Chords in the key of C major
The key of C major has seven diatonic chords: C, DmDmDmDm, EmEmEmEm, F, G, Am and B°. As sevenths: Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7, Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7, Em7Em7Em7Em7, Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7, G7G7G7G7, Am7Am7Am7Am7 and Bm7b5. They come from the C major scale, C, D, E, F, G, A and B, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: C – D – E – F – G – A – B| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | CCCC | Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7 | tonic |
| ii | DmDmDmDm | Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7 | subdominant |
| iii | EmEmEmEm | Em7Em7Em7Em7 | tonic |
| IV | FFFF | Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7 | subdominant |
| V | GGGG | G7G7G7G7 | dominant |
| vi | AmAmAmAm | Am7Am7Am7Am7 | tonic |
| vii° | B° | Bm7b5 | dominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.