Root position, first inversion, second inversion, third inversion. What they are, when to use them, and note charts for all 12 major and minor keys.
A chord inversion happens when a note other than the root is the lowest (bass) note of the chord. All the same notes are present, but reordered so a different note is on the bottom.
Take C major: the notes are C, E, and G. In root position, C is on the bottom. In first inversion, E is on the bottom (written as C/E). In second inversion, G is on the bottom (written as C/G).
Inversions do not change which chord you are playing. C major in any inversion is still C major. What changes is the feel, the smoothness of movement to the next chord (voice leading), and the bass line shape.
The main reason to use inversions is voice leading: making the bass line move smoothly by steps rather than jumping. Here are 4 classic examples.
The bass moves C - E - F - G (all upward steps). Much smoother than C - C - F - G where the bass jumps a fourth. Common in pop and gospel.
The bass steps down C - B - A - F. G/B (first inversion) creates the descending bass movement rather than jumping. This is the most popular progression in pop music.
The bass holds G while chords change above it. Second inversions let you keep a bass pedal note while the harmony moves. Creates a hypnotic drone effect.
The bass descends chromatically A - G - F# - F. Inversions allow the bass to walk down by half steps. Common in Andalusian progressions and minor key songs.
Notes listed from lowest to highest.
| Key | Root Position | First Inversion (1/3) | Second Inversion (1/5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | C-E-G | E-G-C | G-C-E |
| D | D-F#-A | F#-A-D | A-D-F# |
| E | E-G#-B | G#-B-E | B-E-G# |
| F | F-A-C | A-C-F | C-F-A |
| G | G-B-D | B-D-G | D-G-B |
| A | A-C#-E | C#-E-A | E-A-C# |
| B | B-D#-F# | D#-F#-B | F#-B-D# |
| Bb | Bb-D-F | D-F-Bb | F-Bb-D |
| Eb | Eb-G-Bb | G-Bb-Eb | Bb-Eb-G |
| Ab | Ab-C-Eb | C-Eb-Ab | Eb-Ab-C |
| Db | Db-F-Ab | F-Ab-Db | Ab-Db-F |
| F# | F#-A#-C# | A#-C#-F# | C#-F#-A# |
Notes listed from lowest to highest.
| Key | Root Position | First Inversion (1/b3) | Second Inversion (1/5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am | A-C-E | C-E-A | E-A-C |
| Bm | B-D-F# | D-F#-B | F#-B-D |
| Cm | C-Eb-G | Eb-G-C | G-C-Eb |
| Dm | D-F-A | F-A-D | A-D-F |
| Em | E-G-B | G-B-E | B-E-G |
| Fm | F-Ab-C | Ab-C-F | C-F-Ab |
| Gm | G-Bb-D | Bb-D-G | D-G-Bb |
| F#m | F#-A-C# | A-C#-F# | C#-F#-A |
| C#m | C#-E-G# | E-G#-C# | G#-C#-E |
| G#m | G#-B-D# | B-D#-G# | D#-G#-B |
| Bbm | Bb-Db-F | Db-F-Bb | F-Bb-Db |
| Ebm | Eb-Gb-Bb | Gb-Bb-Eb | Bb-Eb-Gb |
Inversions are written in "slash chord" notation: Chord/Bass Note. The left side is the chord, the right side is the lowest note.
| Chord | Full Name | Inversion Type | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| C/E | C major, E bass | First | I - I/3 - IV smooth transition |
| G/B | G major, B bass | First | I - V/7 descending bass line |
| Am/C | A minor, C bass | First | vi - vi/3 voice leading |
| F/A | F major, A bass | First | IV - IV/3 smooth movement |
| C/G | C major, G bass | Second | Cadential 6/4 before G |
| D/F# | D major, F# bass | First | II chord as stepping stone |
| E/G# | E major, G# bass | First | Chromatic bass movement |
| Bm/D | B minor, D bass | First | Secondary chord voice leading |
Play root position in the left hand and first inversion in the right hand (or vice versa). The different voicings fill more harmonic space without adding extra notes.
When your melody moves by step, try making the bass also move by step using inversions. This is called parallel motion and gives tracks a cohesive, flowing feel.
Second inversion (especially I6/4) sounds unstable and dissonant. It wants to resolve. Place it right before the dominant chord (V) at a strong beat for classical cadences.
When you chop a soul or jazz sample, the loop might start mid-phrase where a chord is in first or second inversion. Upload to Chord Finder to identify which inversion you are working with before building your progression.
First inversion puts the third in the bass. Below the 200Hz range, thirds can sound muddy. In electronic music, keep inversions in the mid-register and keep the sub bass on root notes for clarity.
Not all slash chords are inversions. C/F means C major over F bass, but F is not in a C chord. These are polychords or hybrid chords, not inversions. True inversions only use notes that are in the chord.
A chord inversion is when a note other than the root is the lowest (bass) note of the chord. Root position has the root on the bottom. First inversion has the third on the bottom. Second inversion has the fifth on the bottom. Third inversion (seventh chords only) has the seventh on the bottom. All the same chord tones are present, just in a different vertical order.
Use inversions when you want the bass line to move smoothly by step instead of jumping (voice leading), when you want to add variety to a repeated chord, when you need a specific bass note under a chord, or to create a descending bass line over a repeated harmony. First inversion is the most commonly used and adds brightness without instability.
A slash chord is written X/Y, where X is the chord and Y is the bass note. For example, C/E is a C major chord with E in the bass (first inversion), and G/B is a G major chord with B in the bass (first inversion). Slash chords can also indicate a non-chord tone in the bass (like C/F), which is a polychord rather than a true inversion.
Upload your audio to BeatKey Chord Finder. It analyzes the harmonic content using Essentia WASM and returns the chord progression with timestamps. For identifying inversions specifically, compare the detected chord root against the bass note you hear. If they do not match, the chord is likely in an inversion.
Upload any audio file to BeatKey Chord Finder. It detects the chord progression, key, and harmonic content using AI in your browser. Works on unreleased tracks, samples, and loops.
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