Which triad is built with two minor thirds?

Which triad is built with two minor thirds?

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

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how triads are formed by stacking thirds, and how the interval sizes inside the triad define its quality. When you stack two minor thirds in a row, you get a diminished triad. For example, starting on C, a minor third up lands on E♭, and another minor third up from E♭ lands on G♭. The triad C–E♭–G♭ is built entirely from two minor thirds, which is what gives it that tense, diminished sound. The pattern of intervals here is what sets this triad apart: two consecutive minor thirds. Other triads use different interval pairings (major third + minor third for a major triad; minor third + major third for a minor triad; major third + major third for an augmented triad), so they don’t match the two-minor-thirds construction.

The idea being tested is how triads are formed by stacking thirds, and how the interval sizes inside the triad define its quality. When you stack two minor thirds in a row, you get a diminished triad. For example, starting on C, a minor third up lands on E♭, and another minor third up from E♭ lands on G♭. The triad C–E♭–G♭ is built entirely from two minor thirds, which is what gives it that tense, diminished sound. The pattern of intervals here is what sets this triad apart: two consecutive minor thirds. Other triads use different interval pairings (major third + minor third for a major triad; minor third + major third for a minor triad; major third + major third for an augmented triad), so they don’t match the two-minor-thirds construction.