Section 2 - Chords

Preliminary Grade

• Major triads: C, G
• Minor triads: Am, Em

Grade One

As Preliminary Grade, plus:

• Cmaj7, Gmaj7
• Am7, Em7

Grade Two

As Grade One plus:

• Major chords: D, F, Dmaj7, Fmaj7
• Minor chords: Bm, Dm, Bm7, Dm7
• Dominant 7th chords: G7, D7, A7, C7

Grade Three

All major, minor and diminished triads from major and natural minor scales, within a range of keys to 2 sharps and 2 flats, plus:

• Major 7th chords: C, G, D, F, Bb
• Minor 7th chords: A, E, B, D, G
• Dominant 7th chords: G7, D7, A7, C7, F7

Grade Four

From major and natural minor scales, within a range of keys to 3 sharps and 3 flats:

• Major, minor and diminished triads.
• Major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th and minor 7th b5 chords.
• Sus 2 and sus 4 chords, 5th 'power' chords.

Grade Five

As for the previous grades, but extended to a range of keys to 4 sharps and 4 flats, plus:

• Major and minor 6th
• Diminished 7th chords.
• 1st and 2nd inversions of major and minor triads.
• Dominant 7th chords from harmonic minor scales in a range of keys to 4 sharps and 4 flats.

Grade Six

As for the previous grades, but extended to a range of keys to 5 sharps and 5 flats, plus:

• All triads, minor/major 7th, minor 7thb5, major 7th#5, minor 7th, dominant 7th, major 7th and diminished 7th chords from harmonic minor scales to a range of keys to 5 sharps and 5 flats.
• 9th chords (major, minor and dominant).
• 1st and 2nd inversions of all triads.

Grade Seven

As for the previous grades, but extended to all keys, plus:

• Minor and dominant 11ths.
• Major, minor and dominant 13ths.
• Dominant 7th and minor 7th chords with # or b5ths.
• 1st, 2nd and 3rd inversions of major 7th, minor 7th and dominant 7th chords.

Grade Eight

All requirements from all previous grades, plus in all keys:

• Dominant 7ths with # or b9ths; minor 7ths with b9ths; major 7ths and dominant 7ths with #11ths.
• Commonly used altered bass 'slash' chords (e.g. Am/F#).
• Commonly used 'add' chords (e.g. Cadd9)