Major Triads
Terms
Chord
Any set of two or more pitches sounding at the same time.
Triad
Three notes sounding at the same time. The triad is the primary building block for most harmony.
Major Triad
A triad made up of a Major 3rd on the bottom and Minor 3rd on the top.
Root
Bottom note in a triad when stacked in 3rds.
Third
Middle note in a triad when stacked in 3rds.
Fifth
Top note in a triad when stacked in 3rds.
Root
3rd
5th
There are four primary types of triads: Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented.
Nearly all chords with more than three notes are based upon these four simple triads.
They are usually extensions or alterations of the triad.
All four traids are built by stacking three notes with the interval of a 3rd between each note.
A triad, in its simplest form will always have three notes on consecutive lines or spaces.
To review Thirds see
Major Intervals.
Major Triads
Each type of triad has a unique interval relationship between the notes.
The Major Triad has a major 3rd for the bottom interval and a minor 3rd for the top interval.
The interval between the bottom and top is a perfect 5th.
M3
m3
P5
Building A Major Triad
A triad is named after the note that is in the root when the triad is stacked in thirds. To build a triad:
- Notate the root note: this is the same note as the name of the triad. The root note of an E♭ major triad would be an E♭
- Notate the third: add a note a M3 above the root. A M3 above an E♭ is a G.
- Notate the fifth: add a note a m3 above the third (P5 above the root.) A m3 above a G is a B♭. Which is also a P5 above the E♭.
- If done correctly, the top two notes will be notes in the major scale built from the bottom note.
To review Major Scales see Major Scales.
Simple Short Cut:
If you have your key signatures memorized you can simply stack notes in thirds and then,
using the major key signature of the bottom note, add any necessary accidentals so all of the notes are in the key.
To review Major Key Signatures see Major Key Signatures.
- Notate the root note: this is the same note as the name of the triad. The root note of an E♭ major triad would be an E♭
- Stack two notes above it in 3rds so that it is space-space-space, or line-line-line.
- Add any necessary accidentals to fit the key signature of the root note.
The key signature of E♭ major has 3 flats: B, E and A. So we will need to add a flat to the B. (The E already has a flat and there is no A in the triad.)
- If done correctly, the top two notes will be notes in the major scale built from the bottom note.
Open or Closed
Triads are not always written or played so that the notes stack up in thirds.
Closed or Close Position
The top note of the triad is within an octave of the bottom note.
Open Position
The top note of the triad is more than an octave from the bottom note.
When a triad is in open position it can be hard to identify.
To make it easier, rewrite the triad in close position with a third between each note.
This is easy to visualize because all three notes will either be on spaces or all three notes will be on lines.