EMT Lesson Three How to create and play chords
EMT Lesson Three How to create and play chords
Figure 8. Scale of A major (Enlarge)
Using the A major as an example: an A major triad is constructed by taking the first, third and fifth notes of the scale. This creates the chord of A major. In four part harmony the seventh note of the scale is added to the triad of A major [(1, 3, 5) + (7)].
Adding the seventh produces the new chord of Amajor7. It consists of the following notes from the scale:
Figure 9. Adding the 7th scale note to the major chord (Enlarge)
A chord constructed with the first, third, fifth and seventh notes of the scale is called a ‘major 7th’. In the case of the scale of A, the chord is written as: Amaj7.
It is worth noting that the seventh note of a scale is called a ‘major 7th’.
