Which triad is built with two major thirds?

Which triad is built with two major thirds?

• A. Major triad
• B. Minor triad
• C. Diminished triad
• D. Augmented triad

Answer: (D)

Triads are formed by stacking two third intervals on the root, and the quality of the triad comes from whether those intervals are major or minor. When both intervals are major, you get an augmented triad. For example, starting on C, a major third up goes to E, and another major third up goes to G#, giving C–E–G#. This raises the fifth degree and creates the distinctive augmented sound. By contrast, a major triad uses a major third followed by a minor third (C–E–G), a minor triad uses a minor third followed by a major third (C–Eb–G), and a diminished triad uses two minor thirds (C–Eb–Gb). Therefore, the structure built from two major thirds is the augmented triad.

Triads are formed by stacking two third intervals on the root, and the quality of the triad comes from whether those intervals are major or minor. When both intervals are major, you get an augmented triad. For example, starting on C, a major third up goes to E, and another major third up goes to G#, giving C–E–G#. This raises the fifth degree and creates the distinctive augmented sound. By contrast, a major triad uses a major third followed by a minor third (C–E–G), a minor triad uses a minor third followed by a major third (C–Eb–G), and a diminished triad uses two minor thirds (C–Eb–Gb). Therefore, the structure built from two major thirds is the augmented triad.