Triad Inversion

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1. Figure out the root of the chord.

Try arranging the letter names in your head, until they line up as a stack of thirds. The bottom note of that stack is the root! At first it might help to write the letter names out, but it is important that you learn to do this entirely in your head!

2. Decide which part of the chord is in the bass:

Which part of your stack is in the bass? Is it the root, third, or fifth? Answer this and you know what the inversion is!

3. Determine the quality of the chord:

Keep imagining the chord in root position, and identify the quality as you would a regular root position triad!

Let's do one together. To identify the following chord, first try out different rotations of the letter names. Select the arrangement that lines up as a stack of thirds:

In the correct stack, the root will be on bottom. What is the root of this chord?

Bb Db G

Which note is in the bass of the inverted chord?

Root Third Fifth

So what inversion is the triad in?

Root First Second

And what quality is the triad?

dim min Maj Aug

At last we are ready to label our chord:

Identify the root, quality, and inversion of the following chords by clicking on the root and selecting the quality and inversion.