Building triads in thirds
Build major and minor triads by stacking thirds.
The simplest chord is the triad: three notes, stacked like three steps of a ladder, every other letter.
Stacking thirds
A triad is a three-note chord built by stacking two 3rds. The bottom note is the root; above it is the third; above that is the fifth. Chords built in 3rds are called tertian.
- Major triad: a major 3rd plus a minor 3rd, 1 3 5. C = C E G.
- Minor triad: a minor 3rd plus a major 3rd, 1 ♭3 5. Cm = C E♭ G.
Both have a perfect 5th between the root and the 5th. Only the 3rd changes, so the 3rd decides major or minor, and the root and 5th fit both. This is why root–5th bass lines work over major and minor chords alike (Module 9).
Finding them quickly
Take the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the major scale of the root for a major triad, or of the natural minor scale for a minor triad. Every triad needs correct spelling, with one letter skipped each time: C E G, D F♯ A, D♭ F A♭. D♭ minor is D♭ F♭ A♭, not D♭ E A♭.
| Root | Major triad | Minor triad |
|---|---|---|
| C | C E G | C E♭ G |
| D♭ | D♭ F A♭ | D♭ F♭ A♭ |
| D | D F♯ A | D F A |
| E♭ | E♭ G B♭ | E♭ G♭ B♭ |
| E | E G♯ B | E G B |
| F | F A C | F A♭ C |
| F♯ | F♯ A♯ C♯ | F♯ A C♯ |
| G | G B D | G B♭ D |
| A♭ | A♭ C E♭ | A♭ C♭ E♭ |
| A | A C♯ E | A C E |
| B♭ | B♭ D F | B♭ D♭ F |
| B | B D♯ F♯ | B D F♯ |
Play the major arpeggio from C (fret 3 on the A string), then the minor one from the same root. Repeat from G (fret 3 on the E string) and D (fret 5 on the A string).
New terms
Tools
- Chords for Bass: Every common chord type on all 12 roots, as a 5-fret box for 4- and 5-string bass, with spelled notes and formulas.