Triads

Triad Basics

  • Triad: A chord that in its most compressed form, contains three notes arranged in consecutive thirds

  • Most chords are based on triads- three notes with the interval of a major or minor third between them

Triad components

  • When the root is the lowest pitch in the triad, we say the chord is in root position

  • The two other notes are named after the interval created above the root

    • The middle note is the third and the top note is the fifth

Triad names

  • Triads are named after their roots

  • A complete triad name contains name of root and the triad quality

  • Major triads are composed of a major third, a perfect fifth above the root (tonic)

  • Minor triads are composed of a minor third and a perfect fifth above the root

Triads and Scales

  • You can build a triad on any degree in a scale

Triad Qualities

  • The quality of a triad is determined by the quality of thirds that it contains

  • Major and minor triads are named for the quality of their thirds, both have perfect fifths

  • Diminished and augmented triads are named for the quality of their fifths

    • Diminished triads contain a diminished fifth

    • Augmented triads contain an augmented fifth

Traid Quality        Major        Minor        Diminished        Augmented

Top Third                 m3            M3            m3                        M3

Bottom Third             M3            m3            m3                        M3

Major Triads

  • Major triads have a major third on the bottom and a minor third on top

  • Major triads have a major third and a perfect fifth

Minor Triads

  • Have a minor third on the bottom and a major third on top

  • Have a minor third and a perfect fifth

Diminished Traids

  • Consist of two minor thirds stacked on top of each other that perform a diminished fifth

  • Have a minor third on the bottom and a minor third on top

  • Contain a diminished fifth

Augmented Triads

  • Consist of two major thirds stacked on top of each other

  • Have a major third on the bottom and a major third on top

  • Contain an augmented fifth

White Key Triads and Transformations

The White key Triads

  • The following triads are built on the white keys on the piano

    • Three major triads- over c, f and g

    • Three minor triads over d, e and a

    • One diminished triad over B

  • Qualities of the seven white key triads

    • CEG is C major

    • FAC is F major

    • GBD is G major

    • DFA is D minor

    • EGB is E minor

    • ACE is A minor

Triad Transformations

  • F major is transformed into F augmented by raising the fifth a half step from C to C# (M→ aug)

    • remember: In a major scale 1 and 5 is always a perfect interval

    • In F major, c is natural, therefore f-c is a P5

    • Raising C to C# turns the p5 into aug5

  • F augmented is transformed back into F major by lowering the fifth a half step from C# to Cnatural (Aug→M)

    • In F major, C is natural, therefore F-C# is an aug5

    • lowering C# to Cnat turns the aug5 into P5

Triad Transformation rule:

  • To change Major → Augmented: raise the fifth by a semitone

  • To change Augmented → major: lower the fifth by a semitone

  • F Major, FAC is transformed into F minor by lowering the third a half-step from A to Ab (M→m)

    • Remember: 1 to 3 is always a perfect interval in a major scale

    • In F major A is natural, therefore the interval F-A is a major third

    • Major intervals (F-A) minus one semitone become minor (F-Ab)

  • F minor is transformed back into F major by raising the third from Ab to A (m→M)

    • In F major A is natural, therefore the interval F-Ab is a minor third

    • Minor intervals (F-Ab) plus one semitone become major (f-a)

Triad Transformation Rule:

  • To change Major→minor chord, lower the third by a semitone

  • To change minor→ Major chord, raise the third by a semitone

Spelling Triads

  • Major and minor triads are named for their quality of their lower third. Both have perfect fifths

  • Diminished and augmented triads are named for the quality of their fifths

    • A diminished triads fifth is diminished. Both thirds are minor.

    • An augmented triads fifth is augmented. Both thirds are major.

  • Steps

    • Determine quality of the white key triad that shares the same root as the triad you want to spell

    • Apply triad transformation rules to add the necessary accidentals for the triad quality that you want

Examples

  • Spell and F minor Triad

    • Think of the quality of the white key triad on F

      • FAC is major (Fmaj)

    • Transform F major into F minor

      • To change major to minor, lower the third by a semitone

      • apply transformation rule 2 (M→m)- lower or raise third by a semitone

    • Answer: F-Ab-C

  • Spell an E Major Triad

    • Think of the quality of the white key triad on E

      • EGB is E minor

    • Transform E minor into E major

      • To change minor to major, raise the third by a semitone

    • EG#B

  • Spell a G Diminished Triad

    • Think of white key quality

      • GBD

    • Transform Gmaj into Gdim

      • Step 1: Change major into minor- lower third by one semitone

      • Step 2: Change minor to diminished

    • Answer: GBbDb

  • Spell and Augmented Triad

    • Think of white key triad quality

    • Transform A minor into A augmented

      • Step 1: Raise the third to create A major

      • Step 2: Raise the fifth to create A augmented

    • Answer: AC#E#

Spelling Triads With an Accidential on the Root

Triad transformation rule 4: Adding the same accidental to all of the notes of a white key triad does not alter its quality

Examples:

  • F sharp Minor Triad

    • F white key triad: FAC Major

    • Because there is a sharp in Root of chord you want to spell, add sharps to all of the notes

    • Transform F# major into F# minor

      • Lower third from A# to A

    • result: F#AC#

  • Spell Bb Major

    • BDF is B diminished

    • Add flats to remaining two notes: Bb diminished

    • Transform Bb dim. to Bbmaj

      • Step 1: Change diminished into minor (Transformation rule 3)

      • Step 2: Change minor into major (Transformation rule 2)

    • Result:BbDF

Identifying Triads with White key Method

Identifying Traids

  • Determine quality of the white key triad that shares the same root as the triad you want to identify

  • Use the triad transformation rule to determine how the triad has been altered from its natural white key state

Ex.) Given: D-F#-A

  • DFA is D minor

  • Third has been raised. If you raise the third of a minor triad, you get a major triad

  • This is a D major Triad

Identifying Traids with Accidentials in the Root

Examples:

  •    Identify A# C# E

    • ACE is a minor triad

    • the fifth has been lowered; when you lower the fifth of a minor triad, you get a diminished triad

    • This is an A# diminished Triad

  • Identify Gb Bb D

    • GBD is G major, so Gb Bb Db would also be major

    • The fifth has been raised to D; if you raise the fifth of a major triad, you get an augmented triad

    • This is Gb Augmented Triad

Identifying Triads: Key Signature Method

Examples:

  • Spell a D major Triad

    • Write the root of the chord (D)

    • Stack two thirds above the root to create the third and fifth: F and A

    • Think of the major key of the triads root: D major key signature contains C# and F#

    • Apply the accidentals on the key signature to any notes in the chord: F is the third of the triad, so apply F#

    • Drop any accidentials that don’t apply to the notes in the chord: There is no C on the triad, so drop C#

    • Result: D F# A

  • Spell Ab minor Triad

    • Write root: Ab

    • Stack two thirds above the root: C and E

    • Think of the major key signature of the triads root

      • Ab contains: Bb Eb Ab Db

    • Apply accidentals of the key signature

      • Apply Eb (Ab already flat)

    • Drop any accidentals

      • No B or D, so drop Bb and Db

    • Minor triads contain a minor third- transform major third Ab-C to minor by lowering a half step: C→Cb

    • Result: Ab Cb Eb

Triad Inversions

  • If the root of triad is no longer lowest note, the traid is said to be inverted

  • A chord with three notes can only have one root position and two inversions

    • if the root is in the bass, a triad is in root position

    • If the third is in the bass, a triad is in first inversion

    • If the fifth is in the bass, a triad is in second inversion

  • Don’t confuse the bass note with the root of the triad

Inverstions combined with spacing and doubling

  • Only pitch that matters is the lowest sounding note when inverting of a chord

  • Inverting a chord does not change its pitch names, only their order

Triad Spacing and Doubling

  • A triad is in closed position when its notes are placed as close together as possible

  • A triad is in open position when they are not as close together as possible

  • Spacing changes do no change the triads name or quality

Triad Doubling

  • You can double pitches of a triad to create fuller, thicker, more balanced sonorities

  • Four part harmony organizes chords in four voices: Soprano, alto, tenor and bass

Figured Bass

  • Figured bass is a shorthand system of symbols instead of written out notes that indicate the intervals and chords that keyboard players must perform above a bass part

  • Examples of figured bass

    • The first C triad in root position, the symbol 5/3 indicates there is a third (E) , fifth (G) above the bass note C

    • In C triad in first inversion, 6/3 indicates there is a third (G) and a sixth (C) above bass note E

    • In C triad second inversion, 6/4 indicates there is a fourth (C) and sixth (E) above bass note G

Identifying inverted chords

  • Arrange the chord pitches in root position, eliminating any doublings

  • Identify the root and quality of the chord

  • To determine the inversion, look at the lowest note in the original chord

    • If root, you are done

    • If third, add a 6

    • If fifth, add a 6/4

Spelling Inverted chords

  • Spell the chord in root position

  • If first inversion, move the root up an octave so that the third is on the bottom

  • If second inversion, move fifth down an octave so the fifth is on the bottom