Are you using chord inversions in your piano songs?

Good morning, this is Duane and today I’d like to talk about the importance of learning chord inversions. Let’s take it right from the start, shall we? An inversion is simply a chord upside down. In other words, if I played the C chord like that, that’s called root position of the C chord. If I played it like that, in other words I’m taking the bottom note, putting it on top right? Just jumping up an octave. It’s still C, E, G, but upside down. Just like if I turned you upside down, you’d still be the same person, you’d just be upside down. That’s the first inversion of the C chord, and that’s second inversion of the C chord with the root in the middle. third on top, fifth on the bottom.

Now if I turn it upside down, what do I get? I get the same thing I started with, just an octave higher, right? There’s 2 inversions. A root position, a first and a second inversion of a 3 note chord. However, when you get to a 4 note chord, that’s the root position, that’s the first inversion, that’s the second inversion, and that’s the third inversion. 4 note chords have 4 options, right? One, two, three, four, k? That gives you a lot of different kinds of sounds. That’s one of the reasons you should learn inversions, and learn to use them as well, because they provide a different sound.

Listen to me play, well let’s play a song. Now listen. By changing inversions, it makes it more interesting right away. When you add a color tone to it, such as a major 7th or a 6th or a 9th, a major 9th like that, then it gets real interesting doesn’t it? Notice this, if I play the chord in root position, I can add a 6th or a 7th color tone. If I play it in first inversion, I can easily add a 6th and a 9th together, or a 7th and a 9th together. I really like that 6th-9th chord right there because you can do so many things with it, k? Then the second inversion is nice too, because you can get a real tight sound with the major 7th right there, ’cause you got those 2 notes close together.

K now that sounds a lot different than this. You see basically it’s the same tune in the right hand, the same chords except I’m playing those in inversion in the left hand, plus the color tone, OK? Now inversions are absolutely necessary in the right hand too, because you’re going to play them under the melody for the most part, or you’re going to use them for fillers. Let’s say that I’m playing Satin Doll. Notice that first chord. That’s a D minor 7th chord and I’m playing it, obviously I have to play it inverted, because the melody’s on top. That’s E minor 7th chord. That’s the A 7th chord, but notice it’s in first inversion, the third’s on the bottom.

That’s the D 7th chord, but again in first inversion. K now anytime you play in octaves of course with filling in octaves, you’re automatically playing inversions, because you have to fill in those chord notes and sometimes they’re upside down, obviously. OK? So just a little urging from me on learning inversions, make sure you learn how to use inversions in the right hand and in the left hand because you need them in all kinds of contexts.

That’s it for today. If you enjoy these little tips, come on over to playpiano.com and sign up for our free newsletter if you haven’t already. We’ll hope to see you there. Bye bye for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O70gqyw7Wi0&feature=youtu.be
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