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Guitar Chords 101

Lesson 2:
Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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Lesson 2 Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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Course Contents
Syllabus
Grades
Bookmark Click the image to start the video.
Communication
Announcements Chord inversions help to smooth out motion from chord to chord, harmonize melodies, and allow
Class list smooth bass motion. On the guitar, use of inversions allows the player to be able play some form
Discussion of a given chord virtually anywhere on the neck. Inversions are your friend!
Chat
Up the Fretboard and Across the Fretboard.
First, a clarification of terms is in order. The following approach should help us to get to more
possibilities in the most effective way possible.

We will be looking at two ways to work on chord inversions on the guitar: up and down the
fretboard and across the fretboard.

Up and down the fretboard refers to moving voicings from the lower-numbered frets to the
higher-numbered frets (where the higher pitches are).

Across refers to taking the inversions from the higher-pitched strings to the lower-pitched
strings.

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Course Home -> Lesson 2 -> Topic 2 Page 2

Lesson 2 Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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To invert a chord, move the bottom note up an octave. A root-position C triad is spelled C E G.
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Page 3 Moving the C (the bottom note) up an octave yields E G C. A major triad with the third in the
bottom is called a triad in first inversion. To get a second inversion triad, move the E up an
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octave, giving you G C E. A triad with the fifth of the chord in the bass is called a triad in second
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inversion.
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Course Contents
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Bookmark On the top string set , root position is playable in third position, first inversion in eighth
position, and second inversion in twelfth position.
Communication
Announcements
Class list
Discussion
Chat

Exercise 1. - Drill and Practice Up the Fretboard

1. Taking the keys of C, F, Bb, and Eb, practice playing all of the inversions of the major
triad.

MP3 PDF
Example 2.1:
Examples Examples

Play the following triads for two

beats each.

2. Now on , run through the major triads in four more keys.

Example 2.3:

Play the following triads alternating

between four and two beats each.

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Lesson 2 Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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Let's check out the inversions of minor, traveling up the fretboard. Flat the third, and perform C
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Page 3 minor triad, first and second inversions on the top string set on .
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Course Contents
Syllabus
Grades
Bookmark
Communication
Announcements
Drill and Practice Up the Fretboard
Class list
Discussion 3. Taking the keys of C, F, Bb, and Eb, practice playing all of the inversions of the minor
Chat
triad on , working your way up and down the fretboard.

MP3 PDF
Example 2.2:
Examples Examples

Pay close attention to the first

attack of each inversion. Make
the notes ring!

4. Next, try the minor triads in Gmin, Dmin, Amin, and Emin on .

Example 2.4:

Strings 4-3-2 typically have a

more mellow sound. Watch out
for extraneous string noise.

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