Harmonised Major Triads

All triadic chords ( known as triads) in major scale harmony are derived from the major scale.

There are 7 notes in a scale which produce 7 triads.

Let's take a C major scale as it has no sharps or flats.

C D E F G A B C

play: C Major Scale

Triads in the C Major Scale

To get the first triad we take three alternate notes of the scale.  In other words, we are stacking up 3rd intervals.

I        C E G         Gives us a Cmajor triad.  The interval from C to E is a "major" third.  The interval from C to G is a perfect fifth.

play: C E G

II       D F A.      Gives us D minor triad.  Minor 3rd and a perfect 5th

play: D F A

III.      E G B.      E minor triad.  Minor 3rd and a perfect 5th.

play: E G B

IV       F A C.     F major Triad.  Major 3rd and a perfect 5th.

play: F A C

V      G B D.     G major triad.  Major 3rd and a perfect 5th

play: G B D

VI     A C E.      A minor triad.  Minor 3rd and a perfect 5th

play: A C E

VII     B D F.     B diminished triad.  Minor 3rd and a diminished 5th

play: B D F

Diatonic Triads

These are called diatonic triads as they are all built from the major scale.

The order of diatonic triads should be memorised.

• major
• minor
• minor
• major
• major
• minor
• diminished

Common chord progressions are made up of different combinations of these triads.

C Major Root Position

These triads shown above are in "root position" meaning that the order of notes in each triad is root, 3rd, 5th.

play: C E G

Then we jumble the notes of the triad around!

C Major 1st Inversion

First inversion means we have the order of notes 3rd, 5th, root.

play: E G C

C Major 2nd Inversion

The last inversion is the 2nd inversion which has the order of notes 5th, root, 3rd

play: G C E

Standard chord voicings

There is one instance of each note in a triad.  Common chord voicings can have multiple instances of notes in various orders.  This bulks out the triad to give a fuller sound!

For example a standard C major chord will have the notes C, E, G, C, E.   That's root, 3rd, 5th, root, 3rd.

If we analyse this chord...

Strings 5,4,3 form a C major triad in root position. (C,EG - root, 3rd, 5th)

Strings 4,3,2 form a C major triad in first inversion. (E,G,C - 3rd, 5th, root)

Strings 3,2,1 form the triad in second inversion. (G,C,E - 5th, root, 3rd)

A D minor chord will have D, A, D, F.  That's root, 5th, root, minor 3rd.

You can actually see that the top three strings form a D minor triad in 2nd inversion! (A, D, F - 5th, root, minor 3rd)

A big G major chord has the notes G, B, D, G, B, G.  That's root, 3rd, 5th, root, 3rd, root.

If we analyse this chord....

The  bottom three strings are a G major triad in root position.  (G,B,D - root, 3rd, 5th)

Strings 5,4,3 form G major in first inversion. (B,D,G - 3rd, 5th, root)

Strings 4,3,2 form G major in second inversion. (D,G,B - 5th, root, 3rd).