Download Inversions

-The rule of 9
- Figured Bass
- 6/6-4
• For diatonically-named intervals, there is a
useful rule applying to all intervals (that is those
of one octave or less). The number of any
interval and the number of its inversion always
add up to nine. Thus a fifth (number 5) and its
inverse or complement, a fourth (number is 4)
add up to 9. Do not forget that chord quality is
still a factor. Majors are inverted to minors and
vis versa. Perfects are preserved when
inverting, but this is the only exception.
• A major 6th becomes a minor 3rd . 6-7-8-9-1-2-3.
“I use figured bass
in all my music”
• In figured bass, Arabic Numbers (figures) are
written below each bass note. These figures refer
to intervals above the bass (usually assuming
octave equivalence). In a root-position triad, the
intervals above the root are a 5th and a 3rd,
giving the figures 5/3 . Normally, however, this is
abbreviated by assuming that any bass note
given without symbols indicates a 5/3 chord by
default. Similarly, the full figuring of the first
inversion ( 6/3 ) is abbreviated to just ; the full
figuring of the second inversion ( 6/4 ) has no
abbreviation.
• When a chord is
denoted as a “6” chord,
the top note of the chord
is placed at the bottom
of the triad. For
instance, in a C chord,
we have CEG. In a C6,
the G is place on the
bottom thus resulting in
GEC being what you
play. The top note
becomes the root
without the quality of the
chord changing.
“Using inverted chords in my
songs makes the crowd really go
wild.”
• In a 6/4 chord, the
middle note of the
original triad is played
as the root while the
top note is played as
the middle note. In a
C chord, we have
CEG. When we have
a C6/4, we have EGC.
The quality of the
chord never changes.
You play the same
notes, just at different
pitches.
“I love what I do”