Diatonic Chord Quality Order by Scale Type and Chord Structure

Notes:

  • Scale type = diatonic collection (mode or scalar system)
  • Chord structure = tertian stack (triads, seventh chords)
  • Columns I–VII correspond to scale degrees
Scale type Chord structure I II III IV V VI VII
Major (Ionian) Triads M m m M M m dim
7th chords maj7 m7 m7 maj7 7 m7 ø7
Natural Minor (Aeolian) Triads m dim M m m M M
7th chords m7 ø7 maj7 m7 m7 maj7 7
Harmonic Minor Triads m dim aug m M M dim
7th chords maj7 ø7 +maj7 m7 7 maj7 °7
Melodic Minor (ascending / jazz) Triads m m aug M M dim dim
7th chords maj7 m7 +maj7 7 7 ø7 ø7
Harmonic Major Triads M dim m m M aug dim
7th chords maj7 ø7 m7 m7 7 +maj7 °7
Dorian Triads m m M M m dim M
7th chords m7 m7 maj7 7 m7 ø7 maj7
Phrygian Triads m M M m dim M m
7th chords m7 maj7 7 m7 ø7 maj7 m7
Lydian Triads M M m dim M m m
7th chords maj7 7 m7 ø7 maj7 m7 m7
Mixolydian Triads M m dim M m m M
7th chords 7 m7 ø7 maj7 m7 m7 maj7
Locrian Triads dim M m m M M m
7th chords ø7 maj7 m7 m7 7 maj7 m7

Abbreviations:

  • M = major triad
  • m = minor triad
  • dim = diminished triad
  • aug = augmented triad
  • maj7 = major seventh
  • 7 = dominant seventh
  • m7 = minor seventh
  • ø7 = half-diminished seventh
  • °7 = fully diminished seventh
  • +maj7 = augmented major seventh