For others it meant working with simpler textures or the employment of triadic harmonies in non-tonal contexts.

In the West, triadic harmony arose (Contenance Angloise) around the time of the Renaissance, and triads quickly became the fundamental building blocks of Western music.

Fauxbourdon, while making extensive use of fourths, is also an important step towards the later triadic harmony of tonality, as it may be seen as a first inversion (or 6/3) triad.

In the early Baroque music of Claudio Monteverdi and Girolamo Frescobaldi triadic harmony was thoroughly utilized.

An increasingly refined cadence, and triadic harmony defined the musical work of this era.

A great many popular songs use nothing else in their melodies, though they may have triadic harmony in the accompaniment (two 'evergreen' examples are shown below).

The term "soul" suggests the church, and traditional gospel music elements such as "amen chords" (the plagal cadence) and triadic harmonies seemed to suddenly appear in jazz during the era.

The chorus is in call and response form, and uses triadic harmony.

This was European classical music, based on parallel thirds and triadic harmonies.

Deceptively simple triadic harmonies were twisted in unexpected directions and subjected to vigorous rhythmic transformations, at times bordering on Minimalism.