Chords in C Major

Chords In C Major: Complete Music Theory Guide

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The C Major scale is a foundational scale in music, known for its innocence and happiness. Understanding the chords derived from this scale is crucial for musicians and composers seeking to create harmonious and compelling music. Let’s delve into the chords built on each degree of the C Major scale.

The C Major scale has 7 notes that make up the scale. These notes form the roots of chords and these chords form the foundation for music in the C Major scale, offering various harmonic possibilities and emotional expressions.

The notes used in the C Major are:

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

C Major Scale

On the treble clef, the C Major scale looks like this:

C Major Scale Notes

Chords In C Major

As with all scales, chords can be made from the notes contained in them. Every chord or triad found in the scale can be formed by starting with the base note of the chord, going two notes up the scale for the second note, and two notes up the scale again for the third note.

  1. C Major (I): C – E – G
  2. D Minor (ii): D – F – A
  3. E Minor (iii): E – G – B
  4. F Major (IV): F – A – C
  5. G Major (V): G – B – D
  6. A Minor (vi): A – C – E
  7. B Diminished (vii): B – D – F
Chords in C Major

C Major Chords On Piano

Below are the main triads or chords you can form using the C Major Scale on piano.

C Major Chord on Piano
D Minor Chord on Piano
E Minor Chord on Piano
F Major Chord on Piano
G Major Piano Chord
A Minor Piano Chord
B Diminished Chord on Piano

C Major Chords on Guitar

Below are the main triads or chords you can form using the C Major Scale on the guitar.

C Major Guitar Chord
D-Minor-Guitar-Chord
E Minor Guitar Chord
F-Major-Guitar-Chord
G Major Guitar Chord
A Minor Guitar Chord
B Diminished Guitar Chord

Chord Progressions In C Major

There are plenty of common chord progressions to try out when writing songs in C Major. Below are just a few examples to get you started.

  1. I, IV, V – (C – F – G)
  2. I, vi, IV, V – (C – Am – F – G)
  3. I, V, vi, IV – (C – G – Am – F)
  4. vi, IV, I, V – (Am – F – C – G)
  5. I, vi, IV, V – (C – Am – F – G)
  6. I, V, IV, V – (C – G – F – G)

7th Chords In C Major

  • C Major 7 (I7): C – E – G – B
  • D Minor 7 (ii7): D – F – A – C
  • E Minor 7 (iii7): E – G – B – D
  • F Major 7 (IV7): F – A – C – E
  • G Dominant 7 (V7): G – B – D – F
  • A Minor 7 (vi7): A – C – E – G
  • B Minor 7 (b5) (vii7): B – D – F – A

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