Understanding Chord Qualities

Chord quality describes the emotional character of a chord — bright, dark, tense, or ambiguous. The quality is determined by the specific intervals between the notes. The two most common qualities are major (bright, happy) and minor (dark, sad), but there are many others.

Every quality has a formula — a specific pattern of intervals from the root. Major triads use a major third + perfect fifth (4 + 3 semitones). Minor triads use a minor third + perfect fifth (3 + 4 semitones). The difference is just one semitone in the third, yet it completely changes the emotional character.

Diminished chords (minor third + diminished fifth) sound tense and unstable. Augmented chords (major third + augmented fifth) sound floating and dreamlike. Seventh chords add a fourth note that increases harmonic complexity. Each quality has a distinct role in music.