Build Your First Chord

You know what chords are and how qualities differ. Now build one yourself. A chord is defined by two choices: a root note (the note that names the chord) and a quality (the pattern of intervals stacked above the root). Change either one and you get a completely different chord.

Start by selecting a root note from the 12-note chromatic scale. Then choose a quality: major (bright), minor (dark), diminished (tense), or augmented (floating). The widget below computes the chord instantly — you see every note and hear the result.

Try building several chords with different roots and qualities. Notice how C major (C, E, G) and C minor (C, E♭, G) differ by just one note. Compare C diminished (C, E♭, G♭) with C augmented (C, E, G♯). Each quality has a distinct interval pattern that determines its sound.