Review material below, then move to the next slide to practice your knowledge of diatonic chords with an interactive exercise.

Diatonic chords are chords consisting solely of notes from a particular scale.

Triads are chords with 3 distinct notes.

The diatonic triad build on the 1st degree of any major scale is always a major chord.
The 1st diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is C major, which has a root note of C and consists of the notes C, E, G.

The diatonic triad build on the 2nd degree of any major scale is always a minor chord.
The 2nd diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is D minor, which has a root note of D and consists of the notes D, F, A.

The diatonic triad build on the 3rd degree of any major scale is always a minor chord.
The 3rd diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is E minor, which has a root note of E and consists of the notes E, G, B.

The diatonic triad build on the 4th degree of any major scale is always a major chord.
The 4th diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is F major, which has a root note of F and consists of the notes F, A, C.

The diatonic triad build on the 5th degree of any major scale is always a major chord.
The 5th diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is G major, which has a root note of G and consists of the notes G, B, D.

The diatonic triad build on the 6th degree of any major scale is always a minor chord.
The 6th diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is A minor, which has a root note of A and consists of the notes A, C, E.

The diatonic triad build on the 7th degree of any major scale is always a diminished chord.
The 7th, and last, diatonic triad in the C Major scale built with thirds is B diminished, which has a root note of B and consists of the notes B, D, F.