I'm learning to play Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Jobim) on the piano. On the 11th and 12th measure the left hand plays a chord progression of Em7 to A7+5.
If those were not inverted, I would be playing E G B D, and then A C# E# G. That would require moving my hand around a lot, so, as my piano teacher taught me, I'm inverting the second chord so my fingers move less.
My first instinct was to try to play the first chord as-is, then invert the second chord to E# G A C#. To me it sounds muddled. I am don't know how you describe it otherwise.
If I instead play G A C# E#, it sounds clearer.
It seems like the second chord inversion is better but I'm unclear whether this is my ears deceiving me, or whether it really isn't as "good" an inversion. This is confusing because I always thought all inversions were equal but definitely some, though not most, seem different.
Can someone explain why? And help me understand the vocabulary to research more?