Skip to main content

Triads: Change

Goal: To hear, sing, and play shifts in triadic content by both steps and leaps, up and down.

Out of Tempo

Speaking, singing, playing.

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Here is a major triad. Change the root by interval by a half step.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Here is a minor triad. Change the third by a half step.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Here is a diminished triad. Change the fifth by a half step.”
  2. Students do so.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, one or two notes are sung per measure at first. More rhythmic nuance can be added as students become comfortable with "change."

Singing and playing.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Here is a major triad. When I say change, change the root by a half step up or down.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Here is a minor triad. When I say change, change the third by a half step up or down.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Here is a diminished triad. When I say change, change the fifth by a half step up.”
  2. Students do so.

The process continues until all students have participated and changes by step, upward and downward, built from each chord tone, have been covered.