Understanding Major Chords

The major chord is a popular and well-used chord in modern music. Understanding major chords and how they are used and built will make your songs better.

In today’s post we’ll be looking at the major chord and…

What they are
How you build them
Their relationship to scales
And how you can use them in your song

Let’s get started.

What is a major chord?

Major chords are known to be happy and positive, the complete opposite to minor chords which are deemed to be sad and gloomy.

They are commonly used in music to portray emotions which are uplifting and warm regardless of the context of the story.

Let’s listen to a row of major chords – B major, C major, D major and E major.

Nicola Bleu · Major Chords – 4 Examples

The energy in me is increasing, and I’m feeling more alive and happy!

How do you build a major chord?

A major chord is built using a major triad which consists of 3 notes, and is built by stacking a major 3rd (4 semitones from the root) and a perfect 5th (7 semitones from the root) giving you the chord formula: R – 3 – 5. It is also known as stacking a major and minor 3rd.