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Triads: Landscaping

Goal: To hear all four triad types in first and second inversions both melodically and harmonically while using an electronic keyboard or other sustaining instrument.

Out of Tempo

Beginning

First Inversion

  1. Teacher speaks “Third, fifth, root” or “Fifth, root, third.”
  2. Students repeat.
  3. Teacher speaks “3, 5, 1” or “5, 3, 1.”
  4. Students repeat.
  5. Teacher speaks “E, G, C” or “G, C, E.”
  6. Students repeat.
  7. Teacher speaks “Mi, Sol, Doe” or “Sol, Doe, Mi.”
  8. Students repeat.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sings “Third, fifth, root” or “Fifth, root, third.”
  2. Students repeat.
  3. Teacher sings “3, 5, 1” or “5, 3, 1.”
  4. Students repeat.
  5. Teacher sings “E, G, C” or “G, C, E.”
  6. Students repeat.
  7. Teacher sings “Mi, Sol, Doe” or “Sol, Doe, Mi.”
  8. Students repeat.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sings or plays two of the three chord tones on “lu” to hide identification of missing note, keeping the third (first inversion) or the fifth (second inversion) as the lowest note.
  2. Student sings the two notes that are present.
  3. Student sings the missing chord tone along with the given chord tones.
  4. Student sings only the missing chord tone.

In Tempo

Speaking, singing, playing.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up a slow tempo, in two-four, three-four, four-four, or six-eight, playing the given triad once per measure.
  2. Teacher sings as above, chord tone, scale degree, letters, solfege using one rhythm per time signature: half, dotted half, or whole note.
  3. Students repeat.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up a slow tempo, two-four, three-four, four-four, or six-eight, playing the given triad once per measure.
  2. Teacher prompts, “Sing the complete inverted triad in one measure in a rhythm of your choice.”
  3. Students sing the complete triad within one measure in a rhythm or their choice.

Advanced

Mixing triad types in once exercise in first and second inversion.

  1. Teacher sets up a slow tempo, in two-four, three-four, four-four, or six-eight, playing the given triad once per measure.
  2. Teacher prompts, "Sing a first inversion triad followed by a second inversion triad, singing one triad per measure in a rhythm of your choice.”
  3. Students sing as instructed.