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The most important chord in the major key is the major chord, followed by the dominant chord, then the minor chord.

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Our focus in this lesson is to highlight the three most important chords in the major key. Beyond highlighting the chords, I’ll also go ahead and tell you why these chords are important and also state their function in the major key. Let’s get started by refreshing our minds on the scale tone chords in the major key.

A Quick Review On The Scale Tone Chords In The Major Key

There are 12 major keys on the keyboard and the chords associated with any major key are simply known as scale tone chords.

For example, the key of C major:

…has the following scale tone chords:

The 1-chord (C major seventh):

The 2-chord (D minor seventh):

The 3-chord (E minor seventh):

The 4-chord (F major seventh):

The 5-chord (G dominant seventh):

The 6-chord (A minor seventh):

The 7-chord (B half-diminished seventh):

The following chord types are found in the major key (using the key of C major as a reference): The Major Chord (1-chord and 4-chord) The Minor Chord (2-chord, 3-chord, and 6-chord) The Dominant Chord (5-chord) The Diminished Chord (7-chord) However, we’ll be looking at the three most important chords in the major key.

The Three Most Important Chord Types In The Major Key

The most important chord in the major key is the major chord, followed by the dominant chord, then the minor chord. So, here are the three most important chord types in the major key in the order of increasing importance:

The Major Chord The Dominant Chord The Minor Chord

…and I’ll tell you why.

“And Here’s Why…”

We’ll be using the 2-5-1 chord progression (which is arguably the most important progression in the major key) as a reference. In the 2-5-1 chord progression in the key of C major, the following chords are used:

The 2-chord:

The 5-chord:

The 1-chord:

The 2-5-1 chord progression provides us with the important chord types in the major key from the third in importance (which is the 2-chord) to the second in importance (which is the 5-chord), then to the most important chord in the key — the 1-chord.

“Check It Out…”

Note #1. The 2-chord is a minor chord representing MINOR chords which are the third most important chords in the major key. Note #2. The 5-chord is a dominant chord representing DOMINANT chords which are the second most important chords in the key. Note #3. The 1-chord is a major chord representing MAJOR chords which are the most important chords in the key. It’s universally accepted that the 1-chord is the most important chord in the key and this is because it is acoustically the most stable chord, theoretically the chord of the most important tone of the key, and practically the first and/or last chord in most songs. So, the 1-chord is the most important chord in the key and there are acoustic, theoretical, and practical basis for that.

“So, What’s The Second Chord In Importance?”

“Finally…What’s The Third Chord In Importance?”

Final Words

Although major, dominant, and minor chords are top three in importance, that’s NOT to say that other chords like the diminished, etc., are not important. In a subsequent lesson, we’ll discuss other chord types other than these top three that you MUST not be without. Meanwhile, I am glad you read this blog post today and I’m doubly sure you learned a couple of things. If you have a suggestion, contribution, or comment, please feel free to enter it in the comment box below.

See you next time!

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Do guitars play better with age?

Older guitars often sound better than newer ones as they dry out over time which causes them to become harder leading to a more resonant tone with better sustain. The increase in age affects the tone more in acoustic guitars than electric ones.

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There is a process behind the idea that guitars sound better as they age. And it’s related to the condition of the wood. There are two main reasons behind why older guitars have a better tone. These are due to the drying out of the wood, and the density. Both of these factors are related to the wood the guitar is made from.

Drying Out

Wood is well-known for its ability to absorb moisture or dry out, depending on what conditions it is kept in. This is caused by the the structure of the wood. It contains gaps which allow it to absorb water into. Over time, these gaps in the wood can collapse. Hence, the wood cannot retain as much water. And it’s this lack of moisture, and the process of the top of the guitar drying out, that causes it to sound better over time. This creates a harder and lighter form of the wood. This is particularly evident with acoustic guitars, where the sound is much more dependent on the quality of the wood. Whereas, with electric guitars, the pickups are much more important.

Density

Secondly. the density of the wood is also important. The way the wood behaves when vibrated changes over time. Of course, wood contains grains which hold sap in them. When the wood vibrates, causing the sap to break up and loosen. This allows the vibrations to move more freely in the body of your guitar, hence, creating better resonance and a deeper tone.

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