Guitar UpscaleMajor Chord on guitar
A major chord is a root, a major third and a perfect fifth. It sounds bright, stable and happy.
| Written as | C |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 3 5 |
| Notes in C | C E G |
| Semitones from the root | 0, 4, 7 |
About the Major Chord
The major triad stacks a major 3rd (4 frets) and a minor 3rd (3 frets) over the root. C major is C, E and G.
Most songs start and end on a major chord. The I, IV and V chords of a major key are all major, which is why three chords are enough for so many songs.
On guitar, learn the open shapes C, A, G, E and D first. Each one also works as a movable barre shape higher up the neck.
Intervals
- 1: Root, 0 semitones above the root
- 3: Major 3rd, 4 semitones above the root
- 5: Perfect 5th, 7 semitones above the root
Major Chord charts in all 12 keys
Each chart shows the strings from the thick low E on the left to the thin high e on the right. Numbers in the dots are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little, T thumb. × marks a muted string and ○ an open one. A bar across strings is a barre.
C: C E G
G: G B D
D: D F# A
A: A C# E
E: E G# B
B: B D# F#
F#: F# A# C#
Db: Db F Ab
Ab: Ab C Eb
Eb: Eb G Bb
Bb: Bb D F
F: F A C
Scales to play over C
Each of these scales, started on C, holds every note of the chord:
- C Lydian Minor
- C Major Scale (Ionian)
- C Harmonic Major
- C Major Pentatonic
- C Dominant Pentatonic
- C Lydian Mode
- C Mixolydian Mode
- C Phrygian Dominant (Hijaz, Ahava Rabbah)
- C Ichikosucho
- C Taishikicho
- C Chinese Scale
- C Byzantine (Double Harmonic Major)
- C Hungarian Major
- C Hindu (Mixolydian b6)
- C Moorish Phrygian
- C Blues Scale with Both Thirds
- C Chromatic Blues Scale
- C Major Blues Scale
- C Mixo-Blues Scale
- C Bebop Major
- C Bebop Minor (Bebop Dorian)
- C Bebop Dominant
- C Diminished (Half Whole)
- C Augmented Scale
- C Nine Tone Scale
- C Overtone (Lydian Dominant)
- C Lydian #2