# Inverted chords



## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I am trying to understand inverted chords!

What I don't get is where is the root note? Is it supposed to be above or below the other notes in the chord or does it really matter?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Here's an example, using the triad--the simplest form of major & minor chords--the major chord is made up of the root, the 3rd & the 5th (Or more specifically the major 3rd & Perfect 5th)
So if the root is the lowest note--it is a root position.
But you can also play it with the 3rd or the 5th as the lowest note.

As a further example the C major triad would be C-E-G (low to high)
But if you play it E-G-C or G-C-E then you have an inverted chord.

Of course on guitar we often play 4, 5 or 6 strings, meaning one or more of those notes gets played in different places (This can also apply to other instruments)

But if the lowest note is a note other than the root note, it's an inverted chord.

Even without inverting it, there are different voicings (Or where on the neck you play each note--so an open C chord is a different voicing than a C barre chord--which can be played with the root on the 5th or 6th string for example)
Each voicing can give a different characteristic to the sound--and so sometimes inversions are used for that reason as well.

There's more to it, but I think this covers the basics (or most of them)


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Inverted refers to other than root position. Ex. C E G B is root position Cmaj7. EGBC is first inversion. GBCE second ect....

That's about it. Inverted chords aren't used as ofte on the guitar as on piano. Also more so in classical music rather than Pop rock stuff. 

NB. Inversions are weaker versions of the root position. 

I could go on but I'll stop there. 4 years of uni. comes in handy in a theoretical sense not too often these days. Through the fingers all the time though!!! One of the greatest gifts after life itself and family ect.... Is the three dimensions of music. 
Aural - hearing it sound good 
Physical - seeing why chords fit (dissonance and consonance)
And visual / theoretical on paper. The laws of harmony. 


It's truly awesome.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

So I could apply this principle to power chords on the 6th strings and 5th strings?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Lola said:


> So I could apply this principle to power chords on the 6th strings and 5th strings?


You could--there are some songs that you might recognize that use an inversion of a power chord--but more often they're referred to as 4ths--but then you get into intervals, and it's probably enough to know you can have the root on top or on bottom in a power chord.

The well known Smoke on the Water riff actually uses this
You'll see it referred both ways.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

So in essence what you are saying that you can do these all over the neck as long as you find the root note for whatever chord you are trying to invert??


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Yes to varying effects. For instance a D inverted a-la power chord would best be heard with personality in its first inversion (F# 6th string 2nd fret with D above it on the 5th string). 

I often use the 2nd inversion with three notes for more "heaviness" when playing root power chords on the 5-4 strings. I'll add the 5th again just below barred on the 6th string ending up with 2 5ths and 1 root. Now this is against most rules of harmony however with the distortion it tends to blend well and with a bassist playing the root it ends up very heavy. Me like a lot!!!


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I've heard a lot about what inversions are, but nothing about why they're used.

Mostly...to create a more fluid bass line within the chord structure or as passing chords between the chords in a progression. Like so many things within the musical sphere (for those of us with limited theory knowledge)...if you're learning songs, you're probably using them without realizing it.


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

Inverted chords are used all the time in jazz guitar too. In jazz, inversion is usually left to the performers discretion so it may not be noted (i.e. C/E) on the chord chart.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

JBFairthorne said:


> ...if you're learning songs, you're probably using them without realizing it.


Definitely--which is one of the cool things about playing songs and learning theory--is how they work together--without even trying.


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