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Chords and Harmony

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(3.6) Triad Chords

Chords can be naturally divided into families of related chords based on a particular triad.

A triad is a three-note chord that provides a foundation of harmony. Other notes can be added to a triad to form other chords.

Many triads are common chords in their own right, while others tend to appear more often as the basis for other chords.

We have already been introduced to the major triad, which is the most common of all.

Although we use the symbol maj throughout these tutorials, it is such a basic chord that it is often referred to by the root note only. For example the Cmaj chord is often called simply C.

There are several other triads, and each has a different combination of degrees, giving them a different characteristic sound.

Here are the symbols, formulas and names of the other common triads, for comparison.

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	How Music Works 1) Sound and Music 2) The Major Scale 3) Chords and Harmony Overview Interval Sizes Interval Names Intervals and Degrees Building Chords Degrees and Notes Triad Chords Chord Note Naming Harmonic Extensions Other Major Chords Minor Chords Diminished Chords Augmented Chords Major Flat Fifth Chords Suspended Chords Other Chord Types 4) Scales and Melody 5) Meter and Rhythm 6) Chord/Scale Relations 7) Playing with Chords 8) Playing with Scales 9) Writing Songs