Sorry for the basic question but I am not a music teacher so I think I am allowed to ask one

I am a bit confused about triads. Here is what I have understood, please correct me if I am wrong:

A triad can be built on any note of a scale. In root position it has the root as the bottom note

e.g. C E G is built on the tonic in C Major
In the first inversion, the third is on the bottom e.g. E C G or can it also be E G C (does it only matter which is on the bottom??)
In the second inversion, the fifth is on the bottom e.g. G E C or G C E - same dilemma!

Also, if anyone has "Take 5 and Pass first time" - on p. 38 is the figure at the bottom of the page wrong? Surely the dominant triad of F minor should have a C as its lowest note if it is root position?

Thanks for any help!

It's my understanding that you are correct - it's the bottom note which determines the inversion and the notes above it can be in any order.

If it's otherwise, hopefully somebody will correct us!


I've had a look and yes, it looks like a misprint. As it is, they've got the natural sign against the C, which wouldn't make sense. The triad should be in the same position as the second example they've given, which would explain why there's the natural sign - it should be E natural because as they say in the text, it's the leading note in the key of F minor.

e.g. C E G is built on the tonic in C Major
In the first inversion, the third is on the bottom e.g. E C G or can it also be E G C (does it only matter which is on the bottom??)
In the second inversion, the fifth is on the bottom e.g. G E C or G C E - same dilemma!

Yes - correct. It is the lowest note that determines the inversion.

If you imagine that any of the notes may also be doubled, the order is going to become obscure anyway, especially in eg a big orchestral chord - of which a triad may still be the basis.

Thank you both of you!

Can I just add that I've checked my copy and it looks as though they've corrected it. My edition is the 2002 one and at the bottom of page 38 both the examples have the root on C and are both correct. Someone must have written to them about it, and they've done something about it.

That's even curiouser then because my edition in which it's wrong is the fourth impression 2007!!!

(they've got it printed with the triad starting on the A)

Mine too!

Sorry - forgot to say that I didn't comment on this because I don't have the book.

(do I win a prize for the most useless post???)

Or are you secretly trying to get to the top of today's top ten posters?

I thought I had posted a lot today but I'm not even on the board.....maybe I need to pop into the café....

In that case looks like they've changed it to the wrong thing - worth a note to the publishers maybe?