What are we hearing?
Major triad
Start with the root, add a major 3rd, then add a perfect 5th.
Common sound: clear, stable, and familiar.
Some terms used here are explained in more detail in Dot Definitions.
Chord Basics
How Chords Are Built
A chord is a group of three or more notes played together to create harmony. Every chord starts with a Root (note 1, the foundation that names the chord) and builds upward by counting scale steps from that root—not fret numbers.
Root (1)
The foundation note that names the chord.
3rd
The emotional key: a major 3rd sounds bright, while a minor 3rd (lowered 1 fret) sounds dark.
5th
The anchor note that gives the chord stability and structure.
7th / Extra
Flavor notes that add tension, warmth, or pull toward the next chord.
Current chord
C Major
Chords rarely stand alone. The same shape can be the calm "home" chord in one song and the tense "almost there" chord in another, depending on the key. Scale Studio shows you which is which
Root order
1 - 3 - 5
Fretboard view
C shape in Standard GCEA (High G)
Root
3rd / sus
5th
6th / 7th
9th / 11th
Dots show every matching chord tone in this fret window. Press Play chord to light up the voicing that will play when it appears in this view.
This is a chord-tone map, not a promise that every cluster of dots is playable as a hand shape.