Additional Info: Triads & Inversions

Have you ever listened to the beautiful harmonies that always seem to complement one another? Or known a friend who can immediately improvise a bass accompaniment when given a Treble melody? If so, then you've been exposed to the concept of Triads.

Triads

Triads are combinations of three notes, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes, of a Major or minor key. When the notes are played together, the resulting chord is harmonious and sounds beautiful.

Example: a triad in C Major consists of the notes C-E-G.

Example: a traid in G Major consists of the notes G-B-D (G=1st, B=3rd, D=5th).

Triad Inversions

Inversions are triads with a scrambled order of tones. For example, instead of 1-3-5, an inverted traid may contain 3-5-1 or 5-1-3.

First Inversion

A first inversion triad is the standard triad: 1-3-5, like above.

Second Inversion

A second inversion triad is in the order: 3-5-1.

Example: A combination of D-B-G is a 2nd inversion triad in G Major (notice how the low G(1) became a high G).

Third Inversion

A third inversion traid is in the order: 5-1-3.

Example: A combination of B-G-D is a 3nd inversion triad in G Major (Notice how D(5) switched to the bottom).

Review

  1. Triads are a combination of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th tones of a key.
  2. Triad inversions are triads that aren't in the order 1-3-5.

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