Chords are a combination of three or more notes. The most common of these chords are called triads. Triads are a group of three notes, typically created by stacking major and minor thirds. In this guide, we will cover the five main triads: major, minor, diminished, augmented, and suspended triads. Major and minor triads get their names from the second interval, which is a major or minor third above the root. Diminished and augmented triads are named for their third notes. Specifically, the augmented triad is a major triad with a sharp fifth, while the diminished triad is a major triad with a flat fifth. The suspended triad differs from the others, as instead of a third, the second interval is either a major second or a perfect fourth above the root.
You may notice some interesting characteristics when playing these chords. The root and fifth give the chord a sense of stability. Augmenting or diminishing the fifth adds a feeling of instability and tension to the chord. This tension is often best used in dominant chords, such as any V-I or V-i chord movements. You can also experiment with them in other chords to add a bit of color and tension. They can also be useful when modulating to other keys. I encourage you to incorporate them into your regular playing and discover how they fit into your music.
While the fifth contributes stability, the third of the chord determines its major or minor quality. Major chords typically sound happy, while minor chords sound sad, which is a result of the relationship between the root and the third. In comparison, suspended chords lack this happy or sad sound. They can be used to delay resolution and work well when you want a more neutral sound. Suspended chords also sound great when alternating back and forth, such as playing sus2-sus4-sus2 on the same chord as a way to dance around
the chord before resolving it.
Finally, not pictured below in the table, you can also combine these qualities, such as augmented suspended (augsus) or diminished suspended (dimsus) chords. I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader to explore and see how they sound in your music.
| Chord Type | Symbol | Example | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major | (Root Note) | C, D♭, F#, etc. | R - M3 - P5 |
| Minor | m | Cm, D♭m, F#m, etc. | R - m3 - P5 |
| Augmented | aug, + | Caug, D♭+, F#aug, etc. | R - M3 - #5/m6 |
| Diminished | dim, o, m♭5, | Cdim, D♭o, F#m♭5, etc. | R - m3 - ♭5/T |
| Suspended | sus2, sus4 | Csus2, D♭sus4, F#sus2, etc. | R - M2 - P5 | R - P4 - P5 |
Note: For degrees above, m: minor, M: major, P: perfect, T: tritone, ♭: flattened version of the note.
