Four Types of Triad Chords
TRIADS
- TRIAD Chord Inversions
- MusicTheory.net – Introducion Lesson to Triads and Chords
- MusicTheory.net – Triad Inversions
- MusicTheory.net – Diatonic Triads
- MusicTheory.net – Roman Numeral Analysis Triads
Major and minor 3rd Intervals
Triads are made up of major 3rd and minor 3rd intervals. These two intervals are essentially the foundation of chord structures.
Major Third: To form a major triad on any one note (for example, C), we first go up a major third from the root (4 semitones or half steps). C is the root, so going up a major third (4 semitones or half steps) gives you E
Minor Third: To form a minor triad on any one note (for example, E), we go up a minor third (3 semitones or half steps). E is the root, so going up a minor third (3 semitones or half steps) gives you G
HERE is a lesson on naming Intervals on MusicTheory.net
SHORT CUT – 4/3 semitones or half steps
Creating a Major Triad – Put your finger on the bottom note of the chord (in this case a C) and for the second note count up 4 semitones (half steps), then for the last note count up 3 semitones (half steps).
That covers two notes of the triad. To get the last note, start on the second note (the E in this case), and go up a minor third
In conclusion:
I encourage you to play out the notes so you can hear what the chords sound like.
The first note of each triad is the name of the chord (e.g., F A C is an F major triad).
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Creating a minor Triad – Put your finger on the bottom note of the chord (in this case a C) and for the second note count up 3 semitones (half steps), then for the last note count up 4 semitones (half steps).
If you’re particularly observant, you might have noticed that 2 out of the 3 notes of a major and minor chord are the same.
The root (in this case, C) and the fifth (G) are the same in both major and minor.
However, the third is E in a C major triad, but Eb in minor. In other words, the third of a minor chord is one semitone lower than the third of a major.
This little trick may help you remember minor chords more easily if you don’t want to go through the hassle of calculating those intervals every time.
But for your convenience, his is a list of all of the minor triads just like I did with major:
FOUR TYPES OF TRIADS
Major Triad – Major 3rd and minor 3rd
SHORT CUT – 4/3 semitones or half steps
Minor Triad – minor 3rd and Major 3rd
SHORT CUT – 3/4 semitones or half steps
Augmented Triad – Major 3rd and Major 3rd
SHORT CUT – 4/4 semitones or half steps
Diminished Triad – minor 3rd and minor third
SHORT CUT – 3/3 semitones or half steps
Four Types of C Triads on the Piano
Writing the 4 types of C Triads on the Staff
TASK
On a piece of manuscript, notate using whole notes as above, the four types of triads STARTING on an F and then starting on a G
WORKSHEETS
Intervals and Triads with Inversions worksheet FREE at Oxford Press (PDF files below)
1. Intervals from Tonic in Major
2. Intervals from Tonic in Minor
3. Interval in Chromatic Scale
4. Tonic Triad in Major Mode – Melodic Triads (arpeggio)
5A. Triads-Root-Major Mode – Triads built on degrees of scale (Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, SubDominant, Dominant, Submediant, Leading Tone)
5B. Triads-1st Inversion-Major
5C. Triads-2nd Inversion-Major
7A. Triads-Root-Major Mode – Harmonic Triads
7B. Triads-1st Inversion-Minor
7C. Triads-2nd Inversion-Minor Mode
8B. M, m, A, d Triads-1st Inversion
8C. M, m, A, d, Triads-2nd Inversion
9. Seventh Chords-Major-Root & Inversions
10. Seventh Chords-Minor-Root Inversions
SPEED TESTS – these can also be used as work sheets to create intervals and triads
Grand-Staff-Note-Name-Speed-Test-20-Notes
