Unit 4 - Aural Perception Skills - P2, M2, D2 - Chords and Chord Progressions

Chords

, What is a chord?
A chord is a group of two or more notes, which are played simultaneously.
Chords are classed by their root note, for example a chord with the notes C-E-
G in it would be called a C major chord; C because the root (or first note) of
the chord is C, and major because all three notes are within the C major
scale.


A two-note chord is known as a dyad, and can be otherwise referred to as an
interval.


triad dyad (3 examples)

, Triads
All chords are built around a type of chord called a triad. Triads consist of three
notes, the root, the third and the fifth. There are different types of triad, as you
can see below...

Major triad Minor triad
Major triads are made up of the root, Minor triads are made up of the root,
the major 3rd, and the perfect 5th. For the minor 3rd, and the perfect 5th. For
example, C-E-G is the C major triad, example, C-E♭-G is the C minor triad,
as it begins on C and contains the as it begins on C and contains the
major 3rd and the perfect 5th of the C minor 3rd and the perfect 5th of the C
scale. scale.