Triads and Seventh Chords

Major Triads 1a. Major Triads: Root Position (5/3) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a MAJOR 3rd and a PERFECT 5th. The root is the bass note.

#w w w

&

M3 P5

#w w w

P5

M3 5 3

5 3

1b. Major Triads: First Inversion (6/3) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a MINOR 3rd and a MINOR 6th. The root is the 6th.

w #w w

& m3

m3 m6

6 3

w w #w

m6

6 3

1c. Major Triads: Second Inversion (6/4) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a PERFECT 4th and a MAJOR 6th. The root is the 4th.

&

P4

#w w w

M6 P4

6 4

w #w w

M6

6 4

Minor Triads 2a. Minor Triads: Root Position (5/3) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a MINOR 3rd and a PERFECT 5th. The root is the bass note.

& m3

bw w w

m3 P5

5 3

bw w w

P5

5 3

2b. Minor Triads: First Inversion (6/3) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a MAJOR 3rd and a MAJOR 6th. The root is the 6th.

& M3

w bw w

M3 M6

6 3

w w bw

M6

6 3

2c. Minor Triads: Second Inversion (6/4) Between the bass note and the upper notes: a PERFECT 4th and a MINOR 6th. The root is the 4th.

&

P4

bw w w 6 4

P4 m6

w bw w 6 4

m6

Augmented Triads

In root position (5/3), the notes above the bass form a MAJOR 3rd and an AUGMENTED 5th. In 6/3 they become a MAJOR 3rd and a MINOR 6th. In 6/4 they become a DIMINISHED 4th and a MINOR 6th.

& #w w w 5 3

#w w w

w #w w

6 3

6 4

Diminished Triads

In root position (5/3), the notes above the bass form a MINOR 3rd and a DIMINISHED 5th. In 6/3 they become a MINOR 3rd and a MAJOR 6th. In 6/4 they become an AUGMENTED 4th and a MAJOR 6th.

& bw w w 5 3

bw w w

w bw w

6 3

6 4

w bbw w w

bw w w w

Seventh Chords

&

w w w w Major: M triad + M 7th

Minor: m triad + m 7th

bbbw w w w

Dominant (X): M triad + m 7th

bb∫w w w w

Half-Diminished: D triad + m 7th

Diminished: D triad + D 7th

Inversions of Seventh Chords

& w w w w 7 5 3

= 7

6 5 3

w w ww

w w ww

w w w w =

6 5

6 4 3

=

4 3

6 4 2

=

4 2

Root: bass note Root: 6th

Root: 4th

Root: 2nd

Triads in a Key: Major Keys

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I M

ii m

iii m

IV M

V M

vi m

vii° dim

Triads in a Key: Minor Keys (in natural form)

& œœ œ i m

œœœ

œœœ

œœœ

œœœ

œœœ

œœœ

ii° dim

III M

iv m

v m

VI M

VII M

Triads in a Key: Minor Keys (with the most common inflections)

& œœ œ i m

œœœ

œœœ

œœœ

#œœœ

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ii° dim

III M

iv m

V¾ M

VI M

vii° d