Interactive Chord Explorer
Chords are the harmonic building blocks of music. Select any chord type to see it on the keyboard, hear it as a block or arpeggio.
C
Bright, happy, stable sound. The foundation of Western harmony.
What is a Chord?
A chord is three or more notes played together. Triads (3 notes) and seventh chords (4 notes) are the most common types in Western music.
Block vs Broken
Block chords play all notes at once for full harmony. Broken chords (arpeggios) play notes in sequence, creating a flowing, melodic effect.
Chord Quality
Major chords sound bright and happy. Minor chords sound darker and sad. Diminished creates tension, augmented sounds dreamy and unresolved.
Chord Reference
Common chord types and their characteristics. Click any chord to explore it above.
| Chord | Symbol | Intervals |
|---|---|---|
| Major | C | 0-4-7 |
| Minor | Cm | 0-3-7 |
| Diminished | Cdim | 0-3-6 |
| Augmented | Caug | 0-4-8 |
| Dominant 7th | C7 | 0-4-7-10 |
| Major 7th | Cmaj7 | 0-4-7-11 |
| Minor 7th | Cm7 | 0-3-7-10 |
| Diminished 7th | Cdim7 | 0-3-6-9 |
| Half-Diminished 7th | Cm7b5 | 0-3-6-10 |
| Suspended 2nd | Csus2 | 0-2-7 |
| Suspended 4th | Csus4 | 0-5-7 |
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