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Guitar Chords 101

Lesson 2: Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

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Chord inversions help to smooth out motion from chord to chord, harmonize melodies, and allow smooth bass motion. On the guitar, use of inversions allows the player to be able play some form of a given chord virtually anywhere on the neck. Inversions are your friend! 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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Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

To invert a chord, move the bottom note up an octave. A root-position C triad is spelled C E G. 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 octave, giving you G C E. A triad with the fifth of the chord in the bass is called a triad in second inversion.

, root position is playable in third position, first inversion in eighth On the top string set position, and second inversion in twelfth position.

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.

Example 2.1:

MP3 Examples

PDF 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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Triad Inversions Up the Fretboard

Let's check out the inversions of minor, traveling up the fretboard. Flat the third, and perform C minor triad, first and second inversions on the top string set on .

Drill and Practice Up the Fretboard 3. Taking the keys of C, F, Bb, and Eb, practice playing all of the inversions of the minor triad on , working your way up and down the fretboard.

Example 2.2:

MP3 Examples

PDF 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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