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If you practice one key each day, then after two weeks you will have mastered one of music's most essential and fundamental building blocks - major and minor triads.
This is done through practical means, by practicing triads with short videos to use as reference.
Please make sure to set aside enough time each day (between 10-30 minutes, depending on your level) to practice the materials.
Before you start the practical materials, please quickly study the materials below on the theory of triads.
If you practice one key each day, then after two weeks you will have mastered one of music's most essential and fundamental building blocks - major and minor triads.
This is done through practical means, by practicing triads with short videos to use as reference.
Please make sure to set aside enough time each day (between 10-30 minutes, depending on your level) to practice the materials.
Before you start the practical materials, please quickly study the materials below on the theory of triads.
Major and Minor Triads
Triads are one of the most fundamental building blocks of Western music. Virtually any piece composed between 1600 to the present day (excepting 12-tone serial music) will display ties to triads.
Having a solid understanding and fluency of triads is the equivalent of how we read and comprehend language. The better your knowledge and fluency, the better you become at reading, writing, speaking and understanding the language.
Having a solid understanding and fluency of triads is the equivalent of how we read and comprehend language. The better your knowledge and fluency, the better you become at reading, writing, speaking and understanding the language.
Triad = Three
A triad is simply when three different notes are stacked in thirds:
• C-E-G for example is a C Major triad
A triad is simply when three different notes are stacked in thirds:
• C-E-G for example is a C Major triad
Interval Structure
The interval structure (distance from one note to another) tells us what kind of triad it is. The only difference between a major and minor triad is the interval produced from the tonic to the third (i.e. the first two notes of the triad in root position).
• Major third = Major Triad: C-E-G or 1-3-5 (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C)
• Minor third = Minor Triad: C-Eb-G or 1-b3-5 (C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-B-C)
The interval structure (distance from one note to another) tells us what kind of triad it is. The only difference between a major and minor triad is the interval produced from the tonic to the third (i.e. the first two notes of the triad in root position).
• Major third = Major Triad: C-E-G or 1-3-5 (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C)
• Minor third = Minor Triad: C-Eb-G or 1-b3-5 (C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-B-C)
Doubling
You can double (or triple, or quadruple, etc.) any of those three notes and that wouldn't change the chord's label (C-E-G-C is still C Major).
You can double (or triple, or quadruple, etc.) any of those three notes and that wouldn't change the chord's label (C-E-G-C is still C Major).
Inversions and Figured Bass
By changing the order of those notes, you get inversions of the triad
a) C-E-G = root position
b) E-G-C = first inversion
c) G-E-C = second inversion
Figured bass: numbers that represent the intervals above the bass note.
a) 5/3 = root position
b) 6/3 (or just ‘6’) = first inversion
c) 6/4 = second inversion
By changing the order of those notes, you get inversions of the triad
a) C-E-G = root position
b) E-G-C = first inversion
c) G-E-C = second inversion
Figured bass: numbers that represent the intervals above the bass note.
a) 5/3 = root position
b) 6/3 (or just ‘6’) = first inversion
c) 6/4 = second inversion
Spacing
Triads can be stacked (i.e. notes can be distributed) in a variety of ways, but two are commonly seen in music: closed and open.
Triads can be stacked (i.e. notes can be distributed) in a variety of ways, but two are commonly seen in music: closed and open.
Other types of triads
In addition to major and minor triads, there are also diminished and augmented ones.
• The quality of the third above the root note determines if the triad is major or minor. But with augmented and diminished triads, the quality of the fifth above the root is the main factor.
Diminished triad = 1 b3 b5 (C - Eb - Gb): or minor triad with diminished 5th
Augmented triad = 1 3 #5 (C - E - G#): or major triad with augmented 5th
In addition to major and minor triads, there are also diminished and augmented ones.
• The quality of the third above the root note determines if the triad is major or minor. But with augmented and diminished triads, the quality of the fifth above the root is the main factor.
Diminished triad = 1 b3 b5 (C - Eb - Gb): or minor triad with diminished 5th
Augmented triad = 1 3 #5 (C - E - G#): or major triad with augmented 5th
