Triads
C
Major
- Formula
- 1 3 5
- Notes
- C · E · G
Stable and bright; the basic major triad.
Harmony reference
Chord library
Choose any root to spell the notes in 33 essential chord formulas. Browse by chord type, compare similar sounds, and learn what each color is for.
How to read it: 1 is the root. ♭ lowers a scale degree one fret; ♯ raises it one fret. Extended guitar voicings commonly omit the fifth—and sometimes other less defining notes—because six strings cannot hold every theoretical pitch.
Showing 33 chords in C
Triads
Cm
Minor
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G
Darker and more inward than major.
Triads
Cdim
Diminished
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 ♭5
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G♭
Tense and unstable; often leads into another chord.
Triads
C+
Augmented
- Formula
- 1 3 ♯5
- Notes
- C · E · G♯
Floating and unresolved, with a raised fifth.
Suspended & power
C5
Power chord
- Formula
- 1 5
- Notes
- C · G
Root and fifth only; direct, neutral, and distortion-friendly.
Suspended & power
Csus2
Suspended second
- Formula
- 1 2 5
- Notes
- C · D · G
Open sound that replaces the third with a second.
Suspended & power
Csus4
Suspended fourth
- Formula
- 1 4 5
- Notes
- C · F · G
A suspended pull that commonly resolves to major.
Sixth & added tone
C6
Major sixth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 6
- Notes
- C · E · G · A
Warm major color common in pop, jazz, and country.
Sixth & added tone
Cm6
Minor sixth
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 6
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · A
Minor with a sophisticated, slightly restless sixth.
Sixth & added tone
Cadd9
Add nine
- Formula
- 1 3 5 9
- Notes
- C · E · G · D
A clear major triad with an airy ninth and no seventh.
Sixth & added tone
Cm(add9)
Minor add nine
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 9
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · D
A spacious, emotional minor color.
Sixth & added tone
Cadd11
Add eleven
- Formula
- 1 3 5 11
- Notes
- C · E · G · F
Major harmony with a bright, clustered fourth.
Seventh chords
Cmaj7
Major seventh
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7
- Notes
- C · E · G · B
Smooth, luminous major harmony.
Seventh chords
C7
Dominant seventh
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭
Bluesy tension that strongly wants to resolve.
Seventh chords
Cm7
Minor seventh
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · B♭
Mellow minor color used throughout rock, soul, and jazz.
Seventh chords
Cm(maj7)
Minor-major seventh
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · B
Dramatic minor triad against a major seventh.
Seventh chords
Cm7♭5
Half-diminished seventh
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G♭ · B♭
A tense predominant sound in minor keys.
Seventh chords
Cdim7
Diminished seventh
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 ♭5 𝄫7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G♭ · B𝄫
Symmetrical and highly unstable; useful for passing motion.
Seventh chords
Cmaj7♯5
Augmented major seventh
- Formula
- 1 3 ♯5 7
- Notes
- C · E · G♯ · B
Luminous major-seventh color with an unsettled raised fifth.
Extended chords
C9
Dominant ninth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D
A full, funky extension of the dominant seventh.
Extended chords
Cmaj9
Major ninth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9
- Notes
- C · E · G · B · D
Rich and polished, with a clear major-seventh foundation.
Extended chords
Cm9
Minor ninth
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D
Deep, smooth minor harmony.
Extended chords
C11
Dominant eleventh
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D · F
Dense dominant color; guitar voicings often omit the third or fifth.
Extended chords
Cm11
Minor eleventh
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D · F
Broad, open minor harmony well suited to guitar.
Extended chords
C13
Dominant thirteenth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9 11 13
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D · F · A
Maximum dominant color; practical voicings omit less essential tones.
Extended chords
Cmaj13
Major thirteenth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 7 9 11 13
- Notes
- C · E · G · B · D · F · A
Expansive major harmony, normally voiced selectively.
Extended chords
Cm13
Minor thirteenth
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11 13
- Notes
- C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D · F · A
A lush minor sound whose defining tones are ♭3, ♭7, and 13.
Altered & special
C7♭5
Dominant seventh flat five
- Formula
- 1 3 ♭5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E · G♭ · B♭
Dominant tension with a tritone above the root.
Altered & special
C7♯5
Dominant seventh sharp five
- Formula
- 1 3 ♯5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E · G♯ · B♭
An urgent altered dominant color.
Altered & special
C7♭9
Dominant seventh flat nine
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 ♭9
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D♭
Strong minor-key dominant tension.
Altered & special
C7♯9
Dominant seventh sharp nine
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 ♯9
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D♯
A biting blues-rock dominant, often called the Hendrix chord.
Altered & special
C7♯11
Dominant seventh sharp eleven
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 9 ♯11
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · D · F♯
Bright, modern dominant color associated with Lydian dominant.
Altered & special
C7♭13
Dominant seventh flat thirteen
- Formula
- 1 3 5 ♭7 ♭13
- Notes
- C · E · G · B♭ · A♭
Dark altered-dominant tension.