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Every major key contains 7 diatonic triads: I, IV, V are major; ii, iii, vi are minor; vii is diminished

Fact L1Foundations A · Music theory & musicianship

Building triads on each of the 7 scale degrees of a major scale, staying strictly within the scale, always produces the same pattern of chord qualities: I major, ii minor, iii minor, IV major, V major, vi minor, vii diminished. This is true regardless of which major key you are in. Roman numerals with capital letters = major; lowercase = minor. These 7 chords, together with their relationships, underpin the vast majority of Western popular music. The three-chord trick (I, IV, V) is the most fundamental subset.

Examples

C major: I=C, ii=Dm, iii=Em, IV=F, V=G, vi=Am, vii=B dim. G major: I=G, ii=Am, iii=Bm, IV=C, V=D, vi=Em, vii=F# dim.

Assessment

Write the 7 diatonic triads of the key of D major. Identify which are major, which are minor, which is diminished.

Prerequisites — understand these first

Don't confuse with

In a minor key, all three primary triads (i, iv, v) are minor, giving the minor tonality its characteristic mellow, introspective mood

Sources

“Chord ICEGC majorC Chord iiDFAD minorDm Chord iiiEGBE minorEm Chord IV FACF majorF Chord VGBDG majorG Chord viACEA minorAm Chord vii BDFB diminishedBo”

corpus · michael-hewitt-music-theory-for-computer-musicians · chunk 19

Taught in modules

Chords, Diatonic Harmony and Voicing

Unlocks (6) — atoms that build on this