What is root position?

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Multiple Choice

What is root position?

Root position means the root is the lowest note of the triad. From bottom to top, the notes are the root, then the third, then the fifth. If the lowest note is the third, it’s in first inversion; if the lowest is the fifth, it’s in second inversion. Every triad has a root, so a statement about a triad having no root isn’t accurate, and placing the root on top describes a different arrangement, not root position.

Root position means the root is the lowest note of the triad. From bottom to top, the notes are the root, then the third, then the fifth. If the lowest note is the third, it’s in first inversion; if the lowest is the fifth, it’s in second inversion. Every triad has a root, so a statement about a triad having no root isn’t accurate, and placing the root on top describes a different arrangement, not root position.

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