If you are building a triad whose root is located on a line on the staff, where will the third and the fifth be located?

on line

on spaces

The third will be on a line and the fifth on a space.

not enough information to tell

1 answer

To determine the placement of the third and fifth in a triad based on the root note's position on the staff, we need to consider what type of triad we're building: major or minor. However, generally speaking about a triad:

  1. Root position: The root note of the triad can be on a line or a space.
  2. Third: The third of the triad will be either:
    • If the root is on a line, the third will be on a space (two notes above the root).
    • If the root is on a space, the third will be on a line (two notes above the root).
  3. Fifth: The fifth of the triad will be either:
    • If the root is on a line, the fifth will be on a line (four notes above the root).
    • If the root is on a space, the fifth will be on a space (four notes above the root).

Therefore:

  • If the root is on a line: The third will be on a space, and the fifth will be on a line.
  • If the root is on a space: The third will be on a line, and the fifth will be on a space.

So, the correct answer depends on the specific note where the root is located, but generally, we can conclude:

  • If the root is on a line, the third is on a space, and the fifth is on a line.
  • If the root is on a space, the third is on a line, and the fifth is on a space.

Thus, the answer is: The third will be on a space and the fifth on a line (if the root is on a line) or the reverse (if the root is on a space). There is not enough information to determine the situation specifically without knowing where the root is in the staff.