Chord ear training
Three notes played together can sound bright, dark, tense or floating, depending on the type of chord. Linking each sound to a word helps you recognize chords quickly in dictation, accompaniment and songwriting.
Try it: tell the triads apart
The four triads
| Triad | Built from the root | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Major | major 3rd + perfect 5th (C–E–G) | bright and stable |
| Minor | minor 3rd + perfect 5th (C–E♭–G) | darker and softer |
| Diminished | minor 3rd + diminished 5th (B–D–F) | narrow and tense, wants to move on |
| Augmented | major 3rd + augmented 5th (C–E–G♯) | floating and mysterious |
How to tell them apart
- Major or minor first. Only the middle note (the 3rd) differs: bright or dark.
- Then: stable or not? Major and minor sound settled; diminished and augmented don't.
- Diminished vs. augmented. Diminished feels squeezed inward, augmented stretched outward.
- Sing the notes. Arpeggiate the chord ("do–mi–sol") to hear where the 3rd and 5th are.
Next, try seventh chords (dominant 7th, minor 7th, major 7th, half-diminished, diminished 7th) and inversions in the app's Trainer.