A major chord is composed using a root/1^st, major 3^rd and perfect 5^th (or R/1-3-5) intervals played simultaneously. Generally written as the root note (for instance: "C" for a C major chord) it is sometimes written with various additions like Cma or CMA, however it is good practice to simply use the root note to represent it in writing.

In guitar, the intervals of a major chord may not always be played in tonal order (root/1^st, major 3^rd, perfect 5^th, in this order) however the root note will always be the lowest tone (and most distinct) unless it is an inversion. For example: a C major chord played on the 8^th fret using voicing #4 (barre chord) has a interval sequence of: root/1^st, perfect 5^th, root 1^st(octave), major 3^rd, perfect 5^th and root/1^st(x2 octave) or R/1-5-1-3-5-1.

The tonality of a major chord is consonant and resolved, in other words it does not "lead away" from itself like the dominant seventh chord, or leave the listener with a sense of "suspense" like the minor seventh flat five chord.

Major Triad

In music theory, a major chord belongs to a group of chords called triads. A triad is a three note chord composed using specific intervals, those being the root/1^st, the 3^rd and the 5^th degrees (note absence of interval quality). As previously shown, a major triad is composed using a root/1^st, major 3^rd and perfect 5^th (R/1-3-5) intervals. Other triads are built by raising or lowering the 3^rd and 5^th degrees. For instance, a minor triad's interval structure is root/1^st, minor 3^rd and perfect 5^th (R/1-3-5). The interval structure for a diminished triad is root/1^st, minor 3^rd and diminished 5^th (R/1-3-5), and an augmented triad is root/1^st, major 3^rd and augmented 5^th (R/1-3-5).

Major, minor and diminished triads occur naturally in a harmonized major scale (triads), an augmented triad is simply a major triad with a raised fifth degree.

Major Chord Profile

Intervals	root/1st, major 3rd, perfect 5th or R/1-3-5
Stability	Consonant / Resolved
Grouping Class	Triad
Common Names (examples in C)	C, Cmaj, Cma, CMAJ, CMA, C

Major Chord Voicings

The chord voicings below are not shown in any particular key, they are shapes which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the root note (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

• How to use
• As an example, let's say you require a D major chord
• After playing all the chord voicings, you decide on voicing #2
• Voicing #2 has it's root on the 5^th string so you need to find the D note on this string
• Click the notes on the neck chart tab and find the D note on the 5^th fret (5^th string)
• Now play D major using voicing #2 on the 5^th fret
• Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
• Use the Chord chart help tab if your a beginner at reading chord boxes

Major Chord Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
D Major Chord voicing #1		d-major-chord-voicing-1.mp3

Related Lessons & Resources

• Guitar Lessons
• • How to read chord diagrams
  • Open chords part 1
• Music Theory
• • Harmonizing a major scale (triads)

External Resources

• Major chord at Wikipedia.org