Build Triads in Second Inversion: Staff Exercise

The fifth of the chord (the bass note in second inversion), the type of chord and the root are shown. Your task is to place the root and the third 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 second inversion?

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

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

Exercise

See all the chord exercises → Or practice the opposite skill: identify triads in second 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 second 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 second inversion — A4 sheet with 21 triads in second 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 second inversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you build a triad in second inversion?

In second inversion the fifth of the chord is in the bass. Write the fifth as the bass note. Then place the root above it (a fourth above the bass for major and minor chords) and the third of the chord above the root (a sixth above the bass).

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

From the bass (the fifth of the chord) there is a fourth up to the root and a sixth up to the third. In a major or minor chord the fourth is perfect (G–C in C major); in a diminished chord it is augmented (F–B), and in an augmented chord it is diminished (G♯–C). The fourth is the visual signature of a second inversion.

Why is the second inversion the most tense position?

Because in traditional harmony the fourth above the bass is treated as a dissonance, and it asks to resolve. For this reason a second inversion is usually followed by a chord in root position, especially in the cadential six-four chord.

What is the most important six-four chord?

The tonic chord in second inversion over the dominant bass (the cadential six-four chord). In C major: G in the bass, with C and E above. It creates strong tension before a perfect authentic cadence and is very common in classical style.

How do I avoid confusing second inversion with first inversion?

Look at the interval between the bass and the next note up. A fourth means second inversion. A third means root position or first inversion, and the top note then tells them apart: a fifth above the bass for root position, a sixth for first inversion.