Guidelines for Doubling in SATB Writing

Chord Type	Preference of Doubling
All diatonic triads in root position	– Most common is to double the root of the chord (the bass) – Also possible to double the 3rd of the chord    Avoid the root position viio triad except in the diatonic sequence
Primary triads in first inversion	– Most common to double the root or 5th of the chord (i.e., do not double the bass) – Also possible to double the 3rd (in I   and IV )
Secondary triads in first inversion	– Most common to double the 3rd of the chord (the bass) – Also possible to double the root of the chord    Exception: Double the 5th in viio6 with fa in the soprano
Primary triads in second inversion	– Double the 5th of the chord (the bass) only in I , IV , and V

Other considerations:

• Avoid doubling tendency tones (leading tones and chord 7^ths)
• When the 5^th of a triad is omitted, triple the root (Inc)
• When the 5^th of a seventh chord is omitted, double the root (Inc)
• Inversions of seventh chords normally have all four notes present
• Never omit the 3^rd of a chord
• Scale degrees 1, 2, 4, and 5 (do, re, fa, so) are doubled most often. Scale degrees 3 and 6 (mi, la) less often. Scale degree 7 (ti) rarely.