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Anatomy
Major Chord Formula
The 3 scale degrees that form every major chord — in any key.
I
Root0 st
III
Major 3rd+4 st
V
Perfect 5th+7 st
A major chord is built from three notes: the root, the major third (four semitones above the root), and the perfect fifth (seven semitones above the root). That stacked interval pattern — 1, 3, 5 of the major scale — is what gives every major chord its bright, resolved sound.
Applied to C: C (root) – E (major 3rd) – G (perfect 5th). Applied to G: G – B – D. Applied to D: D – F# – A.
About this tool
About Major Chords on Guitar
Major chords are the most common chord type in Western music — the bright, "happy" sound at the heart of pop, rock, folk, country, and classical. Every guitarist learns them first because they are the bedrock of nearly every song you will ever play. Once you can move between the five open major shapes (C, A, G, E, D), you can play thousands of songs and unlock the CAGED system for navigating the entire fretboard.
- 01Built from 3 notes: root, major 3rd, perfect 5th (formula 1 – 3 – 5)
- 02Bright, stable, resolved sound — the "happy" end of the harmonic spectrum
- 03The 5 open shapes (C, A, G, E, D) form the CAGED system — a complete map of the fretboard
- 04The I – V – vi – IV progression (C – G – Am – F in C major) is the most-used pop progression of the last 50 years and leans heavily on majors
- 05Functions as the tonic (I), subdominant (IV), and dominant (V) chords in every major key
- 06Symbolised by an uppercase letter alone (C, D, G) or with "maj" / "M" (Cmaj, CM)
- 07Every major chord can be played as a barre chord using the E-shape or A-shape — unlocking every key on the neck
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A major chord is a three-note chord built from the root, major third, and perfect fifth of a major scale. For example, C major contains the notes C, E, and G. Major chords sound bright, stable, and resolved — the most common chord type in popular music.
There are 12 major chords — one for each note in the chromatic scale: C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, and B. Each can be played in several positions on the guitar (open, barre, and higher-register voicings).
Start with the open major chords: C, A, G, E, and D — often called the "CAGED" shapes. These five cover most beginner songs and form the foundation for understanding barre chords later.
The major chord formula is 1 – 3 – 5, meaning the root, major third (4 semitones above the root), and perfect fifth (7 semitones above the root). Applied to C: C (1), E (3), G (5).
A major chord is three notes played together (1, 3, 5 of the scale). A major scale is seven notes played in sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). The chord is a stack of notes from the scale.
Major chords are written as just the root letter — "C" means C major. You may also see "Cmaj" or "CM" — all three mean the same thing. The absence of an "m" (lowercase) is what distinguishes major from minor.
All Chord Types
Looking for something else? Search the full Chord Library — hundreds of diagrams across every chord type, including diminished 7th, augmented, 6th, slash, and extended chords.