Most Basic chords consists of the
specific arrangements of the three notes, called Triads. A triad is a
simultaneous combination of three notes. Triads consists of Root note
which gives the chord its letter name and 3 interval above the root note &
the 5th interval above the root note. All triads are three note chords, but not
all three note chords are triads.
There are fourth different kind of
triads-major, minor & diminished & augmented. Although the intervals
that make up the triads are always thirds, they differ in that they may be
either major or minor thirds. Every interval has an effect on the sound of the
chord, but it is the root that determines the chords identity. It is the
interval from the root to the 3rd note of the group that determines whether
they are major or minor. A major triad with the sharpened 5th is called
augmented and a minor triad with a flattened 5th is called diminished.
The C major
triad:-
C (1st), E(3rd) ,G (5th)
The C augmented
triad:-
C(1st), E(3rd),G# (#5th)
The C minor
triad:-
C(1st), (Eb) (b3rd), G (5th)
The C diminished
triad:-
C(1st), (Eb) (b3rd), Gb (b5th)
Triads Inversion:- The four triads shown above are all in the root
position. This means that the root or tonic note is the lowest note in the
chord. If the lowest note is not the root the chord is said to be inverted. In
this case the term root may still be used to describe the lowest note but it
will no longer be the tonic. If you take a C major root position triad and
raise the tonic by an octave, the 3rd will become the lowest note. This form of
the triad is called the first inversion. If you now raise the 3rd by an octave,
the 5th will be left as the root. This form is called the 2nd inversion.
Repeating the process once again brings you back to the root position triad one
octave higher. In this way it is possible to get three different sounds from
one triad. Because the three notes have the same key-center and tonality,
whatever their arrangement, they have the same name.