Chord inversions

Chord inversions are one of those things that often seem a lot more complex then they really are. A lot of guitar players push off learning how to play chord inversions on guitar because they think it is too complicated for them. In this lesson I will try and break down what chord inversions are and show you how to play a few of them. And once you understand what chords inversions are you will be able to figure out all sorts of them on your own.

Here it goes:

What is a chord inversion?
Unless you know chord inversions, which for this lesson I am assuming you don’t, the chords you are used to playing are all in “root position”. This means that the tonic of the chord is the lowest not (the bass note) of the chord. So, for example, in an Cmaj7 chord the bass note of the chord is C. But whenever a note other than the root (tonic) is the bass note, then the chord is an inversion. Make sense?

As you know, most chords are played with three or four notes on guitar. That means that besides the tonic, there are at least two to three other notes that can bee in the bass position. (For example a C major chord is C, E, G. Besides C there are two other notes that can be first. Cmaj7 is C, E, G, B. Besides C there are 3 other notes).

How to make chord inversions
There are three common chord inversions and they’re called first inversion, second inversion and third inversion. In first inversion the 3rd of the chord is the bass note. (It’s called first inversion because the 3rd of the chord is the first note after the tonic). In second inversion the 5th of the chord is in the bass. (Called second inversion because the 5th is the second chord tone after the tonic). And third inversion has the 7th as the bass. (Called third inversion because….well, you get the idea). Not so bad too far, is it?

The drop-two voicing
Before we look at how the three chord inversions are, this would be a good time to make sure you know what “drop-two” chord voicings are because we are going to use them to build or chord inversions to make them easy to play on guitar. So take a moment to read my post on drop-two chord voicings and them come back to this post and continue where you left of. If you already know what a drop 2 chord voicing is then just keep reading.

Playing chord inversions on guitar
Ok, back to the three Cmaj7 chord inversions. Ok. So the notes of Cmaj7 chord are C, E, G, B. So here is the standard Cmaj7 chord in root position with a drop-two voicing applied:

Now let's see the first inversion. So let’s take the root note and send it to the back of the line. So the chord spelling for first inversion would now be: E, G, B, C. But that note grouping will be hard to play on guitar, so let’s also give it the drop-two voicing. So the new note order would be E, B, C, G.

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Guitar tuning

The guitar is a transposing instrument. Its pitch sounds one octave lower than it is notated on a score.

A variety of different tunings may be used. The most common tuning, known as "Standard Tuning," has the strings tuned from a low E, to a high E, traversing a two octave range – EADGBE.

The pitches are as follows:
String Scientific pitch Helmholtz pitch Interval from middle C Frequency
first E4 e' major third above 329.63 Hz
second B3 b minor second below 246.94 Hz
third G3 g perfect fourth below 196.00 Hz
fourth D3 d minor seventh below 146.83 Hz
fifth A2 A minor tenth below 110 Hz
sixth E2 E minor thirteenth below 82.41 Hz

The table below shows pitch names found over the six strings of a guitar in standard tuning, from the nut (zero), to the twelfth fret.










A guitar using this tuning can tune to itself using the fact, with a single exception, that the 5th fret on one string is the same note as the next open string; that is, a 5th-fret note on the sixth string is the same note as the open fifth string. The exception is the interval between the second and third strings, in which the 4th-fret note on the third string is equivalent to the open second string.

Standard tuning has evolved to provide a good compromise between simple fingering for many chords and the ability to play common scales with minimal left hand movement. Uniquely, the guitar's tuning allows for repeatable patterns which also facilitates the ease in which common scales can be played.[19] There are also a variety of commonly used alternate tunings – most of which are open tunings that create entire chord voicings without fretting any strings. Many open tunings, where all of the strings are tuned to a similar note or chord, are popular for slide guitar playing. Alternate tunings are used for two main reasons: the ease of playing and the variation in tone that can be achieved.

Many guitarists use a long established, centuries-old tuning variation where the lowest string is 'dropped' down a whole tone. Known as Drop-D (or dropped D) tuning it is, from low to high, DADGBE. This allows for open string tonic and dominant basses in the keys of D and D minor. It also enables simple fifths (powerchords) to be more easily played. Eddie Van Halen sometimes uses a device known as a 'D Tuna,' the patent for which he owns. It is a small lever, attached to the fine tuner of the 6th string on a Floyd Rose tremolo, which allows him to easily drop that string's tuning to a D. Many contemporary rock bands detune all strings by several semi-tones, making, for example, Drop-C or Drop-B tunings, However this terminology is inconsistent with that of "drop-D" as "drop-D" refers to dropping a single string to the named pitch. Often these new tunings are also simply referred to as the "Standard" of the note in question e.g. – "D Standard" (DGcfad').

Some guitarists tune in straight fourths, avoiding the major third between the third and second strings. While this makes playing major and minor triads slightly more difficult, it facilitated playing chords with more complicated extended structures[citation needed]. One proponent of the straight fourth tuning (EADGCF) is Stanley Jordan.

As with all stringed instruments a large number of scordatura are possible on the guitar. A common form of scordatura involves tuning the 3rd string to F♯ to mimic the standard tuning of the lute, especially when playing renaissance repertoire originally written for the lute.

What Is A Power chord Really?

In music, a power chord (also fifth chord) is a note plus the note a fifth above, usually played on electric guitar. Theorists are divided on whether the term chord is appropriate, with some requiring the third of the chord for it to be considered an actual chord. Therefore, some would consider it to be a dyad or simply interval. However this usage is accepted among guitar players. In other words, it's a chord with no 3rd.


A power chord is neither major or minor because the intervals between the notes are perfect fifths, and when inverted, perfect fourths. In order for a chord to be considered major or minor the notes in the chord itself must be related by a major or minor interval. However, power chords can 'sound' major or minor to our ears because our brain fills in those missing thirds where it expects them. When the power chord's root is based on a note diatonic in the scale of the song, our ear expects a chord with same root. In addition, such chords are usually played with octave doubling, which makes a different sound than just a 5th.

Power chords are used where a distorted, "overdriven" tone is used, because including the third tends to result in unpleasant harmonics and an indistinct root note when combined with the additional overtones added by an amplifier or distortion pedal. They have the added advantage of being relatively easy to play (see "Fingering" below).

Although the use of the term "power chord" has, to some extent, spilled over into the vocabulary of other instrumentalists, namely keyboard and synthesizer players, it remains essentially a part of rock guitar culture and is most strongly associated with the overdriven electric guitar styles of hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock, and similar genres. When the same interval is found in traditional and classical music, the harmonic interpretation will be much more varied, not necessarily implying a triad with the third degree omitted.

Power chords are sometimes notated 5, as in C5 (C power chord), in which case it specifically refers to playing the root and fifth of the chord, in this case C and G, possibly inverted, and possibly with octave doublings.

What Is A Guitar Chord Really?

A guitar chord is a chord, a collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar.

Chord voicings designed for the guitar can be optimized for many different purposes and playing styles. Guitar chords can be composed of notes played on only a few strings at a time, whether occurring on adjacent strings or not, or on all the strings.

The instrument is generally very capable and versatile for chording purposes, but it does exhibit some differences with other instruments. Most guitars only have six strings, which means that for the very largest of chord-voicings it's often necessary to drop or omit one or more tones from the chord; this is typically the root or fifth. The layout of notes on the fretboard sometimes demands that the notes in a chord do not run in tonal order, or makes possible a chord which is composed of more than one note of exactly the same pitch. Many chords can be played with exactly the same notes in more than one place on the fretboard.

Guitars can vary both in the number of strings they have, and in the way they're tuned. Most guitars used in popular music have six-strings and are tuned (from the lowest pitched string to the highest): E-A-D-G-B-E. The internal intervals present among adjacent strings in this tuning can be written 5-5-5-4-5 (being mostly perfect fourth intervals plus one major third interval near the middle). Conventionally, the string with the highest pitch (the thinnest) is called the first string, and the string having the lowest pitch is called the sixth.

What Guitar Books To Buy?

So many books and material out there, but be careful when you invest because some are better than others. You can't go wrong with some publishers like Hal Leonard. They seem to get it right and have an Amazing selection.
Best Selling Hal Leonard books
Some of these books come with a CD and some don't but they cost even less without the CD even though they are the same title. I recommend the The Hal Leonard Acoustic Guitar Method: A Complete Guide with Step-by-Step Lessons and 45 Great Acoustic Songs

I've purchased this one myself and it is the perfect book for beginners and has a great choice in there. So what you buy is crucial because it's like you have a great teacher or a teacher that sucks in what you study bookwise. So one day you can play like Johnny Guitar and be the toast of the town.

Now the Complete Guide comes in 3 Volumes so if you don't want to have to get the 2nd and third later then there is the Complete Series with CD as well.

Of course this is for the Acoustic Guitar and for any beginners out there I recommend learning on the Acoustic first before the Electric just because it will make you a better player in the long run due to the wider neck of the Acoustic.

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