CHORDS
Definition: A chord is two or more notes played at
once. When written down on a stave they stack on top of
each other.
Definition: A triad is a chord made up of three notes
Chords are always named after the bottom note. This is then called the 1st
note. In a triad, you then include the 3rd note (count three up from C
including C) and the 5th note (count 5 up from C including C)
1
3 5
A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
So, a C Chord would be made up of the notes C E G.
Those notes are marked on the keyboard below. You play them all at once. If
you play them with your right hand - you use fingers 1,3 and 5. If you play with
your left hand you use 5,3 and 1.
What if I want the notes of an F chord? I start over again on the note F and find
the 3rd and 5th:
1
3
5
A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
So, an F Chord would be made up of the notes F A C
ABCDEFGABCDEFG
Can you work out what notes would make the following chords complete?
1. G B D
2. F ______ _______
3. A
______ _______
Label the keyboards below with one of each of these chords:
Chord of G
Chord of D
Chord of A
Draw the following chords in the Treble clef.
REMEMBER: The notes of a chord should stack on top of each other, not one
after the other.
1. Chord of G
2. Chord of F
3. Chord of A
Primary and Secondary Chords.
Every key signature has seven basic chords. The chords are numbered using
Roman Numerals.
For example,
Step 1:
If a piece of music is in C Major, the notes used will be (always start on the
note name of the key – in this case C):
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
Step 2:
You can make a chord using each of these 7 notes (remember you use the
starting note, the 3rd note and the 5th note.)
C
E
G
D
F
A
E
G
B
F
A
C
G
B
D
A
C
E
B
D
F
Step 3:
These chords are numbered like this:
1
3
5
I
C
E
G
ii
D
F
A
iii
E
G
B
IV
F
A
C
V
G
B
D
vi
A
C
E
vii
B
D
F
(In roman numerals ‘i’ is one, and ‘v’ is five. ‘IV’ is like one from five, so it’s
four. ‘vi’ is like five plus one, so it’s six!)
Step 4:
Therefore, if I was to ask, what is chord ‘V’ in the key of C major, you would say
it is GBD.
If I asked what is chord ‘ii” in C Major, you would say it is DFA.
You can figure out the chords of any key signature using the rules above.
Let’s try figuring out the chords in a different key signature on the next page.
New Key signature is G Major.
Step 1:
If a piece of music is in G Major, the notes used will be:
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
(G
A
B
C
D
Step 2:
You can make a chord using each of these 7 notes (remember you use the
starting note, the 3rd note and the 5th note.)
1
3
5
G
B
D
A
C
E
B
D
F#
C
E
G
D
F#
A
Step 3:
These chords are numbered like this:
I
ii
iii
iv
v
1
G
A
B
C
D
3
B
C
D
E
F#
5
D
E
F#
G
A
Step 4:
What is Chord ‘vi’ (six) in G major?
EGB
What is Chord ‘I’ in G major?
GBD
E
G
B
F#
A
C
vi
E
G
B
vii
F#
A
C
E)
Now try completing this exercise in F Major yourself. (TIP: F Major has B flat in
the key signature, so every B should be a B flat. When you’re writing this, the
flat symbol is just like a small b. So, you can write Bb.)
Step 1:
If a piece of music is in F Major, the notes used will be:
F G A Bb C D E F
Step 2:
You can make a chord using each of these 7 notes (remember you use the
starting note, the 3rd note and the 5th note.)
F
A
C
G
Bb
D
A
C
E
Bb
D
F
C
E
G
D
F
A
E
G
Bb
F
A
C
vii
E
G
Bb
F
A
C
Step 3:
These chords are numbered like this:
I
F
A
C
ii
G
Bb
D
iii
A
C
E
IV
Bb
D
F
V
C
E
G
vi
D
F
A
Step 4:
What is Chord ‘IV’ (four) in F major?
Bb D F
What is Chord ‘ii’ (two) in F major?
GBD
1
3
5
I
C
E
G
ii
D
F
A
iii
E
G
B
IV
F
A
C
V
G
B
D
vi
A
C
E
vii
B
D
F
Primary Chords
These are chords I, iv, and chord v.
For example, in C Major the primary chords are:
Chord i: CEG
Chord iV: FAC
Chord v: GBD
Secondary Chords
These are chords ii and vi.
For example, in C major the secondary chords are:
Chord ii: DFA
Chord vi: ACE
Secondary chords will sound the opposite tonality to the key signature.
Therefore, in C Major, the secondary chords, will sound minor.
Questions:
What are the primary chords in F Major?
What are the secondary chords in F major?
What are the primary chords in G Major?
What are the secondary chords in G major?