Chords in C major

Start with the scale

The C-major collection is C · D · E · F · G · A · B, with no sharps or flats in its signature. Build a chord on each scale note by taking every other note, wrapping around the scale as needed.

The two half steps are E–F and B–C. They occur between adjacent white keys, so the absence of black keys does not mean that every step is a whole tone.

The seven diatonic triads

The sequence is C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. Capital Roman numerals mark major triads; lowercase numerals mark minor triads, and the small circle marks the diminished triad.

Add one more scale third

Continuing the same stacking process produces the seven chords below. The V7 chord is G7, containing G · B · D · F. Its seventh is taken from this scale, not added by assuming every seventh is major.

Hear an original I–IV–V–I example

Arrange C → F → G → C. Play each chord for the same number of beats. The return to C gives you a simple way to compare the other chords against the tonic. This is a short constructed exercise, not a transcription of a song.

Then replace the V triad with G7. Listen separately to B, the leading tone of the key, moving to C, and F moving down to E. These small motions are useful comparisons, not a rule that every voicing must use exactly this spacing.

A key is larger than this list

A natural minor shares the signature but has a different tonic. Music in C major may also use chromatic or borrowed chords, so a chord outside the table does not automatically establish a new key. This page names the chords derived strictly from the displayed major scale.