Understanding 4-Note Chords From The Major Modes

A 4-note chord is a group of 4 notes played together to form a chord. There are 12 different
types of 4-note chords found in western harmony that I will discuss throughout these
lessons, commonly known as:
Major 7, Minor 7, Dominant 7, Half Diminished, Minor (Maj7), Augmented (Maj7),
Augmented 7, Diminished 7, Major 6, Minor 6, and Sus 7.
A 4-note chord is basically a triad with an added note on top. These 4-note chords, like triads,
are built in stacked intervals of a 3rd. The exceptions to this are the chords: Minor 6th, Major
6th and Suspended 7th.
Major 7
A Major 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Major 7 is: A Major Triad with an Interval
of a Major 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Major 7 Chord Cmaj7

There are 1 or 2 basic fingering shapes or fingering patterns on the fingering board for each
of these triads. Once you understand the shape, you can play these anywhere on the
fingerboard and it will always spell out the same chord. The only important note you must
get is the 1st degree, also known as the Root of the chord.
Here is 1 shape for the Cmaj7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Major 7th chord in any key, if you play this shape. The number inside the dots
represents the finger you should use.

Minor 7
A Minor 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Minor 7 is: A Minor Triad with an Interval
of a Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Minor 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Minor 7 Chord C-7

Here are 2 shapes for the C-7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Minor 7th chord in any key, if you play either of these shapes. The number inside the
dots represents the finger you should use.

Dominant 7
A Dominant 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Dominant 7 is: A Major Triad with an
Interval of a Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Minor 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Dominant 7 Chord C7

Here are 2 shapes for the C7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Dominant 7th chord in any key, if you play either of these shapes. The number inside
the dots represents the finger you should use.

Half Diminished
A Half Diminished or -7(b5) is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Half Diminished is: A
Diminished Triad with an Interval of a Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Minor 7th
added from the Root.

Here is the construction of a C Half Diminished Chord C-7(b5)

Here are 2 shapes for the C-7(b5) on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Half Diminished chord in any key if you play either of these shapes. The number
inside the dots represents the finger you should use.

Minor (Maj7)
A Minor (maj7) is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Minor (maj7) is: A Minor Triad with
an Interval of a Major 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Minor (maj7) Chord C-(maj7)

Here is 1 shape for the C(maj7) on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Minor (maj7) chord in any key if you play this shape. The number inside the
dots represents the finger you should use.

Major 7(b5)
A Major 7(b5) is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Major 7(b5) is: A Major Triad (b5) with
an Interval of a Augmented 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 7th added from the
Root.
Theoretically we can label this interval from the 5th degree to the 7th degree as a Perfect 4th
but the musical alphabet asks us to name it an Augmented 3rd degree.
Here is the construction of a C Major 7(b5) Chord Cmaj7(b5)

Here is shapes for the Cmaj7(b5) on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Major 7(b5) chord in any key if you play this shape. The number inside the dots
represents the finger you should use.

Augmented (maj7)
An Augmented (maj7) is a 4-note chord.
The construction of an Augmented (maj7) is: An Augmented Triad with an Interval of a
Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Augmented (maj7) Chord C+maj7

Here are 2 shapes for the C+(maj7) on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Augmented (maj7) chord in any key if you play either of these shapes. The
number inside the dots represents the finger you should use.

Augmented 7
An Augmented 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of an Augmented 7 is: An Augmented
Triad with an Interval of a Diminished 3rd (Major 2nd) added to the 5th or an interval of a Minor
7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Augmented 7 Chord C+7

Here are 2 shapes for the C+7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Augmented 7th chord in any key, if you play either of these shapes. The number
inside the dots represents the finger you should use.

Diminished 7
A Diminished 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Diminished 7 is: A Diminished Triad
with an Interval of a Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Diminished 7th added from
the Root.

Here is the construction of a C Diminished 7 Chord Co7

Here are 2 shapes for the Co7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Diminished 7th chord in any key if you play either of these shapes. The number
inside the dots represents the finger you should use.

Major 6
A Major 6 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Major 6th is: A Major Triad with an Interval
of a Major 2nd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 6th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Major 6 Chord Cmaj6

Here are 2 shapes for the Cmaj6 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Major 6th chord in any key, if you play either of these shapes. The number inside
the dots represents the finger you should use.

Minor 6
A Minor 6 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Minor 6 is: A Minor Triad with an Interval
of a Major 2nd added to the 5th or an interval of a Major 6th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Minor 6 Chord C-6

Here are 2 shapes for the C-6 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord and
play any Minor 6th chord in any key if you play either of these shapes. The number inside the
dots represents the finger you should use.

Sus 7
A Sus 7 is a 4-note chord. The construction of a Sus 7 is: A sus 4 Triad with an Interval of a
Minor 3rd added to the 5th or an interval of a Minor 7th added from the Root.
Here is the construction of a C Suspended 7 Chord Csus7

Here are 2 shapes for the Csus7 on the fingerboard. You can change the root of this chord
and play any Suspended 7th chord in any key if you play either of these shapes. The number
inside the dots represents the finger you should use.

Write out and learn all of these 4-Note in all keys and play through them slowly on a
piano or a keyboard.