Major and Minor Triad Chord Progressions

Every scale has chord progression that consists of a chord for each note or step in the scale. For this post, I will only focus on the triad chord progressions. A triad is the root note (that means the first note), the third note, and the fifth note of a major or minor scale. For example, Fig. 1 shows one version of the C major scale (one octave). Notice that the first, third, and fifth note are C, E, and G. Now play a C major chord like the first chord in Fig. 2. Notice that the only three notes present in the chord are C, E, and G.

This is not by accident, any major or minor chord will consist of three notes and all these notes form either a major or minor triad. Keep in mind that these triads are derived from their respective scales. For example, G major (G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G) has a triad G - B - D and the G major chord would therefore consist of G - B - D.

So now that we know where these chords are derived from, let's look at chord progressions. Looking back at C major, each note can also be a chord that is either major or minor. Fig. 2 illustrates this. Every major scale follows the same pattern. The pattern is (major - minor - minor - major - major - minor - Diminished). Notice that these chords fit in the scale.

We can translate this pattern to minor scales also. If you know the relative major for any minor chord (refer to the circle of fifths) then the chords will be the same but in a different order.