Root Position Triads Quiz

Identify the 1st (root), 3rd and 5th of each major or minor triad. Use the interactive piano at the top and the Information button for help.

Welcome! 👋

This quiz asks you correctly identify the three notes of specific Major and Minor triads in root position - basically your standard common three note chords! Fill out the quiz, submit your answers and see how you did! You can use the piano image at the top to work notes out, and the 'Information' button for help.

Number of questions

Highlight the notes of the chords for each question on the keyboards - you only need to select one of each note, and can place the chord on any octave.

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Results

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More information 🧐

A triad is a 3-note chord built by stacking thirds (see below) above a starting (root) note. In root position, the notes are the 1st (root), 3rd, and 5th up in the scale. The two most common types of triads in modern Western music are the major triad and the minor triad. More often than not the notes of either a major or a minor chord will be played by instruments accompanying the melody line (what we might commonly think of as the 'tune' that you might hum along to).

We can build these chords with the formulas:

Major: X (+4 semitones) Y (+3 semitones) Z
Minor: X (+3 semitones) Y (+4 semitones) Z

Note: The interval of 4 semitones is known as a Major 3rd (M3), whilst the interval of 3 semitones is known as a Minor 3rd (m3). Therefore, we could also write these formulas as:

Major: X (+ Major 3rd) Y (+ Minor 3rd) Z
Minor: X (+ Minor 3rd) Y (+ Major 3rd) Z

Use the reference keyboard to audition notes; then answer using the selected input mode.