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Practical Theory: Lesson #5
Inversions
By Pi |
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Hi and Welcome to Lesson 5 of Practical Theory. If you've
been following along, you should be fairly comfortable by now with
the following:
Lesson 1: Note names on your instrument
Lesson 2: Major, minor, and Perfect Intervals
Lesson 3: Major, minor, diminished, Suspended
and Augmented Chords
Lesson 4: The Major Scale, and the Solfege system
This month we are going to expand a bit on Lesson 3, taking your
basic chords a bit further with inversions. This should add
further to your chord "arsenal" and give you some more building
blocks for creative songwriting.
As we discussed in Lesson 3, there are five types of basic three
note chords (also called triads). They are listed below:
Major, Augmented, minor, diminished and Suspended
Inversions are just what the name infers, inverting the notes of
a chord so that the root is no longer the lowest note sounded.
You are already familiar with root position: when the root
of the chord is at the bottom.
Now, if you raise the root an octave, and the 3rd of the chord is
at the bottom, the chord is in 1st Inversion.
If both the root and the 3rd are raised an octave, leaving the 5th
at the bottom, the chord is in 2nd Inversion.
But enough talk, let's try playing and singing a couple of these
using note names, scale numbers and Solfege.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE, Inversions are most easily understood when you
play them on a piano, due to the linear nature of that instrument.
Guitarists and other instrumentalists, if you have problems with
this exercise, it may help you to try it on a Piano, and then return
to do it on your own instrument. It is always a good idea for any
instrumentalist and/or writer to have a basic familiarity with the
piano keyboard - plus, then you can say you play "a couple" of instruments,
you big stud muffin, you!
EXCERCISE 1:
Play and Sing the following C Major Triad in Root Position:
C E G
1 3 5
Do Mi So
Now that the triad is in your ear, lets try the First Inversion:
E G C
3 5 1 (1 is sung an octave up)
Mi So Do
And last but not least, lets try the Second Inversion:
G C E
5 1 3
So Do Mi
EXCERCISE 2:
Now try it using the C minor triad in Root Position:
C Eb G
1 b3 5
Do Me** So
** IMPORTANT NOTE: In Solfege, you can you flat a note by changing
its vowel to "e". For instance saying "Me" (pronounced "may") instead
of " Mi" for a flatted third.
Now in First Inversion:
Eb G C
b3 5 1
Me So Do
Now in Second Inversion:
G C Eb
5 1 b3
So Do Me
EXCERCISE 3:
Now try it using the C diminished triad in Root Position:
C Eb Gb
1 b3 b5
Do Me* Se*
Now in First Inversion:
Eb Gb C
b3 b5 1
Me Se Do
Now in Second Inversion:
Gb C Eb
b5 1 b3
Se Do Me
EXCERCISE 4:
Now try it using the C Augmented triad in Root Position:
C E G#
1 3 #5
Do Mi "Si"**
** IMPORTANT NOTE 2: To raise (#) a note in Solfege, change its
vowel to "i". In this case, saying "Si" instead of " so" for the
raised 5th.
Now in First Inversion:
E G# C
3 #5 1
Mi Si Do
Now in Second Inversion:
G# C E
#5 1 3
Si Do Mi
EXCERCISE 5:
Now try it using the C Suspended triad in Root Position:
C F G
1 4 5
Do Fa So
Now in First Inversion:
F G C
4 5 1
Fa So Do
Now in Second Inversion:
G C F
5 1 4
So Do Fa
Excellent work. Now, you can test yourself with another great online
trainer. I found at:
http://www.jazclass.aust.com/basicth/bt71.mid
By the way, this is another great Theory site online, A lot of this
information is free, and may help you solidify what you have been
learning here: The JazClass homepage is at: http://www.jazclass.aust.com/resume.htm
Now that you have tried the first and second inversions in the key
of C, you should go through and play all of these through the other
keys as well - you don't want to just play in C all the time right?
After you do this, you should have some new chords to put into your
writing. You will also find that inversions help you to move
more smoothly from chord to chord, often only requiring you to change
one note.
Try this chord progression as an example:
C major (2nd Inversion - G on the bottom)
E minor (First Inversion - G on the bottom)
G sus (Root Position)
G major (Root Position)
Now try making up some of your own.
xo-
Pi |
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_________________________________
 Practical
Theory Lesson # 1 appeared in the September Issue of WOMANROCK.com.The
second issue Practical Theory
Lesson # 2 appeared in December 2002. The third issue Practical
Theory Lesson # 3 appeared in February 2003. The fourth
issue Practical Theory Lesson
#4 appeared in March 2003. Pi's album Irrational
is available for purchase at the WOMANROCK MusicShop. |
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_________________________________
Pi
is a singer-songwriter who once thought she would be the female
"Jaco Pastorius" . After getting a BA in Music, she worked as a
studio and touring musician/teacher. Pi recently landed a deal with
the Atoll label in France. She performs in NYC, and tours regularly.
For more information, please visit her Web site: http://www.thatcrazychick.com. |
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