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Music Theory

Build Triads: All Three Positions

The bass note (which can be the root, the third or the fifth), the type of chord and the root are shown. Your task is to work out the position and place the two missing notes in the correct octave. Each question names the position in parentheses (root position, 1st inversion or 2nd inversion), telling you which note of the chord is in the bass and which ones you have to add.

Do you want it as a game? In Billiards every ball carries a chord: you build its notes on the staff and, if they are right, the ball goes in, also in inversions. You can play alone or in class, taking turns.

The positions at a glance

PositionBass noteNotes to draw
Root positionRootThird and fifth
First inversionThirdFifth and root
Second inversionFifthRoot and third

Exercise

For the opposite skill, identify triads in all three positions.

If you practice these chords on an instrument, the online metronome helps you build speed gradually: start slowly (50-60 BPM) and speed up a little at a time. The online tuner lets you check that every note of the chord is in tune.

For the full theory of each triad, see the page on triads, with the diminished chord and the augmented chord.

Printable worksheet (PDF)

The same exercise on paper, for class: 21 triads in all three positions on one side of A4. Each staff gives the lowest note of the chord and you add the other two. With a separate answer sheet, where the added notes appear in red.

It goes from easier to harder: first chords with natural notes in treble clef, then with sharps and flats and the bass clef coming in gradually, and finally a few with a double accidental.

Printable PDF worksheet to write 21 triads in all three positions
A4 sheet with 21 triads in all three positions to write.

Download the worksheet (PDF, A4) Answers

You may print and photocopy it freely for the classroom. To practice in the other direction, see the worksheet to analyze triads in all three positions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I master building triads in all three positions?
Follow this order: 1) Memorize the notes of the four types of triad (major, minor, diminished, augmented). 2) Practice putting the right note in the bass (the root for root position, the third for first inversion, the fifth for second inversion). 3) Complete the chord by working out the correct intervals.
What is figured bass and how does it show inversions?
Figured bass shows the position with numbers under the bass note. No number (5/3 is implied): root position. 6 or 6/3: first inversion. 6/4: second inversion. The numbers are the intervals from the bass up to the other notes of the chord.
Why is it important to know all three positions?
Because in real scores chords appear in any position. Being able to identify and build them in every position is essential for harmonic analysis, composition and accompaniment.
Which position is the hardest to build?
Usually the second inversion, because you have to remember that the fifth goes in the bass and work upward from there. A trick: put the fifth in the bass, go up a fourth to the root (perfect in major and minor chords), and then add the third above the root.
How do I check that a triad I built is correct?
Check the two intervals above the bass note. 1) The middle note must be the right number of half steps above the root: 4 for a major third, 3 for a minor third. 2) The top note must be 7 half steps above the root (perfect fifth), 6 (diminished) or 8 (augmented). If both are right, the triad is correct. In an inversion, do this check on the chord rearranged in root position.