Chords & Chord Progressions: Major Triads: Theory & Ear Training

Learn-by-doing lessons for quickly internalizing the Major Triads in all spellings… by ear, intellect, eye and muscle…

Table of Contents

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Lesson Goal

To quickly internalize the Major Triads in all spellings… using all four musical intelligences.

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Prerequisites

Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.

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C Major Triad Theory & Ear Training

• Chord symbol: C
• Chord structure: 1-3-5
• Character: consonant, stable, happy, light, heroic.

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Common Uses for Major Triads

Common uses (using Roman Numeral Analysis) for Major Triads include, but are not limited to, the following:

• I in Major or Mixolydian tonality.
• V in Major or Minor tonality.
• IV Major, Dorian, or Mixolydian tonality.
• bVI in Minor tonality.
• bVII in Minor, Dorian, or Mixolydian tonality.
• bIII in Minor tonality.
• Secondary Dominant V/x (Tonicization).

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Major Triads, All Spellings

Here are the chord symbols, spellings, common usages, and keyboard layouts for all the Major Triads…

Sidebar advice from Frank: Simply learn to spell each chord just as you spell any three-letter word in English. For example, you spell cat C-A-T and dog D-O-G. Likewise, you spell a C chord C-E-G and D chord D-F#-A.

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C Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: C
• Spelling: C-E-G
• Common Usage: I chord in C Major, V chord in F Major or F Minor, IV chord in G Major, bVII chord in D Dorian or D Mixolydian.

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C Sharp Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: C#
• Spelling: C#-E#-G# (the exact same physical keys as the Db chord).
• Common Usage: V chord in F# minor.

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D Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Db
• Spelling: Db-F-Ab (the exact same physical keys as the C# chord).
• Common Usage: I chord in Db Major, V chord in Gb major, IV chord in Ab Major.

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D Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: D
• Spelling: D-F#-A
• Common Usage: I chord in D Major, V chord in G major or G minor, IV chord in A Major.

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D Sharp Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: D#
• Spelling: D#-Fx-A# (the exact same physical keys as the Eb chord).
• Common Usage: V chord in G# minor.

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E Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Eb
• Spelling: Eb-G-Bb (the exact same physical keys as the D# major triad).
• Common Usage: I chord in Eb Major, V chord in Ab major, IV chord in Bb major.

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E Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: E
• Spelling: E-G#-B
• Common Usage: I chord in E major, V chord in A major or A minor, IV chord in B Major.

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F Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: F
• Spelling: F-A-C
• Common Usage: I chord in F Major, V chord in Bb major or Bb minor, IV chord in C major.

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F Sharp Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: F#
• Spelling: F#-A#-C# (the exact same physical keys as the Gb chord).
• Common Usage: V chord in B Major or B minor.

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G Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Gb
• Spelling: Gb-Bb-Db (the exact same physical keys as the F# chord).
• Common Usage: I chord in Gb Major, IV chord in Db Major.

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G Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: G
• Spelling: G-B-D
• Common Usage: I chord in G major, V chord in C major or C minor, IV chord in D major.

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G Sharp Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: G#
• Spelling: G#-B#-D# (the exact same physical keys as the Ab chord).
• Common Usage: V chord in C# minor.

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A Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Ab
• Spelling: Ab-C-Eb (the exact same physical keys as the G# chord).
• Common Usage: I chord in Ab Major, V chord in Db Major, IV chord in Eb Major.

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A Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: A
• Spelling: A-C#-E
• Common Usage: I chord in A major, V chord in D major or D minor, IV chord in E major.

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B Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Bb
• Spelling: Bb-D-F
• Common Usage: I chord in Bb Major, V chord in Eb Major or Eb minor, IV chord in F Major.

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B Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: B
• Spelling: B-D#-F# (the exact same physical keys as the Cb chord).
• Common Usage: I chord in B major, V chord in E major or E minor.

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C Flat Major Triad

• Chord Symbol: Cb
• Spelling: Cb-Eb-Gb (the exact same physical keys as the B chord).
• Usage: IV chord in Gb Major.

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