Chord Shapes

Major Triad

Intervals: 1-3-5. The basic consonant building block of Western harmony. Major triads are perceived as bright, stable and resolved, and in tonal music they occupy the key structural positions I, IV and V in major and III, VI and VII (often with alterations) in minor. In jazz, a plain major triad is frequently enriched into maj7, 6 or 6/9 chords, but bare triads still appear in simpler tunes, rock-influenced standards and as upper structures over other bass notes. The major triad’s clarity makes it the reference against which more complex colours (maj7, add9, #11, etc.) are heard.