Zarlino's triads

Zarlino's triads are a way of organizing musical chords based on specific mathematical relationships between notes, emphasizing harmony and balance. He identified that certain triads—three-note chords—are more consonant and pleasing when built from particular intervals, especially the consonant thirds and fifths. In his system, the "perfect" triads (major and minor) are constructed by stacking these intervals in a way that creates a stable, harmonious sound. Zarlino's work refined the understanding of how different combinations of notes contribute to the overall sense of musical coherence, influencing Western music theory by highlighting the importance of interval relationships in chord construction.