The construction of a piano chord chart can be easy once you understand the formula for each chord.
It all follows from the notes of the respective scales. For example, the major scale for the key of C is C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C, where the first “C” is “1”, “D” is “2”, “E” is “3”…the last “C” is “8”.
The notes in the extended chords, 9th, 11th and 13th, can extend beyond the last note in the scale (“8”) so we just repeat the scale pattern out to the 13th from the root (including the root note), in this case it becomes: C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A. The last “A” is number “13”.
Using the above pattern and knowledge of the major scales, you can use the chord chart below to construct the chords for every key. Note that a “b” in front of the number means that the note in that position should be made flat and a number with a “#” in front of it means that the note in that position should be made sharp:
| Chord Name | Symbol | Formula* | ||||||
| Major | M, maj, implied is missing | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||
| Minor | m | 1 | b3 | 5 | ||||
| Augmented | aug, + | 1 | 3 | #5 | ||||
| Diminished | dim, o | 1 | b3 | b5 | ||||
| Dominant 7th | 7 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | |||
| Major 7th | M7, maj7 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Minor 7th | m7 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | |||
| Dominant 7b5 | 7b5 | 1 | 3 | b5 | b7 | |||
| Augmented Dominant 7th, Dominant Seventh Sharp 5 | 7#5 | 1 | 3 | #5 | b7 | |||
| Minor/ Major Seventh | m/M7, m/maj7 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Diminished Minor Seventh, Minor Seventh Flat Five, Half-Diminished Seventh | m7b5 | 1 | b3 | 5b | b7 | |||
| Diminished 7th | dim7 | 1 | b3 | b5 | bb7 | |||
| Suspended, Suspended 4th | sus, sus4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Minor Suspended, Minor Suspended 4th | msus, msus4 | 1 | b3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Major 6th | 6, M6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Minor 6th | m6 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Six/Nine, Sixth Add Ninth | 6/9, 6add9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | ||
| Minor Six/Nine, Minor Sixth Add Ninth | m6/9, m6add9 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | ||
| Add Nine | add9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | |||
| Minor Add Nine | madd9 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 9 | |||
| Major Ninth | M9, maj9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | ||
| Minor Ninth | m9 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | ||
| Dominant Ninth | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | ||
| Dominant Sharp Nine | 7#9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | #9 | ||
| Dominant Flat Nine | 7b9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | b9 | ||
| Minor Eleventh | m11 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | 11 | |
| Dominant Eleventh | 11 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | 11 | |
| Dominant Sharp Eleventh | 7#11 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | #11 | |
| Major Sharp Eleven, Major Seventh Sharp Eleventh | maj#11, maj7#11 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | #11 | |
| Major Thirteenth | maj13 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 |
| Minor Thirteenth | m13 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | 11 | 13 |
| Dominant Thirteenth | 13 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | 11 | 13 |
* Bolded numbers are optional
