04. Triads

Since a chord consists of at least three notes, this means that triads are the most basic type of chord. We also mentioned that a chord is built from thirds. It also determines the mode of the chord in the tonal system of major-minor (basic types of scales), and it will be:

Chord mode:

MAJOR (major third, e.g., C-E) / clearly hear the cheerful character of the chord

MINOR (minor third, e.g., C-E♭) / in this case, you will hear a sad atmosphere

In the previous chapter, using the example of C major, we learned about the major triad which is characterized by consisting of a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. We also know that between the root and the major third, we have a major third interval, and between the major third and the perfect fifth, we have a minor third interval. The major triad is represented by a capital letter symbol, in our case, it's C.

If we reverse this pattern, we get a minor triad. Let's break it down. Take the first component, the root C. Add a minor third, and you'll get the third component, which is Eb. Then add a major third, and you'll obtain the fifth component, which is the G note. The minor triad is represented by a capital letter symbol followed by MI or MIN, in our case, it's C MI or C MIN

Before we visualize these examples, what we can do next is build a chord with two major thirds and two minor thirds:

Let's take the note C with a major third E, then add another major third, and we get the note G#. In this way, we've constructed an augmented triad and represent it with the symbol C+ or C aug.

Let's do the same with a minor third. C + minor third = Eb + minor third = Gb. This time, we've got a diminished triad, represented with the symbol C○ or C dim.

Alright, let's do a brief summary and take a look at all the examples together:

Major Triad:

C (root of the chord) + major third -> E (major third of the chord) + minor third -> G (perfect fifth of the chord)

Chord symbol: C

Minor Triad:

C (root) + minor third -> Eb (minor third of the chord) + major third -> G (perfect fifth of the chord)

Chord symbol: C MI or C MIN

Augmented Triad:

C (root of the chord) + major third -> E (major third of the chord) + major third -> G# (augmented fifth of the chord)

Chord symbol: C+ or C aug

Diminished Triad:

C (root of the chord) + minor third -> Eb (minor third of the chord) + minor third -> Gb (diminished fifth of the chord)

Chord symbol: C○ or C dim

Great, we've learned all four types of triads based on thirds! These are the most well-known and fundamental chords that you can find in practically every genre of music!

Remember that a chord consists of notes played simultaneously. However, you can use individual notes to play melodies around the chord you're playing! It's a great exercise to introduce you to composition and improvisation! We'll discuss specific examples of such techniques later on. Have fun!

We will expand on the topic of triads and other chords soon. Remember that in our newsletter, I will provide preliminary discussions of upcoming topics and keep you informed about any changes and content updates in the applications!

What's next? 🤔

At this stage of your chord knowledge, you can see how triads are laid out on your instrument! Visualize the sounds by going to the Chords Fretboard tab. Pay attention to how the patterns change with different keys, but the distances between the notes remain the same! 💪

I mentioned that intervals provide a great opportunity to play around with sounds. Chords offer plenty of options for that! In the upcoming sections, we will discuss other topics that will give you a broader understanding of note distribution and chords (exciting stuff like inversions, extended chords, chords within scales 😋). But for now, take a look and compare the information from the lesson with your fretboard or keyboard. You might come up with your own insights and ideas! Have fun, and see you back here soon! Let’s do this! 🙌

03. Chord Construction - prev lesson