CHORDS &

TRIADS
What is a chord?
A Chord consists of a layering of 2 or more
notes, played simultaneously. They are
built from single note (the root) of a scale.
Chords
So what is a Triad?
No, not the Chinese crime syndicate.
“Tri” refers to 3, so a Triad consists of 3
notes, built one upon the other, separated by
an interval of a 3rd.
Triads consists of the Root and a 3rd and a
5th above the Root
Both Chords and Triads can be built on any
degree of a scale.
The interval between notes determines the
type of Chord/Triad.
A Triad can be called a Chord, but not all
Chords can be called Triads.
To determine the type of triad the
interval from the Root C, to the 3rd, E
is 4 semitones - a Major 3rd; the
interval from the Root C to the 5th, G
is a Perfect 5th – 7 semitones.

The Major 3rd makes this triad, a

Major Triad.
 C-E4 E–G3
semitone semitone
s s
C – G Perfect 5th
(7 semitones)
Triads, like intervals are identified by type:
Major, Minor Augmented, Diminished and
Perfect.
Just as there are primary colours, there are
Primary Triads – triads which are most
important in Tonal (music organized around
the home based chord, the Tonic) music.

Primary Triads are those built on the I, IV

and V degree of a scale, these are the most
commonly used triads.
 What We Know…:

1 Chords and Triads are both built on each degree of a

scale

2 Numbers are used to represent the degree of the scale

3 All Triads are Chords, but not all Chords are Triads

4 Triads are Major, Minor, Perfect, Augmented or

Diminished

5 The Primary Triads are: I IV and V