14 votes

Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?

This is a fundamental music theory concept: (root position) chords are defined as "stacks of thirds", and inversions are considered to be "the same chord". The notes C-E-G are C ...
Aaron's user avatar
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14 votes

Specific chord confusion: why the C# in Eb7 b9 13?

The C# is enharmonically Db, which is the b7 of the Eb7 chord. As for the 9b, it is typical to put the accidental before the chord tone, b9 instead of 9b. Also, the b9 should not be an E but rather an ...
John Belzaguy's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?

To directly answer the question - why isn't EGC (1st inv. C major) some sort of E chord? It could be. E and G gives an E minor feel to it. Add C calling it B♯, and the chord would be called Em+. A ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 188k
9 votes
Accepted

How do you tell the inversion of a diminished 7th chord?

Differentiating inversions All seventh chords, when inverted, contain a second somewhere in the stack of notes. Diminished sevenths are no different. Somewhere in the inversion will be an augmented ...
Aaron's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

Formal definition of an inverted chord

This is not possible. PROOF: Given the notes A-C-E-G and no other information, it's impossible to know whether this is a C6 or A-7 chord. Therefore, it cannot be determined whether the chord is in ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 80k
4 votes

Invert open voice chords

Close and open voicings of chords are separate from inversions. One can have a close-voiced chord in root position, first inversion, etc., and one can also have an open-voiced chord in root position, ...
Aaron's user avatar
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3 votes

Specific chord confusion: why the C# in Eb7 b9 13?

I'm guessing you shouldn't call it C# but rather Db... which is the seven in Eb7.
Divizna's user avatar
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3 votes

Piano chords with an octave in them

Chords on the piano are frequently distributed between both hands. While one hand is playing C-G-C, the expected E is played by the other hand. Complicating matters, the E in the "other" ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 80k
2 votes

Piano chords with an octave in them

I can't find those chords when checking chord inversions. Theoretically speaking, the inversion is determined by the bass note played by the left hand or by a bass instrument. So if you have C/E on ...
phoog's user avatar
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2 votes

Meaning of III 4/6 on this particular piece

I'm absolutely not sure — this isn't any kind of standard notation (at least not one that I'd know, and I'd say I'm a pretty experienced guitar player), but here's a shot. As you correctly note, it's ...
Ramillies's user avatar
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2 votes

Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?

The reason for this originates from the same reason chords, in the modern sense, exist in the first place. For inversions to me named by the root, there has to be an assumption that the bass note is ...
Exandrius Grey's user avatar
2 votes

Invert open voice chords

TLDR: Think about voice leading rather than whether or not you "need" to invert chords do I still want to invert them so they fit each other? let's dive a little bit deeper into this. What ...
Zachiah's user avatar
  • 139
1 vote

Invert open voice chords

Convention says that inversions are labelled by which note is lowest. With root lowest, it's called root position, with ^3 at the bottom, it's 1st inversion, with ^5, it's 2nd inversion. And so on. It ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 188k
1 vote

Stuck with figured bass notation for inverted 7th chord

The full chord progression is: C7 F/C Bo/C C C7 is a secondary dominant to F F/C is IV chord in second inversion Bo/C, the chord you ask about, is a dominant (Bo is G7 without G, or viio) with C, ...
user1079505's user avatar
  • 15.5k
1 vote
Accepted

Stuck with figured bass notation for inverted 7th chord

TL;DR The figured bass notation indicates to me that the bass note should be the seventh of a 7 chord. Not quite. The figured bass means that one of the upper voices will be a seventh above the bass ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 80k
1 vote

Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?

Chord progression If you play a chord progression over and over, e.g. C -> G -> Am -> F, you could replace C major with E-G-C or G major with D-G-B, it will not change the song structure at ...
Eric Duminil's user avatar
1 vote

Piano chords with an octave in them

The "great" composers of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras frequently wrote such chords into their piano compositions. One excellent example is the "Promenade" from ...
Todd Wilcox's user avatar
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