The Elements of Harmony > Triads (in-depth)
Triads: Choices
In Baroque choral harmony, chords have four notes in order to have four distinct
vocal groups singing the chord. This means that a triad will require the doubling of
one of its three elements. The note to be doubled, as a first choice, is the root, or
'fundamental' note. This serves to strengthen the consonance of the chord. The second choice would be the 5th, and the last, least desirable choice would be the 3rd . Sometimes the circumstances of note motion require second, or even third choice doubling.
Occasionally, the final chord of a chorale will have a triple root and the 3rd . We call this a "fourth choice" voicing.
So for example, a C major triad could be played in the following ways:
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