Major Triad vs Minor Triad on Piano
The C major triad and the C minor triad share 2 notes — C, G. From there, the C major triad adds E, while the C minor triad adds Eb.
Piano, C3 to C5. Notes in this scale, low to high: C3 (root of C Major Triad and root of C Minor Triad), Eb3 (flat 3), E3 (3), G3 (5 of C Major Triad and 5 of C Minor Triad), C4 (root of C Major Triad and root of C Minor Triad), Eb4 (flat 3), E4 (3), G4 (5 of C Major Triad and 5 of C Minor Triad), C5 (root of C Major Triad and root of C Minor Triad).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Both scales above are drawn on one piano keyboard in the key of C. Notes belonging to both are drawn as a split two-color dot, so the notes they share and the notes unique to each are visible in one picture.
How the formulas differ
Scale degrees are the key-independent way to compare two scales — these stay the same in every key, and they are what actually distinguishes one scale from another.
| Scale | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Major Triad | R · 3 · 5 |
| Minor Triad | R · b3 · 5 |
Notes in common
| Note | In Major Triad | In Minor Triad |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | R |
| G | 5 | 5 |
Notes that differ
- Only in the major triad: E (3)
- Only in the minor triad: Eb (b3)