.

2. Learn The Common Diatonic Scale Formulas

Each chord is derived from its Diatonic Scale which comes from a specific combination of notes using both half step and full step intervals from the Chromatic Scale.

Major (Diatonic) Scales, for example, are comprised of only 7 notes out of the 12 Chromatics. The first note of the scale, called the root note, gives the scale its letter name A,B,C etc. The formula for deciding which 6 notes to play after the root note is where a scale gets the second part of its name; major, minor, etc.

The Major Diatonic Scale Formula

Pick any note of the Chromatic Scale as the 1st note then jump to the 3rd , 5th , 6th , 8th , 10th , 12th notes from that point. These notes will form the seven notes of the Major Scale with the same letter name as the 1st or root note. If the first note is a C# then this formula will generate the 7 notes of the C# Major scale. If the root is a G note then a G Major Scale is created and so on.

An example of the A Major Scale derived from the Chromatic Scale:
     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A" Chromatic

Scale

 

 

Major Scale

Formula

 

 

"A" Major

Scale

    
1 A

1st Note

A
2 A#

 

 
3 B

3rd Note

B
4 C*

 

 
5 C#

5th Note

C#
6 D

6th Note

D
7 D#

 

 
8 E

8th Note

E
9 F*

 

 
10 F#

10th Note

F#
11 G

 

 
12 G#

12th Note

G#
 

 

3. Learn How A Chord Is Derived From Its Diatonic Scale

We have already established that a Diatonic Scale comes from a specific combination of some of the notes its Chromatic Scale. In a similar fashion, a Chord is derived from a portion of the notes found in its Diatonic Scale. The chart below illustrates how one type of Diatonic Scale, the Major Scale, is used to produce a Major Chord.

The Major (Diatonic) Chord Formula

A Simple Major Chord is comprised of the 1st (the root), 3rd and 5th notes of a Major Scale. Take a look below at how an A Major Chord is formed from its A Major Scale.
     
   

 

“A” Major

Scale Notes

  

 

Major Chord Formula

 

"A" Major

Chord Notes

    
A 1st Note A
B    
C# 3rd Note C#
D    
E 5th Note E
F#    
G#    
     

 

Simultaneously play any combination the notes A,C# and E from any combination of strings on a guitar and you will hear an A Major Chord.

 

4. Learn Chords Variations

Obviously there are many variations of the straight Major Chords. There are 6th, 7th, 9th, 13th, maj 7th, maj 9th, maj 11th, diminished, augmented, suspended… and many, many more. And we haven’t even started on the minor Chord varieties.

It may not be practical or even necessary for you to memorize every possible chord variation. This may be true even if you plan to be a top notch Jazz Guitarist. Concentrate instead on the common chords that you see in the music that you are playing currently.

If a song calls for a C7 chord, don’t just look it up in a chord chart but also look up the formula for calculating the other 11 chords in that family. The Chord Formulas Charts below should serve as a useful reference towards that goal.

Study the charts below and gradually your toolbox will be filled with many memorized chords and formulas as well as the greater understanding that comes from knowing how to build them.

 
          MAJOR CHORD FORMULAS:  This Example Is In The Key Of "C"
 

Major Chord Type

 

Formulas

(From Major Scale)

 

Notes In Chord

  
  C5     1,5      C,G
  C     1,3,5      C,E,G
  C6     1,3,5,6      C,E,G,A
  C69     1,3,5,6,9      C,E,G,A,D
  C Major 7     1,3,5,7      C,E,G,B
  C Major 7b5     1,3,b5,7      C,E,Gb,B
  C Major 7#11     1,3,5,7,#11      C,E,G,B,F#
  C Major 9     1,3,5,7,9      C,E,G,B,D
  C Major 9b5     1,3,b5,7,9      C,E,Gb,B,D
  C Major 7 add 13     1,3,5,7,13      C,E,G,B,A

  C Major 7 add 13 add 9

 

     1,3,5,7,9,13      C,E,G,B,D,A

 

Note: The b (flat) sign before a number means to drop the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).  The # (sharp) sign before a number means to increase the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).
 

       

        MINOR CHORD FORMULAS:  This Example Is In The Key Of "C"

 
 

 

Minor Chord Type

 

 

Formulas

 

 

Notes In Chord

 

  
  C minor     1,b3,5      C,Eb,G
  C minor add Major 7     1,b3,5,7      C,Eb,G,B
  C minor 6     1,b3,5,6      C,Eb,G,A
  C minor 6 add Major 7     1,b3,5,6,7      C,Eb,G,A,B
  C minor 69     1,b3,5,6,9      C,Eb,G,A,D
  C minor 7     1,b3,5,b7      C,Eb,G,Bb
  C minor 7b5     1,b3,b5,b7      C,Eb,Gb,Bb
  C minor 7b6     1,b3,5,b6,b7      C,Eb,G,Ab,Bb
  C minor 7 add 11     1,b3,5,b7,11      C,Eb,G,Bb,F
  C minor 7b5 add 11     1,b3,b5,b7,11      C,Eb,Gb,Bb,F
  C minor 7 add 13     1,b3,5,b7,13      C,Eb,G,Bb,A
  C minor 9     1,b3,5,b7,9      C,Eb,G,Bb,D
  C minor 9b5     1,b3,b5,b7,9      C,Eb,Gb,Bb,D
  C minor 9 add Major 7     1,b3,5,7,9      C,Eb,G,B,D
 

Note: The b (flat) sign before a number means to drop the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).  The # (sharp) sign before a number means to increase the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).
 

 

DOMINANT 7th CHORD FORMULAS: This example is in the key of "C"

 
 

 

Dominant

Chord Type

 

 

 

Formulas

 

 

Notes In Chord

  
        C7       1,3,5,b7           C,E,G,Bb
        Csus4       1,4,5,b7           C,F,G,Bb
        C7b5       1,3,b5,b7           C,E,Gb,Bb
        C7#5       1,3,#5,b7           C,E,G#,Bb
        C7b9       1,3,5,b7,b9           C,E,G,Bb,Db
        C7#9       1,3,5,b7,#9           C,E,G,Bb,D#
        C7b5b9       1,3,b5,b7,b9           C,E,Gb,Bb,Db
        C7#5#9       1,3,#5,b7,#9           C,E,G#,Bb,D#
        C7b5#9       1,3,b5,b7,#9           C,E,Gb,Bb,D#
        C7#5b9       1,3,#5,b7,b9           C,E,G#,Bb,Db
        C9       1,3,5,b7,9           C,E,G,Bb,D
        C9b5       1,3,b5,b7,9           C,E,Gb,Bb,D
        C9#5       1,3,#5,b7,9           C,E,G#,Bb,D
        C11       1,3,5,b7,9,11           C,E,G,Bb,D,F
        C13       1,3,5,b7,9,13           C,E,G,Bb,D,A
        C13b5       1,3,b5,b7,9,13           C,E,Gb,Bb,D,A

        C13b9

 

       1,3,5,b7,b9,13           C,E,G,Bb,Db,A

 

Note: The b (flat) sign before a number means to drop the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).  The # (sharp) sign before a number means to increase the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).

 
 

 

DIMINISHED CHORD FORMULAS: This example is in the key of "C"

 
 

 

Dominant

Chord Type

 

 

 

Formulas

 

 

Notes In Chord

  
        C Diminished          1,b3,b5      C,Eb,Gb

        C Diminished 7th

 

         1,b3,b5,6

     C,Eb,Gb,A

 

Note: The b (flat) sign before a number means to drop the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).  The # (sharp) sign before a number means to increase the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).
 

 

AUGMENTED CHORD FORMULAS: This example is in the key of "C"

 
 

 

Augmented

Chord Type

 

  

Formulas

  

Notes In Chord

  
        C Augmented          1,3,#5          C,E,G#
        C Augmented 7th          1,3,#5,b7          C,E,G#,Bb

        C Augmented 9th

 

         1,3,#5,b7,9

         C,E,G#,Bb,D

 

Note: The b (flat) sign before a number means to drop the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).  The # (sharp) sign before a number means to increase the pitch of that note by 1/2 step (one fret).
 

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