Scale Degrees (Chord building)

The scale degrees are very useful for many things, but the one that I find most helpful is how
scale degrees disignate quality of intervals. this is what I mean:
Major: I-ii-iii-IV-V-vi-vii°

• the I chord, IV and V chord for any major scale is Major because it is in uppercase roman numerals

• the ii chord, iii and vi chords are minor for any major scale and the vii° is diminished (degree symbol (°) designates this)

so if you were in the key of C (where most start) you would have:

1. C Major (I chord)
2. D minor (ii chord)
3. E minor (iii chord)
4. F Major (IV chord)
5. G Major (V chord)
6. A minor (vi chord)
7. B diminished (vii° chord)

the same applies to any Major key

All Major chords have a Root Major 3rd and a Perfect fifth.
So C Major would be C-E-G

All minor chords have a Root, minor 3rd and a perfect fifth
So C minor would be C-Eb-G


All diminished(°) chords have a Root, minor 3rd and a diminished fifth
So C diminished would be C-Eb-Gb

All augmented(+) chords have a Root, Major 3rd and a Augmented fifth
So C Augmented would be C-E-G#


you can then easily glance at music and see the notes C-Eb-G in the key of C and
know that it's a minor key.

In any Major key if there are accidentals (#'s,b's or natural symbols) that the
chords quality is the same as the scale degree, eg. in the key of D Major:
(D Major has 2 sharps: F# and C#)

1. D Major (I chord)
2. E minor (ii chord)
3. F# minor (iii chord)
4. G Major (IV chord)
5. A Major (V chord)
6. B minor (vi chord)
7. C# diminished (vii° chord)

Read this over as it will make most everything in music theory a lot simpler.

Chord Building

major                       1  3  5
6                           1  3  5  6
6/9                         1  3  5  6  9
maj7                        1  3  5  7
maj7(b5)                    1  3 b5  7
add9                        1  3  5  9
maj9                        1  3  5  7  9
maj11                       1  3  5  7  9  11
maj13                       1  3  5  7  9  11  13
maj7(#11)                   1  3  5  7 #11
maj(b5)                     1  3 b5
aug                         1  3 #5

min                         1 b3  5
m6                          1 b3  5  6
m7                          1 b3  5 b7
m(add9)                     1 b3  5  9
m6/9                        1 b3  5  6  9
m9                          1 b3  5 b7  9
m11                         1 b3  5 b7  9  11
m13                         1 b3  5 b7  9  11  13
m/Maj7                      1 b3  5  7
m/Maj9                      1 b3  5  7  9
m/Maj11                     1 b3  5  7  9  11
m/Maj13                     1 b3  5  7  9  11  13
m7(b5)                      1 b3 b5 b7

7                           1  3  5 b7
9                           1  3  5 b7  9
11                          1  3  5 b7  9  11
13                          1  3  5 b7  9  11  13
7(#5)                       1  3 #5 b7
7(b5)                       1  3 b5 b7
7(#9)                       1  3  5 b7 #9
7(b9)                       1  3  5 b7 b9
9(#5)                       1  3 #5 b7  9
9(b5)                       1  3 b5 b7  9
7(#5#9)                     1  3 #5 b7 #9
7(#5b9)                     1  3 #5 b7 b9
7(b5#9)                     1  3 b5 b7 #9
7(b5b9)                     1  3 b5 b7 b9
7#11                        1  3  5 b7 #11

sus2                        1  2  5
sus4                        1  4  5

dim                         1 b3 b5
dim7                        1 b3 b5 bb7
halfdim                     1 b3 b5 b7