Triads: Patterning
Goal: To hear all four triad types in various patterns using inversions.
Out of Tempo
Speaking, singing, playing: melodically and harmonically.
Beginning
- Teacher plays a major/minor/augmented/diminished (only one) triad in all three positions.
- Students identify the order in which they were played. For example: first inversion, root position, second inversion.
Intermediate
- Teacher plays two triads in all three positions.
- Students identify the order and position.
Advanced
- Teacher plays three or all triad types, one of each, in a different position.
- Students identify the order and position. For example: major/root, minor/second, augmented (identify root), and diminished (identify root).
In Tempo
Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature and tonality.
Spoken, sung, played.
Beginning
One type of triad.
- Teacher sets up two-four time and prompts, “Sing a major triad in root, then first, then second inversion, one note per measure."
- Students do so.
Intermediate
Two types of triads.
- Teacher sets up two-four time and prompts, “Sing and identify type and position of the triads I am playing.”
- Students do so.
Advanced
Very difficult.
- Teacher sets up two-four time and gives the students one note that is at the outset the root of a triad.
- Teacher prompts, “In a steady tempo, following my accompaniment, rotate around the given note to create the four different triads."
- Students do so.