Patterns for Chords and Scales in the Harmonic Table Layout

All patterns and chords in the examples below are listed in the key of C. To play a chord or scale in a different key, use the same pattern but start on the appropriate note. For example, to play a D major chord, take the pattern from the major chord example but start on the note D.

Since the same note appears multiple times in most layouts, most chords and scales can be played in more than one way, with more than one pattern. The patterns presented here represent the more common, easier, or more compact pattern. Experiment with new patterns by changing which particular instance of the note is included the pattern. For example, if the pattern includes a E4 note, find another E4 and update the pattern with that one instead. This flexibility allows users to develop their own preferred patterns for common chords and scales.

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Chords

Triads

Major: C - E - G
Major
Minor: C - E♭ - G
Minor
Augmented: C - E - A♭ *
Augmented
Diminished: C - E♭ - F♯
Diminished
Flat 5: C - E - F♯
Flat 5
Sus4: C - F - G
Sus 4

Larger Chords

7th: C - E - G - B♭
7th
Major 7th:C - E - G - B
Major 7th
6th: C - E - G - A
6th
9th: C - E - G - B♭ - D
9th
11th: C - E - G - B♭ - D - F
11th
13th: C - E - G - B♭ - D - F - A
13th

Scales

Major Scale: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
Major Scale
Minor Scale: C - D - E♭ - F - G - A♭ - B♭ - C
Minor Scale
Blues scale: C - E♭ - F - F♯ - G - B♭ - C
Blues Scale
Pentatonic: C - D - F - G - A - C
Pentatonic

Intervals

Minor second: C - C♯
Minor Second
Major second: C - D
Major Second
Minor third: C - E♭
Minor Third
Major third: C - E
Major Third
Perfect fourth: C - F
Perfect Fourth
Tritone / Diminished 5th / Augmented 4th: C - F♯
Tritone
Perfect fifth: C - G
Perfect Fifth
Minor sixth: C - A♭
Minor Sixth
Major sixth: C - A
Major Sixth
Minor seventh: C - B♭
Minor Seventh
Major seventh: C - B
Major Seventh
Perfect octave: C - C
Perfect Octave

* NOTE:

For those familiar with music theory, some of the accidentals may be spelled differently that would be common in any particular key. Since the keyboard note labels cannot change based on the key being played (yet), we have chosen to spell accidentals based on their appearance in more common keys: B♭, E♭, A♭, F♯, C♯

All Layouts

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