Tonic Triads, Scale Degrees & New Terms
The three-note “home” chord, the numbered names for every step of the scale, and a handful of new Italian terms.
Explainer
A triad is a three-note chord built by stacking two 3rds on top of each other. The tonic triad is built on the first note (the tonic) of the scale — the "home" chord.
In root position, the notes are stacked in order: the root (1st), the 3rd, and the 5th — for example, C-E-G in C major. This is the chord that feels most "at rest"; many pieces begin and end on it.
Every note of a scale also has a number, called its scale degree. Degree 1 is the tonic; degree 5 is the dominant, the strongest pull after the tonic.
A few new Italian words to know: dolce (sweetly), legato (smoothly connected), and ritardando (gradually getting slower) — terms that shape HOW a piece is played, not just which notes to play.
Worked examples
C major tonic triad
C, E and G, played together.
G major tonic triad
G, B and D, played together.
F major tonic triad
F, A and C, played together.