A Minor 2nd

Symbols:Am2, Amin2, Amadd2
Scale Degree Formula:1-2-♭3-5
Interval Stack:M2 + m2 + M3
Notes:A, B, C, E
Hear this chord:▸ Guitar
Inversions:Am2/B, Am2/C, Am2/E

Construction

Using the scale degree formula, we first start with the A major scale, and number each note in the scale starting from 1 - these are the scale degrees. Next, we use the scale degree formula, in this case 1-2-♭3-5, to select notes from our enumerated scale. When a chord requires notes that are not in the scale, this is indicated with a flat (♭) or a sharp (#) along with the scale degree; a ♭3, for instance, would be one half-step down from the 3rd scale degree.
Alternatively, we can use the interval stack to construct our chord. With this approach, we first start with the lowest note of the chord (A), then move our first interval (M2), which brings us to our second note in the chord (B). We repeatedly apply each of the remaining intervals in the stack to get the full list of notes for our chord.
The diagram below shows how both the scale degree formula and interval stack methods result in the same selection of notes:
A1Bb♭2B2C♭3C#3D4D#♭5E5M2m2M3

Similar Chords

The following chords are similar to this chord and may be a suitable replacement in certain scenarios.

Chord TypeChords
7th Suspended Four Flat 9thB7sus4b9
7th Suspended FourthE7sus, B7sus
7th Suspended SecondD7sus2, A7sus2
Added 9thAadd9
Augmented Major 7thC+Maj7
Half-Diminished 7thF#m7(b5)
Major 2ndA2
Major 6thCM6
Major 7thFM7, CM7
Major 7th Flat FifthFMaj7b5, CMaj7b5
Major Added 11thEadd11
MinorAm
Minor 6thAm6
Minor 7thAm7
Minor 9thAm9
Minor Added 11thEmadd11, Amadd11
Minor Added 9thAmadd9
Minor Major 7thAmM7
Minor Major 9thAmMaj9
Minor Six-NineAm6/9
Suspended FourthEsus
Suspended SecondAsus2

Associated Scales

This chord can be found in the following scales.

ScaleRoots
BluesF#
DorianD, A
Dorian b5F#
Harmonic MajorE
Harmonic MinorE, A
Ionian #5G, C
LocrianF#, B
Locrian bb7D#
Locrian ♮6F#, B
LydianF, C
Lydian #9F, C
Lydian Augmented #2C
Lydian b3A
MajorG, C
MinorE, A
MixolydianG, D
Mixolydian b2B
PhrygianE, B
Phrygian DominantE, B
Phrygian b4G#
Super-Locrian bb7G#, D#
Ukrainian DorianD, A

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