Can someone please explain chord inversions in easier terms?

Question

Im kind of a beginner, but not a brand new beginner, for example, I already know the open chords and, power chords, and barre chords and the add nines and suspended two's and the basic theory behind chords (I cant switch them fast though)

But for the genre of music I want to play, I heard that you need to do chord inversions, I kind of get it but the tutorials are really difficult,

For example, if the song im writing is key of C, but I add F in too, so im trying to make the chord progression have C and F notes alot and idk about the 1, 3 five notes for the inversion.

I have four chords but I cant say them because I dont want ppl to steal my idea
Please help me XD

Answer 1

Trust me, any four chord sequence you can think of has been thought of before so don't worry about anyone stealing your idea. Let me guess, if you are in 'C', then it involves C, F, G and G7 almost certainly, or it will do when you complete your tune. So, you will also be playing around with Am, Dm and possibly Em or E7 and Dm7. If you want to add some tension, you might work in a D7 or even a G#. Slipping in the odd Fm in place of Fmajor completely changes the feel. See, I reckon it is suppose to be fun and sound interesting without being too challenging to listen to.



Anyway, back to your question: For any chord, there are several different ways of playing it, several different shapes at different locations on the fretboard that make the same chord. In each different pattern, the root will be on a different string. The main patterns for chords are known as 'inversions'. For any given chord, you may well know the first inversion, second inversion and third inversion.



Some people worry about this stuff and learn all the theory and then play mechanically, without feeling. Some have to stop and think their way through the theory before they know where to go next. As a self-taught player, I had to learn how it FEELS and work out what hangs together. It was only later that I became aware of the existence of theory but I still can't explain how much of what I play relates to it. In all the gigs I have played, the audience never asked me to play a scale or recite theory... though I am sure these are very fine things to be able to do.



Enjoy your music, my friend.

Answer 2

Just like Tommy says, a chord inversion is simply the notes of any chord in a different order. If you say have a C major chord with the notes C, E and G and you change the order of the notes to say E, G and C, you an inversion of the same chord.

And don't sweat this stuff too much, you will get the hang of it. The key is really to be able to right interesting and memorable melodies and craft good "hooks". As you begin listening to lots and lots of great songs, you will begin to see the patterns and "tricks" being used in song writing.

And no, you should definitely not worry about someone stealing your ideas when it comes to chord sequences and that kind of stuff, it has all been done - thousands of times. When you have a good melody and song structure with some great hooks and lyrics to match, then - and only then - can you begin to worry about things being ripped off.

Just right songs - tons of them - and have other people listening to your ideas, it's the only way to learn and progress.

Answer 3

The idea behind chord inversions is simple. Every chord is constructed from a "formula" based on the major scale. For instance, you mentioned the 1-3-5 notes. These refer to the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes in the major scale. 1-3-5 is the formula for a major chord.



So if you take a C major scale, (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C) the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes in the scale make a C major chord. That would be C-E-G, right? Well an inversion is where you take those same notes, but in a different order. So E-G-C and G-C-E are both inversions of a C major chord.



On guitar, even if you don't understand the theory, you can still use inversions. They're just ways of playing the same chord in different locations on the neck. Remember: most chord formulas only contain 3 or 4 different notes. When you play all 6 strings, some of the notes repeat. You can play an open E chord, or you can finger a D shaped chord and slide it up 2 frets (just playing the 3 high strings), or barre an A shape on the 7th fret. These are all E major chord inversions.

Answer 4

C major is the notes C E G.

in its simplest form, you would have C at the bottom, and E two steps higher, and G two steps higher than that.

but when you play it on the guitar, you will notice that you are usually playing more than just 3 notes.

thats because those notes in any order and with any number of repeated notes are still C major.

CEG, ECG, ECEGCE, EGCCCGEGEGCEGGEGCEGCGE....

all C major.



if C (the root) is the lowest note you play, the chord is said to be in "root position"

if E (the 3rd) is the lowest note you play, the chord is said to be in "1st inversion"

if G (the 5th) is the lowest note you play, the chord is said to be in "2nd inversion"



so all triads can exist in root form and 2 inversions because there are 3 possible notes to have as the lowest. (the order of the other notes doesn't affect the inversion, those are just different "voicings")



and all 7th chords can exist in root form and 3 inversions because you have 4 possible notes to be the lowest.



you might notice that this means some chords have more than one name.

for example: ACEF could either be called Amin(b6) or Fmaj7 in 1st inversion



which name they use usually depends on the context of the chords before or after it.



in pop styles, you will see inversions notated as slash chords, showing the name of the chord, and then the bass note specified after the /.

C maj in 2nd inversion = C/G

Fmaj7 in first inversion = Fmaj7/A



in classical styles, you will see inversions notated as "figured bass", showing the intervals above the bass. like V64 or I6. (we show function as roman numerals, so in C, V64 would be G/D, and I6 would be C/E... but you probably dont need to know all that right now)