Homework for W 4/3: Triads

I've emailed you the homework for Wednesday.  In it you'll first identify 10 triads, using the pop chord symbols (explained on the sheet, below, and in the video).  

• Write down the name of the root (the bottom note) first, using a capital letter and a sharp or flat sign as needed.
• Then determine what the quality of the triad is. If it's major, just leave the capital letter.  If it's minor, add a "m." If it's diminished, add a superscript "o." If it's augmented, a superscript "+." (See the video, below, and the homework sheet itself.)

Triads are presented at the beginning of Chapter 8 of the Balensuela.  The pop chord symbols are not in the Balensuela.  There is a musictheory.net lesson, too.  The pop chord symbols aren't there, either.  They is a good chart of them here. (That chart has variants for some of the symbols; we'll stick with the ones above/below.) 

Important terms:

Interval: TWO notes

• harmonic interval: two notes played/sung simultaneously
• melodic interval: played sung one after another

Chord: three or more notes played or sung simultaneously

Triad: a chord that

• has three notes
• is constructed with thirds

Root: the bottom note of a triad

Third: the middle note of a triad, a third above the root

Fifth: the top note of a triad, a fifth above the root (and a third above the third!)

Major triad:

• M3 from root to third
• m3 from third to fifth
• P5 from root to fifth
• pop chord symbol: name of root (capital letter) ex: D or F#

Minor triad

• m3 from root to third
• M3 from third to root
• P5 from root to fifth
• pop chord symbol: name of root (capital) plus lower case m. Ex: Dm, F#m

Diminished triad:

• m3 from root to third
• m3 from third to 5th
• d5 from root to 5th
• pop chord symbol: name of root (capital letter) plus superscript o. Ex: Do, F#o.

Augmented triad:

• M3 from root to third
• M3 from third to fifth
• A# from root to fifth
• pop chord symbol: name of root (capital letter) plus superscript +.  Ex: D+, F#+.

Videos:

Review of triads:

Identifying triads: