What is a chord?

More than one note played at the same time.

How do you know which notes to play?

Working out chords is pretty easy, providing you’re aware of the intervals in the major scale.

Here’s the C Major scale

How do I use that to make a C chord?

Simple. You take the First, Third and Fifth notes of the scale, and play them at the same time.

C E and G? But when I play a C chord on my guitar I play more than three notes.

That’s just because you’re playing more than one of some of the notes. There might be two C’s one E and two G’s, and they might be in any order, but you’re still only playing those three different notes, so you’re playing a C chord.

What about C major?

That is C major. If you’re just playing a major chord it is conventional to not say the word ‘major’. Everybody will know what you mean.

What about other chords?

Same principle. Take one note in the scale, don’t take the second, but do take the third, don’t take the fourth, but do take the fifth, and you have a chord.

Like D F A? Or E G B?

Yup, that’s how it works.

Related posts:

1. Basics – Some questions about intervals
2. Basics – A few useful links
3. An A to Z of songwriting – B is for Basics
4. Basics – how time signatures work.
5. Episode 8 – Chords and Numbers