Chord Building....

So we want to learn chord building.  The first thing you have to know to be successful at chord building is your key signatures and the theory of the major scale.  Check out one of my earlier post to learn your key signatures and major scale concept.  Now let's look at basic triads.  A triad consists of a root, 3rd, and a 5th.  If you take a C major scale:

 

C     D     E     F     G     A     B     C



Now count up 3 scale degrees counting C as one.  So you would go C (1) D (2) and E (3).  So E will be your third above C.  Now count up 5 scale degrees counting C as one.  So you would go C (1) D (2) E (3) F (4) G (5).  So G would be the fifth above C.  So your chord would be C E G with E being a third above and G being a 5th above.  This is a C major chord.

C     D     E     F     G     A     B     C

 

                                                     1              3             5

 









 

Now if you started on D and counted up a 3rd and a 5th you have a d minor chord and if you started on E you would create a e minor chord.  If you started on F or G you would create major chords and if you started on A you would create a minor.  AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THE KEY SIGNATURE... That is key.  There is what they call "chord quality of a major scale".  let me use C major as a example.

 

CEG  is a major I

DFA  is a minor ii

EGB  is a minor iii

FAC  is a major IV

GBD is a major V

ACE  is a minor vi

BDF  is a diminished viiO

 

Now go to your bass and start on C, third fret of your A string and build the C major triad.  Think major scale pattern.  So you play second finger 3rd fret on A string, then first finger second fret D string, then pinky 5th fret D string.  This will outline a C major chord.  Here is a chart for major chords.  Get to know these then go to minor chords. 

 

Major chord table

Chord	Root	Major third	Perfect   fifth
C	C	E	G
C♯	C♯	E♯ (F)	G♯
D♭	D♭	F	A♭
D	D	F♯	A
D♯	D♯	F (G)	A♯
E♭	E♭	G	B♭
E	E	G♯	B
F	F	A	C
F♯	F♯	A♯	C♯
G♭	G♭	B♭	D♭
G	G	B	D
G♯	G♯	B♯ (C)	D♯
A♭	A♭	C	E♭
A	A	C♯	E
A♯	A♯	C (D)	E♯ (F)
B♭	B♭	D	F
B	B	D♯	F♯