Diatonic chord calculator: triads and seventh chords
Choose a scale collection and inspect its triads or seventh chords.
Chords in C Major
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | C · E · G | Major |
| ii | Dm | D · F · A | Minor |
| iii | Em | E · G · B | Minor |
| IV | F | F · A · C | Major |
| V | G | G · B · D | Major |
| vi | Am | A · C · E | Minor |
| vii° | Bdim | B · D · F | Diminished |
Stack every other note of the scale. The pattern of thirds determines each chord quality.
I–IV–V–I progression
Sevenths
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Imaj7 | Cmaj7 | C · E · G · B |
| ii7 | Dm7 | D · F · A · C |
| iii7 | Em7 | E · G · B · D |
| IVmaj7 | Fmaj7 | F · A · C · E |
| V7 | G7 | G · B · D · F |
| vi7 | Am7 | A · C · E · G |
| viiø7 | Bm7♭5 | B · D · F · A |
Ready to play. Sound starts when you press Play.
Take alternate scale notes
In C major, start on C and take C, E, G for I. Start on D and take D, F, A for ii. Continue through all seven starting notes. The differing gaps create the qualities; the scale does not give every degree a major chord.
Read the Roman numerals
The major-key triad pattern is I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°. For C major, that means C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim. Adding one more scale third produces seventh chords with their own quality labels.
Choose the minor collection deliberately
Natural, harmonic and melodic minor do not contain identical notes. In A natural minor, the fifth-degree triad is E minor; raising G to G-sharp for harmonic minor changes that chord to E major. Check the selected collection before treating a minor-key table as universal.
- Select a key and compare the I and V triads.
- Switch to sevenths and read the added chord tone.
- Send a useful sequence to your progression or save a reference.