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Published:
2018-02-14
Updated:
2025-06-27

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Advanced Guide to Chords - Chord Building Chart

Chords can be categorized into four basic chord types; Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented. Here are the formulas for building the 11 basic 4-part chord types as well as the traditional triads. This chart can be used as a companion to any volume of The Advanced Guide to Guitar Chords and A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele, which presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of 4-part chords.

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: UL700h

Main Category: Chords Main Instrument: Any

Subjects: Chords

2025-06-27

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Advanced Guide to Chords - Chord Building Chart

Chords can be categorized into four basic chord types; Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented. Here are the formulas for building the 11 basic 4-part chord types as well as the traditional triads. This chart can be used as a companion to any volume of The Advanced Guide to Guitar Chords and A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele, which presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of 4-part chords.

Major Chord Types

  • Major - 1 3 5 • [ Capital letter only or MAJ. maj, ∆ ]
  • 7 - 1 3 5 b7 • [ 7, dom7*, dominant 7* ]
  • Major 7 - 1 3 5 7 • [ maj7, MAJ7, MA7, ∆7 ]
  • Major 6 - 1 3 5 6 • [ 6, maj6, MAJ6, MA6 ]

Dominant Seventh Chords? • Not all seventh chords are actually "dominant" seventh chords. This lesson covers when is a Dominant Seventh Chord NOT truly a Dominant seventh?

Minor Chord Types

  • Minor - 1 b3 5 • [ m, mi, min, - ]
  • Minor 7 - 1 b3 5 b7 • [ m7, mi7, min7, -7 ]
  • Minor-Major 7 - 1 b3 5 7 • [ mL7, mmaj7, m∆7, minmaj7, min∆7 ]
  • Minor 6 - 1 b3 5 6 • [ m6, -6, mi6, min6 ]

Diminished Chord Types

  • Diminished - 1 b3 b5 • [ °, dim ]
  • Half-Diminished 7 - 1 b3 b5 b7 • [ Ø7 ]
  • Diminished-Major 7 - 1 b3 b5 7 • [ °L7, dimL7 ]
  • Diminished 7 - 1 b3 b5 bb7 • [ °7, dim7 ]

Augmented Chord Types

  • Augmented - 1 3 #5 • [ +, aug ]
  • Augmented 7 - 1 3 #5 b7 • [ +7, aug7 ]
  • Augmented-Major 7 - 1 3 #5 7 • [ +L7, augL7, L7(+5) ]