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Core `Ukulele Chords, Traditional and Contemporary Triads
A triad is a three note chord. In traditional music theory, there are four triad chord types: major, minor, diminished, and augmented. Contemporary triads include sus and add.
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On the ukulele, triads occur on adjacent and non-adjacent three string sets.
In music theory, there are four traditional triad chord types: major, minor, diminished, and augmented. And four contemporary triad chord types: sus2, sus4, add2, add9.
Sus?
In the traditional triads built in thirds, the sus, or suspension, always referred to the fourth's inherent nature to resolve down to the third of the triad. And, always did resolve to the third. In contemporary harmony, we have excepted that the suspension can be delayed or not happen at all.
With all that being said, there really is no such thing as a sus2 chord. As, traditional triad built harmony, there is no suspension between the second and the third in traditional harmony.
Triads can be used Harmonically as chords and Melodically as single notes. Triads are an excellent way to get started with creating melodic solos and improvising.
For a major scale, I have students memorize this sequence of the triad types in a major scale: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished. This sequence with knowing the notes of any major scale will get you the chords ( triads ) for that scale. For the C major scale, the chords are C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim. For Db major, the chords are Db, Ebm, Fm, Gb, Ab, Bbm, Cdim. This sequence works for any major scale or mode of a major scale. For D Dorian, the chords are: Dm Em F G Am Bdim C. Simply start on the second chord of the C major scale chord sequence.
Memorize this mantra…
maj, min, min, maj, maj, min, dim
With this mantra, sequence of triads, You'll be able to descern the names of the triads in any major of the 15 Major Scales .
You already know triads if you know the basic open position chords such as C, F, G, Am, Dm, etc… If there's no 7 or 5 in the name, they're most likely triads, maybe with one of the notes doubled. An example would be typical open position C. C is C E G with the C doubled.
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