In this post, we’ll be looking at triads vs seventh chords, side-by-side, and revealing the distinct features of each of them.
Apart from the dominant seventh chord, other seventh chord qualities like major seventh, minor seventh, etc., are not commonly used in classical music. For the most part, triads ruled (later periods included more sevenths, ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths, however).
In contemporary styles like r&b, soul, funk, etc., seventh chords have taken a common place so much that triads are sometimes considered to be too basic in certain music circles.
Submission: I personally don’t believe triads are old school. This is because there are several ways to flip a triad and make it sound interesting. Check out the “mu” chord voicing of the triad.
By the end of this post, you’ll know the differences between triads and sevenths and what will work best for you. Let’s get started by reviewing both chord classes.
The Triad
A triad is a chord of three notes. Our use of the term triad here refers to a chord that is built off tertian harmony.
Using any known scale and stacking three notes in thirds would produce a triad. Here’s how it works…
Using the C major scale:
…you can stack three notes in thirds. C to E:
…is a third, then E to G:
is another third.
Put together, C-E-G:
…is a triad.
Again, the term triad is used to refer to a chord of three notes.
There are scholars that have a preference for triads over seventh chords and they have their reasons. Check out two of them…
Usage
Triads are used in music more than any other class of chords.
If you check out many all-time hits and Grammy award-winning songs that top the charts, you’ll see that they are basically harmonized using triads.
Sevenths and extended chords are used in music, however, we can’t compare their historic frequency to that of triads.
Consonance and Dissonance
When notes are played together to produce a chord, the outcome is either consonance or dissonance. Consonance is a pleasant outcome while dissonance is an unpleasant outcome.
All seventh chords are dissonant because they are made of seventh intervals. All seventh intervals are called diatonic dissonants and they have a degree of unpleasantness.
The Seventh Chord
The method of forming the seventh chord is similar to that of triads.
In the formation of seventh chords, one note (a third higher) is added to the fifth tone of the triad to produce the bigger chord.
The C major triad consists of C, E, and G:
Adding a note that is a third higher than it’s fifth would produce C-E-G-B:
…a seventh chord. C major seventh to be exact.
Seventh chords are called sevenths because they encompass seven scale tones. For example, the C major seventh chord spans from C to B:
…encompassing seven scale tones.
There are many reasons why some scholars believe that seventh chords are harmonically superior to triads. Let’s consider a few of them…
Texture
The notes of a chord can also be seen as voices – soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
Texture refers to the number of voices that are heard at once in a chord. Chords that have more notes are said to be thicker in texture than chords that have a lesser number of notes.
The C major triad consists of C, E, and G:
…that’s three notes and creates a certain texture.
The C major seventh chord consists of C, E, G, and B:
…and that’s four notes, which adds to the texture.
Triads are said to have a three-note texture while seventh chords have a four-note texture and because of that, seventh chords can be considered superior because they are thicker than triads in texture.
Width
Width in music refers to the number of scale tones an idea encompasses.
The C major triad:
…spans from C to G:
…which is a perfect fifth.
Augmented triads like C augmented:
…tend to look bigger in width (C-G#):
…however they still don’t exceed a fifth. C to G# is an augmented fifth but, for all intents and purposes, is still a fifth.
The C major seventh chord:
…spans from C to B:
…which is an interval of a major seventh.
Heck, they are called seventh chords because that’s exactly the number of scale degrees they encompass.
Seventh chords have more width than triads because they have the width of a seventh while triads have the width of a fifth.
Dissection of Seventh Chords
Juice may be sweeter than water, but juice is made of water. – African proverb.
A very detailed examination of seventh chords will show their triadic components.
Take a look at the C major seventh chord:
It consists of C, E, G, and B. This seventh chord can be broken down into two triads…
C major:
…and E minor:
The C major and E minor triads can be seen in the C major seventh chord. Therefore, they are called triadic components.
Seventh chords may show harmonic advancement over triads in terms of texture and width but they are made up of triadic components.
Juice may be sweeter than water, but juice is made of water. Pause and ponder.
Correlation of Triads
Triads are the most basic form of harmony, however, stitching triads together will produce bigger chords known as polychords.
A polychord is the outcome of the superimposition of two or more chords that are correlated.
C major and E minor triads are correlated to the C major seventh chord. Therefore, when the C major triad:
…and the E minor triad:
…are played together, the outcome:
…is an overall major seventh chord.
Crux of The Matter
Triads and seventh chords are all harmony at different levels and none is absolute. – Jermaine Griggs
If triads are the “end all, be all” in music, there wouldn’t be need for seventh chords and if seventh chords are absolutely superior, triads would have been extinct by now.
Experienced players can attest to it that there are certain situations in music where “less is more” and using seventh chords add to much “extra” that is not necessary (which I usually call “harmonic extravaganza”.)
Such situations require triads in their basic structure and seventh chords will not fit perfectly into the picture. If you’re experienced, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Juice may be sweeter than water, but if you’re really thirsty, no juice in the world can quench that thirst, save water.
The same thing happens in music. When the music needs basic harmony, throw in lots of triads without holding back. I consider the use of seventh chords in such situations as giving juice to a thirsty man.
“Get Started With Triads But Don’t Get Stuck With It…”
100% of the time, people are introduced to chords by learning triads and this is the best way to start before progressing to seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords (aka – “extended chords”.)
Getting stuck with triads is not wrong, however, owing to evolution in music – in both classical and popular music terrains – situations that require more than triads will always abound.
Classical music in the 17th century featured triads and the dominant seventh chord occasionally. Over time, it got to the 19th century (aka – “romantic period”) where extended chords were used.
American popular music styles made extensive use of triads and also dominant seventh chords in the late 19th century and early in the 20th century – ragtime is a typical example. With time, more sophisticated chords found their way in, especially in the bebop era where extended and altered chords were featured.
Heed my words…
Whether it’s classical music or popular music you’re playing, don’t get stuck with triads.
Ciao!
P.S.
If you’re interested in a harmonic upgrade that would graduate you from triads to seventh chords, do well to check out this post.
Chuku Onyemachi
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