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Inversions


Inversions

 The four primary sounds harmonically are established by manipulating the formulas involved in constructing triads which result in the following four possibilities:

1. Root Maj3 P5 Major triad sound
2. Root min3 P5 Minor triad sound
3. Root min3 dim5 Diminished triad sound
4. Root Maj3 aug5 Augmented triad sound

In the study of four part of harmony, the student encounters the presentation of close harmony, chords built in numerical succession, for example: root, 3rd, 5th, 7th. Although this may be fundamental on the piano, on the guitar close voicing in their inversion are difficult at best, and in most cases impossible. So four types of inversion are used.

 

Example :

                     CLOSE VOICING           OPEN VOICING
 Root :                 C-E-G-A                 C-G-A-E
 1st inversion :        E-G-A-C                 E-A-C-G
 2st inversion :        G-A-C-E                 G-C-E-A
 3st inversion :        A-C-E-G                 A-E-G-C

And it is from this open voicing from which we arrive at our three other generic voicings: spread, split and octave, available in four inversions on the guitar.

The Major 6 chord (demonstrated with Gmaj6)

Open voicing :

Spread voicing, Split Voicing:



Octave voicing:

Same concept demonstrated with Sweep picking:

This example is demonstrated with Cmaj6 (C-E-G-A).

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