In second inversion, the fifth of the chord is in the bass. It is the inversion that sounds least stable and the hardest one to recognize by sight, because on the staff you see a fourth at the bottom and a third at the top.
1. What it looks like on the staff
| Type | Root position | Second inversion (fifth in the bass) |
|---|---|---|
| Major | C – E – G | G – C – E |
| Minor | D – F – A | A – D – F |
| Diminished | B – D – F | F – B – D |
| Augmented | C – E – G♯ | G♯ – C – E |
2. How to analyze it
Tip: When the chord is written in close position, the middle note is the root. The bass is the fifth and the top note is the third. Rebuild the chord upward from that root to recognize its type.
3. Interactive exercise
All the chords are in second inversion: the fifth is in the bass. Your task is to identify the type of triad.
Next exercise: identify triads in all three positions. To practice the opposite skill, build 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, and under each one you write its type. With a separate answer sheet.
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.
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 write triads in second inversion.