Chords
Lesson 12 of 14 · Intermediate · Major and minor triads, and inversions.
Triads
A chord is three or more notes played together. The most common is the triad: a note called the root, the note a 3rd above it, and the note a 5th above it.
On the staff a triad is three notes stacked line, line, line or space, space, space. This one is C E G, a C major chord.
Major and minor
In a major triad the middle note is 4 half steps above the root: C E G sounds bright. Lower that middle note by a half step and the chord becomes minor: C E♭ G sounds darker.
Press Hear it here for C minor, then go back a page and compare it with C major.
Triads on white keys
C, F and G major use only white keys: C E G, F A C and G B D.
A, D and E minor do too: A C E, D F A and E G B. Lit below: F major.
Inversions
The same three notes can be stacked in another order. C E G is root position; E G C is the first inversion; G C E the second inversion.
It's still a C major chord, just voiced differently, and it often saves your hand a jump between chords.
Practice
Major or minor? Look, and press Hear it.
Major triads with the right hand: C, F, G, C. Fingers 1, 3 and 5.
Minor triads: A minor, D minor, E minor, A minor.
C major in each inversion, climbing up.
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