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1.164 inversion
ES: inversión, I: rivolto, F: renversement, D: Umkehrung, NL: ?, DK: ?, S: ?, FI: käännös.
When a chord sounds with a bass note that differs from the root of the chord, it is said to be inverted. The number of inversions that a chord can have is one fewer than the number of constituent notes. For example, triads (which have three constituent notes) can have three positions, two of which are inversions:
- Root position
The root note is in the bass, and above that are the third and the fifth. A triad built on the first scale degree, for example, is marked I.
- First inversion
The third is in the bass, and above it are the fifth and the root. This creates an interval of a sixth and a third above the bass note, and so is marked in figured Roman notation as 6/3. This is commonly abbreviated to I6 (or Ib) since the sixth is the characteristic interval of the inversion, and so always implies 6/3.
- Second inversion
The fifth is in the bass, and above it are the root and the third. This creates an interval of a sixth and a fourth above the bass note, and so is marked as I6/4 or Ic. Second inversion is the most unstable chord position.
See also
No cross-references.
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