As you begin learning chords, major triads will likely be your first experience with piano chords and are one of the most common types. They provide a beautiful sound while being easy to play.
A major chord consists of three notes, the root note, a major third and perfect fifth from any scale. The interval from root note to third note is one full step while half step separates fourth note from fifth.
Root Note
Starting out by familiarizing yourself with major chords is an ideal way to start learning piano. They’re simple yet effective chords to master, providing a solid basis for more complex ones in the future. Plus, their bright sound brings joyousness into songs as opposed to the darker or saddening tones associated with minor chords.
Building a major chord requires starting with the root note, which serves as the bottom note. From there, other notes are added on top, creating intervals. In C Major chord, for instance, four half steps separate the root from third notes while three half steps divide third from fifth notes (F-sharp to G).
On occasion, you will notice numbers written after a chord symbol; these indicate tones above its root that can be added to a chord.
Third Note
The third note of a major chord is known as its middle note and should be given plenty of practice on piano so you feel comfortable transitioning between one chord and another. To create minor chords simply lower its middle note by half steps and you will hear an immediate change in its sound!
Another method for creating major chords is adding a seventh to your triad, providing a fuller sounding chord – for instance a C major seventh (maj 7) contains C, E, G and B-flat as notes.
Other major chords are extensions of the triad, such as Maj9 (7th with added major ninth) or 6/9 (3rd with an extra sixth). Furthermore, you can create 7th, #9, or #13 chords by raising or lowering any notes in a chord; such changes are known as alterations.
Fifth Note
Substituting a major sixth (abbreviated maj6) gives any triad an additional major chord flavor, serving as an effective alternative to less common Dominant ninth or Major thirteenth chords (abbreviated maj13).
The third note in a major scale gives its characteristic sound to any major chord, usually four semitones above its root note and usually played using either middle finger on right hand or thumb in left hand.
Major chords typically possess an upbeat, joyful sound; popular musicians use this sound to convey happiness and hopefulness through popular songs. But in classical music, major key can also create tension or sadness within songs – the fifth Symphony by Beethoven provides a great example.
Major Triad
Major Triad chords consist of three notes stacked atop one another and provide the most stable sound, and can be used in longer sequences of chords.
Root note of triad: Root name usually coincides with its base note. Third and fifth notes can be counted up from root by adding four half steps and three additional half steps respectively to reach third note and fifth notes respectively.
Rearranging the vertical order of these three notes to alter its sound is known as inversion. Keep in mind that an interval refers to any distance between any two notes, meaning even when changing order they will retain similar interval qualities despite alteration – this form of inversion.