MAJOR TRIADS
INTRODUCTION TO CHORDS: HOW TO MAKE MAJOR TRIADS
Major Triads are the most common type of chord, and it's a really good idea to learn how they work, and how to make them in any key.
To put it as simply as possible, triads are chords made up of three notes.
More specifically, they're a group of three notes that have a specific relationship to each other.
Major Triads are made up from the first note (often called the root or the tonic), the third note and the fifth note of the Major Scale.
Let's look at the C Major scale:
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
The C major Triad is therefore made up of the notes C E and G
THE C MAJOR TRIAD
If we look at the major triad on the keyboard, we can measure the distance in semitones (like we did with the major scale phone number).
The distance from C to E is 4 semitones
The distance from E to G is 3 semitones
The distance from C to G is 7 semtones
On the stave, triad chords make neat stacks - with notes stacked either on adjacent lines or spaces. When notes are stacked on top of each other like this, we play them at the same time.
PLAYING AND LISTENING:
Play the major triad with your left hand on the piano, and with your right hand play the C major scale. Have a listen to how each note of the scale relates slightly differently with the chord. Which notes sound the most 'settled' to you? Which notes create the most tension?
BUILDING MAJOR TRIADS IN OTHER KEYS
If you know how to make major scales using the major scale phone number, you can simply go through the same process to build major triads in every key.
Find the root of the triad that you want to work out on the piano.
Use the major scale phone number to work out the notes in the scale.
Play the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the scale at the same time (in your left hand), and play the scale in your right hand.
Repeat and practice this process LOTS of times until you've memorised a few of them, and can play the chord and scale with ease.
Here's the D major scale, with the major scale phone number written above it, and the 'degree numbers' written underneath. The notes of the triad are marked in bold.
0 2 2 1 2 2 2 1
D E F# G A B C# D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
D MAJOR SCALE
D MAJOR SCALE (with key signature)
D MAJOR TRIAD
You can check your work by counting up the distance in semitones between the notes:
The distance from D to F# is 4 semitones
The distance from F# to A is 3 semitones
The distance from D to A is 7 semtones
You can use the semitones as a shorthand way of working out major triads just by remembering the numbers 4,3
It is however much more effective to learn how the triad relates to the scale.