You Are Reading the First 6 FREE Chapters (470 pages)
6.1.6 Major Triad: Major 3rds, Minor 3rds
The major triad is comprised of major 3rd and minor 3rd intervals. All chords, like this one, are comprised of major and mnor 3rd intervals.The three notes of the major triad are called the root, the third, and the fifth. As long as you play these three notes simultaneously (more or less) ...
- It doesn’t matter which octave you play them in;
- It doesn’t matter which order you play them in
Your brain will still recognize the same chord.
Although recognizably the same chord, the order of the component notes does affect the overall sound of the chord.
- If the root of the chord is “at the bottom”—in the lowest pitch position—the chord will sound completely balanced. This is called root position.
- If the third is at the bottom, the chord will sound, paradoxically, balanced and yet somehow distinctly disturbed. (You’ll see why in a minute.) This is called the first inversion.
- If the fifth is at the bottom, the chord will sound balanced, but still slightly disturbed, compared with root position. This is called the second inversion.
All chords are just stacks of intervals—major and minor thirds. Any time you pile thirds on top of each other, in any combination, you get chords. The intervals have to be thirds.