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In 
In C major these are:
*I C
*V G
*IV F
*vi Am
*iii Em
*ii Dm
*vii Bdim
In a 
Auxiliary chords may be considered parallel and contrast chords derived from the primary triads. For example, the supertonic, ii, is the subdominant parallel, relative of IV (in C: a d minor chord is the subdominant parallel, the subdominant is an F major chord). Being a parallel chord in a major key it is derived through raising the fifth a major second (C of F–A–C rises to D → F–A–D, an inversion of D–F–A). Alternatively, secondary triads may be considered ii, iii, and vi.Lancaster & Renfrow (2008). ''Alfred's Group Piano for Adults: Student Book 2'', p.77. . In C major these are:
*ii Dm
*iii Em
*vi Am
In A minor these are:
*ii Bdim
*III C
*VI F
In music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
, a primary triad is one of the three triads, or three-note chords
Chord may refer to:
* Chord (music), an aggregate of musical pitches sounded simultaneously
** Guitar chord a chord played on a guitar, which has a particular tuning
* Chord (geometry), a line segment joining two points on a curve
* Chord (as ...
built from major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
or minor third
In music theory, a minor third is a musical interval that encompasses three half steps, or semitones. Staff notation represents the minor third as encompassing three staff positions (see: interval number). The minor third is one of two com ...
s, most important in tonal and diatonic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize Scale (music), scales, and are also applied to musical instruments, Interval (music), intervals, Chord (music), chords, Musical note, notes, musical sty ...
music, as opposed to an auxiliary triad or secondary triad.
Each triad found in a diatonic key corresponds to a particular diatonic function
In music, function (also referred to as harmonic function) is a term used to denote the relationship of a chord"Function", unsigned article, ''Grove Music Online'', . or a scale degree to a tonal centre. Two main theories of tonal functions ex ...
. Functional harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
tends to rely heavily on the primary triads: triads built on the tonic, subdominant
In music, the subdominant is the fourth tonal degree () of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the tonic as the dominant is ''above'' the tonicin other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdomina ...
, and dominant degrees.Harrison, Daniel (1994). ''Harmonic Function in Chromatic Music: A Renewed Dualist Theory and an Account of its Precedents'', p.45. . Cited in Deborah Rifkin. "A Theory of Motives for Prokofiev's Music", p.274, ''Music Theory Spectrum'', Vol. 26, No. 2 (Autumn, 2004), pp. 265-289. University of California Press on behalf of the Society for Music Theory The roots
A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients.
Root or roots may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
of these triads begin on the first, fourth, and fifth degrees (respectively) of the diatonic scale, otherwise symbolized: I, IV, and V (again, respectively). Primary triads, "express function
Function or functionality may refer to:
Computing
* Function key, a type of key on computer keyboards
* Function model, a structured representation of processes in a system
* Function object or functor or functionoid, a concept of object-oriente ...
clearly and unambiguously." The other triads of the diatonic key include the supertonic
In music, the supertonic is the second degree () of a diatonic scale, one whole step above the tonic. In the movable do solfège system, the supertonic note is sung as ''re''.
The triad built on the supertonic note is called the supertonic chor ...
, mediant In music, the mediant (''Latin'': to be in the middle) is the third scale degree () of a diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant.Benward & Saker (2003), p.32. In the movable do solfège system, the mediant note i ...
, sub-mediant
In music, the submediant is the sixth degree () of a diatonic scale. The submediant ("lower mediant") is named thus because it is halfway between tonic and subdominant ("lower dominant") or because its position below the tonic is symmetrical to ...
, and leading-tone
In music theory, a leading-tone (also called a subsemitone, and a leading-note in the UK) is a note or pitch which resolves or "leads" to a note one semitone higher or lower, being a lower and upper leading-tone, respectively. Typically, ''the ...
, whose roots begin on the second, third, sixth, and seventh degrees (respectively) of the diatonic scale, otherwise symbolized: ii, iii, vi, and viio (again, respectively). They function as auxiliary or supportive triads to the primary triads.
In C major these are:
*I C
*V G
*IV F
*vi Am
*iii Em
*ii Dm
*vii Bdim
In a minor
Minor may refer to:
* Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities.
** A person who has not reached the age of majority
* Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education
Music theory
*Minor chord
** Barb ...
key triads i and iv are minor chord
In music theory, a minor chord is a chord that has a root, a minor third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord comprises only these three notes, it is called a minor triad. For example, the minor triad built on C, called a C minor triad, has pit ...
s, but in chord V the leading note is generally raised to form a major chord
In music theory, a major chord is a chord that has a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord comprises only these three notes, it is called a major triad. For example, the major triad built on C, called a C major triad, has pitch ...
.Eric Taylor (2009). ''Music Theory in Practice Grade 4'', p.22. . ABRSM For example, in A minor the primary triads are Am, Dm and E. Chord v (minor) in a minor key may be considered a primary triad, but its use is rare in common practice
In European art music, the common-practice period is the era of the tonal system. Most of its features persisted from the mid-Baroque period through the Classical and Romantic periods, roughly from 1650 to 1900. There was much stylistic evolutio ...
harmony.
Auxiliary chords may be considered parallel and contrast chords derived from the primary triads. For example, the supertonic, ii, is the subdominant parallel, relative of IV (in C: a d minor chord is the subdominant parallel, the subdominant is an F major chord). Being a parallel chord in a major key it is derived through raising the fifth a major second (C of F–A–C rises to D → F–A–D, an inversion of D–F–A). Alternatively, secondary triads may be considered ii, iii, and vi.Lancaster & Renfrow (2008). ''Alfred's Group Piano for Adults: Student Book 2'', p.77. . In C major these are:
*ii Dm
*iii Em
*vi Am
In A minor these are:
*ii Bdim
*III C
*VI F
See also
*Subsidiary chord
In music and musical analysis, a subsidiary chord is an elaboration of a principal harmonic chord in a chord progression.
If the principal chord (''X'') is partially replaced by the subsidiary (''Y''), there are three possible positions - begi ...
References
{{Chords Chords