Yesterday we looked at very basic ways to build the basic triads in any key.\u00a0 Now, playing those basic triads all the time could make yourself bored and your music extremely boring.\u00a0 Let’s add some color by learning how to invert the triads.<\/p>\n
So, looking back to yesterday we had built the basic C or I (one) chord as C, skip a note to E, skip a note to G.\u00a0 So, C-E-G.\u00c2 We now want to invert that chord to add some interest.\u00a0 So, now, instead of making C the bottom note, make E the bottom note.\u00a0 Now the chord is built, from the bottom up, as E-G-C. \u00a0 It uses the same three notes, only in a different order.<\/p>\n
You’ll notice that the chord sounds incredibly different.\u00a0 Why is this?\u00a0 Before, when the chord was built by only skipping one note in between, the notes were built tightly together.\u00a0 By inverting the chord, the G and C are spaced farther apart, creating a more open sounding chord.<\/p>\n
Now invert the chord one more time so it is built as G-C-E.\u00a0 This chord also sounds slightly different, even though it is built with the same three notes.<\/p>\n
Experiment with other keys, remembering to always follow the key signature.\u00a0 Also, for piano players especially, experiment with playing the root note (C) in the left hand and then playing each inversion with the right hand.\u00a0 Then play the next note in the chord with the left hand and play each inversion with the right hand.\u00a0 See how different each inversion sounds!\u00a0 When you see chords written on music like C\/E, this means that the bass note is an E, calling you to play that first inversion of the C chord (E-G-C).\u00a0 So, in a band setting, the bass player would play the E, and the keys and guitar players would play any type of C inversion on top of that.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow we’ll look at weird chord suffixes that you might see like “sus” or “min7” or “dim.”<\/p>\n
Read Practical Music Theory Tips #3 – Weird Chord Suffixes<\/a><\/p>\n