Triads
Triad Chords found in the Major Scale
The Major Scale contains seven triads (3 note chords). In order to see what they are, let's look at the C Major Scale...
The first chord in C, is obviously C Major, it's made up of the notes C, E and G. Following this pattern the next chord that we find in the scale of C Major is D, F and A which is the chord of D Minor. Then we have E, G and B which gives us E Minor. Next up is F, A and C which is F Major. Then G, B, D or G Major. Then A, C, E, A Minor (which is the also relative minor of C Major). The last chord is B, D and F which contains both a flat 3rd and a flat 5th, which gives us a Diminished Chord, in this case B Diminished.
Here's how each chord looks on the Fretboard...
C Major (C, E, G) |
G Major (G, B, D) |
D Minor (D, F, A) |
A Minor (A, C, E) |
E Minor (E, G, B) |
B Diminished (B, D, F) |
F Major (F, A, C) |
But what about the other Keys/Scales?
The other scales/keys also contain 7 (maj, min, dim) triads, they always follow the order: Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major, Minor and Diminished.
For easy reference, here's a chart of all the keys and associated triads...
| KEY | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |
| C# | C# | D#m | E#m | F# | G# | A#m | B#º |
| F# | F# | G#m | A#m | B | C# | D#m | E#º |
| B | B | C#m | D#m | E | F# | G#m | A#º |
| E | E | F#m | G#m | A | B | C#m | D#º |
| A | A | Bm | C#m | D | E | F#m | G#º |
| D | D | Em | F#m | G | A | Bm | C#º |
| G | G | Am | Bm | C | D | Em | F#º |
| C | C | Dm | Em | F | G | Am | Bº |
| F | F | Gm | Am | Bb | C | Dm | Eº |
| Bb | Bb | Cm | Dm | Eb | F | Gm | Aº |
| Eb | Eb | Fm | Gm | Ab | Bb | Cm | Dº |
| Ab | Ab | Bbm | Cm | Db | Eb | Fm | Gº |
| Db | Db | Ebm | Fm | Gb | Ab | Bbm | Cº |
| Gb | Gb | Abm | Bbm | Cb | Db | Ebm | Fº |
| Cb | Cb | Dbm | Ebm | Fb | Gb | Abm | Bbº |
Triad/Note Realtionships
What this also shows us, is that each Note has 6 associated chords. If we loose the obscure keys (Db, Gb, Cb) and use their 'Enharmonic' partners instead C#, F# and B, we can formulate a pattern which shows every note surrounded by the 6 chords it's contained within, like so...
Take C, for example. It's obviously contained within C and C minor, but you'll also find it in F, Fm, Am and Ab.