Chord Diagrams and Chord Generator

There are a total of 38 shown. This is definitely not a comprehensive list but I can claim that with these 38 chords, you could very likely play all the pop songs out there.

Major Minor
Suspended 2nd Suspended 4th
Fifth Major Sixth
Minor Sixth Sixth Suspended 2nd
Sixth Suspended 4th Dominant Seventh
Minor Seventh Seventh Suspended 2nd
Seventh Suspended 4th Major Seventh
Minor-major Seventh Suspended 2nd-major 7th
Suspended 4th-major 7th Added 9th
Minor-added 9th Sixth-added 9th
Minor 6th-added 9th Flatted-fifth
Minor with Flatted Fifth Augmented
Diminished  
Seventh Augmented Half-diminished Seventh
Seventh with Flat Fifth Major Seventh with Flat Fifth
Flat Ninth Augmented Ninth
Seventh Augmented with Flat 9th Dominant Ninth
Minor Ninth Major Ninth
Dominant Eleventh Minor Eleventh
Major Eleventh  

The name and the commonly used symbol are shown on the top. Slightly to the right are the intervals that make up the chord, e.g. R = Root, min3 = minor 3rd, M3 = major 3rd, etc.

You will see on the left, diagrams of the keyboard showing the highlighted keys starting from the root position upwards denoting the notes that should be played. To the right are blank diagrams of the keyboard for you to define your own preferred position, e.g. a C major chord is defined as C-E-G according to the intervals but an organist would probably play it as G-E-C because it feels more natural and sounds better actually.

You may freely print or distribute these diagrams/table so long no charges are made and my name/e-mail address is not removed. The diagrams and table are written in Excel spreadsheet. It was written in Excel to "automate" the compilation. All you need to do is to define the intervals that make up the chord, e.g. Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th, few clicks of the mouse and presto, the chord diagrams will be created for all 12 notes. The spreadsheet is configured to handle chords with 6 notes or less only, that means thirteenth chords not allowed.


Last Update: 25 Oct 2003