What Is a Triad?
What Is a Triad?
A triad is the simplest complete chord: three notes stacked in thirds — a root, a third, and a fifth. Every full chord you play is a triad at its core; sevenths and extensions are decoration on top.
The four flavors
The two thirds inside a triad can each be major or minor, giving exactly four types:
| Triad | Stack | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Major | major third + minor third | bright, resolved |
| Minor | minor third + major third | dark, serious |
| Diminished | minor + minor | tense, unstable |
| Augmented | major + major | dreamlike, unresolved |
The two rare ones get their own guide: Diminished and Augmented Chords.
Why guitarists drill triads
Full barre shapes hide what chords actually are. Triads on three-string sets expose the machinery — you see exactly where the root, third, and fifth sit, and moving between chords becomes small hand shifts instead of grip changes. They're the gateway to CAGED, to fills and riffs between chords, and to soloing over changes. Start with Triads on Guitar: The Complete Guide, then build the habit with a triad practice routine.
Related terms
- Inversion — triads with the third or fifth on the bottom
- Voicing — closed vs spread triads
- Seventh chord — a triad plus one more third