Hear Chords

Chords are 3 or more notes played at the same time.

These notes can be any notes.

Triads are also chords. They are call Triads because they are made up of specific intervals, explained on a previous article Hear Triads.

This simple ear training exercise will teach you how to hear any type of chord!

Any scale can be used in this exercise. For this specific explanation, use a C Major Scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B

The notes in a C Major chord are: C, E, G.

Sing those notes: C, E, G (You are singing a C Major chord).
Alter the second note E, by playing C, D, G instead.
Sing those notes: C, D, G (You are singing a C Sus 2 chord).
Alter the second E, by playing C, F, G instead.
Sing those notes: C, F, G (You are singing C Sus 4 Chord).
Revert back to the original chord C, E, G.
Alter the third note G, by playing C, E, F instead.
Sing the notes: C, E, F (You are singing an implied Second Inversion F Major 7 chord. The 3rd of this chord is not present here).
Alter the third note G, by playing C, E, A instead.
Sing the notes: C, E, A (You are singing a First Inversion A Minor chord).
Revert back to the original chord C, E, G.
Alter the first note C, by playing B, E, G instead.
Sing the notes: B, E, G (You are singing a Second Inversion E Minor chord).
Alter the first note C, by playing D, E, G instead.
Sing the notes: D, E, G (You are singing an implied Fourth Inversion E Minor 7 chord. The 5th of this chord is not present here).

When finished with this exercise, apply this same concept to the each chord mode of this scale. The chord modes in a C Major Scale would be:

Now apply this same process to other types of scales, such as the Melodic Minor Scale.

This exercise provides a systematic approach to hearing the essential quality of any chord type!