removed completely, and replaced by either the 2nd note of the major scale - a suspended 2nd, or more commonly by the 4th note of the major scale - a suspended 4th. Unlike all of the above qualities, Suspended triad chords do not use the 3rd note of the major scale (at all) to build the chord. Suspended triad chords - using the 2nd or 4th scale notesĪ suspended chord is known in music theory as an altered chord because it takes one of the above chord qualities and modifies it in some way. It is these variations of the 3rd and 5th notes that give each one a distinctive sound for any given key (eg. Triad chord qualities using the 1st, 3rd and 5th scale notesĪll of these triad qualities are based on the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the major scale piano diagram above.ĭepending on the chord quality, the 3rd and 5th scale note names of the major scale above might need to be adjusted up or down by one half-note / semitone / piano key. Triad chords exist in four different chord qualities, which are major, minor, augmented, and diminished.Įach chord quality name is the name of the entire chord as a whole, not its individual notes (which will be covered later). The music theory term triad chord means that 3 or more notes played together, or overlapping. These are the harmonic chords that are diatonic to the A flat minor scale.This step defines a triad chord, names the triad chord qualities and identifies the notes that vary between them. E major chord is the same as F Flat major chord. F♭ – A♭ – C♭ (F Flat major chord) *Notice that F♭ and E are enharmonic equivalents. C Sharp minor chord is the same as D Flat minor chord. D♭ – F♭ – A♭ (D Flat minor chord) *Notice that D♭ and C♯ are enharmonic equivalents. The seven diatonic chords in the A flat minor key are: Second chord in natural minor scale will always be diminished.

Third, sixth and seventh chords in natural minor scale will always be major.

We use uppercase roman numeral numbers to represent major chords, lowercase to represent minor chords, uppercase with a small plus sign to represent augmented chords, and lowercase with a small circle to represent diminished chords.įirst, fourth and fifth chords in natural minor will always be minor.

All natural minor scales follow the same pattern: i, iiº, III, iv, v, VI, VII

A flat minor chords