intervals; then just add a note every two: for example C-E-G (skipping D and F), or G-B-D-F (skipping A, C and E), or even D-F-A-C-E (skipping E, G, B and D).A chord is called respectively triad, seventh, or ninth depending on whether it consists of three, four or five notes. You can also use chords with six or seven notes, called respectively eleventh and thirteenth, although there are often discussions about their real interpretation.
Confining ourselves to the triads for simplicity, on a diatonic scale you can form three different types of chords:
1) major chord
, consisting of a major third followed by a minor one (e.g.: C-E-G 
);2) minor chord
, consisting of a minor third followed by a major one (e.g.: A-C-E );3) diminished chord
, consisting of two minor thirds (e.g.: B-D-F ).You should add, to be thorough, the augmented chord
, consisting of two major thirds (es.: do-mi-sol# ), that is formed on the harmonic minor minor scale or on the ascending melodic one. It is also possible to form chords overlapping fourth intervals rather than third: just insert a note every three (e.g. D-G-C
). Confining ourselves to the triads for simplicity, You can use two perfect fourths , or a perfect fourth followed by an augmented one or vice versa .“Children’s rhapsody”
, in the dorian mode, systematically uses chords of fourths.| Index | Previous | Next | Return to my compositions |