Build Triads in First Inversion: Staff Exercise

The third of the chord (the bass note in first inversion), the type of chord and the root are shown. Your task is to place the fifth and the root on the staff, in the correct octave. Click on the staff to place each note, and use the accidental buttons before placing it.

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.

What is first inversion?

In first inversion the third of the chord is in the bass. The other two notes (the fifth and the root) go above it in close position.

Chord	Bass (given)	Draw: fifth	Draw: root
C major	E (third)	G	C (octave)
A minor	C (minor third)	E	A (octave)

Exercise

See all the chord exercises → Or practice the opposite skill: identify triads in first inversion.

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 first inversion 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 first inversion — A4 sheet with 21 triads in first inversion 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 first inversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you build a triad in first inversion?

In first inversion the third of the chord is in the bass. Write the third of the chord as the bass note. Then add the fifth above it (a third above the bass) and the root in the highest voice (a sixth above the bass).

Which intervals make up a first inversion, counted from the bass?

From the bass (the third of the chord) there is a third up to the fifth of the chord and a sixth up to the root. The exact qualities depend on the type: a major chord in first inversion has a minor 3rd and a minor 6th above the bass (E–G–C), while a minor chord has a major 3rd and a major 6th (C–E–A).

Why is it harder to build chords in inversion?

Because you have to think about which note is the root of the chord (it is not in the bass) and then work out the other notes from that root. You need to know the structure of each triad well before you can place it in an inversion.

What is the most common mistake when building a first inversion?

Putting the root in the bass instead of the third. You can catch the error by checking that the bass is really the third of the chord asked for. If the task is C major in first inversion, the bass must be E, not C.

How can I practice building chords in inversion?

First work out which note must go in the bass for the inversion asked. Then build the whole chord from the notes you know belong to it, and check that the intervals above the bass are right for that inversion.