Triads
A triad is a chord of three notes stacked in thirds: root, third, fifth. Take every other note of a scale (degrees 1, 3, 5).
| Triad | Built from | Example on C |
|---|---|---|
| Major | major third + minor third | C E G |
| Minor | minor third + major third | C E♭ G |
| Diminished | minor third + minor third | C E♭ G♭ |
| Augmented | major third + major third | C E G♯ |
Sound
Major chords sound bright and stable. Minor chords sound darker. Diminished sounds tense; augmented sounds unsettled.
Quick rule
To turn a major triad into minor, lower the third by a semitone.
Inversions
The notes can be reordered. With the third in the bass it is first inversion (E G C); with the fifth in the bass it is second inversion (G C E).