How Inversions and Slash Chords Create Better Progressions [MUSIC THEORY]
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
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Inverted chords are extremely useful. Working with inversions allows us to create better sounding progressions, since the bass is no longer stuck to jumping in parallel with the chord. This video explains the basic music theory of chords in first and second inversion, also called 63 and 64 chords respectively. In addition, we explore slash chord notation and 4 examples in full of how inversions can help us write more interesting and likable progressions.
The following videos are referenced in this lesson:
Writing Progressions in Major: • How To Write Chord Pro...
Writing Progressions in Minor: • How to write Chords an...
Borrowed Chords: • Writing Progressions w...
Secondary Dominant: • Secondary Dominants- W...
Analyzing George Harrison's "Something": • Analyzing the Chords f...
My song, Generations: • "Generations" - Jake L...
Want to support my channel AND get a cool studying resource? Buy my Ultimate Modal Poster!
teespring.com/signals-ultimat...
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Special recognition to the following members! Without them these videos would not exist:
Adam Granger
Billyshes
Bradley Bower
Brandon Combs
BuzzWasHere
Christopher Swanson
CrippleMonkey
Daniel Danciu
Darrin Goren
Don Dachenhausen III
Don Watters
Erik Lange
Joe Buote
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Kip Ingram
Linas Orentas
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Martin
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Table of Contents:
00:00 Intro
00:40 What Are Inversions?
01:23 First Inversion
02:23 Using Slash Chords
03:07 Second Inversion
03:58 Minor Chord Inversions
04:28 Using Inversions
06:51 Inversions In Action: George Harrison "Something"
08:35 Inversions In Action: Dream Theater "Scene One: Regression"
10:20 Inversions In Action: Jake Lizzio "Generations"
12:37 Wrapping Up
![The Secret to Sounding Sad in Major - Mediant Chord [MUSIC THEORY - SONGWRITING LESSON]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y97CwPqDQf8/mqdefault.jpg)
![Sus Chords Pt 2: Advanced Chord Concepts and Suspended Variations [CHORDS + MUSIC THEORY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pnD6rF1gqpQ/mqdefault.jpg)
i made two mistakes in this video but tried my best to cover them up in post by overdubbing the audio. of course, this will only encourage the conspiracy theorists who believe that you're not hearing my real voice. but i'd rather have people speculate that i have a weak voice than be wrong on the internet.
Thank you for your sacrifice 😥
I thought you were computer generated all the way. Kinda like my computer generated self....... th-cam.com/video/rtLOZ7ToI9I/w-d-xo.html :-P
Checkmate, Morgan Freeman
🕵️♂️
love your vid's, but i have a question, how the slash or the bass notation would help us to know if is an inversion or a drop chord?, because the size of the chord and intervals changes in both cases uwu
For 4 years I always thought Slash chords were chords that Slash played...
I used to think that too :p
I've been playing for eons and know a bit of theory(emphasis on bit), I'm literally(yes, literally) just hearing of slash chords now and thought the sameee😭😂💭
RC32 you’re technically right.
Yeah, there are Hendrix chords after all, so there MUST be Slash chords too! ;-)
Is thay why he's called slash... (?)
The bass player has the power, clandestine power...
I forgot to bring it up- the biggest value in working with these chords as a guitar player is that it gets you thinking about bass, which hopefully gets you thinking like a bass player (i.e. supporting the song, not just showing off lol)
I've long held the opinion that no matter how good a band's frontman or lead players are, the drummer sets the standard for how good the band is, because with an average drummer, the band can never be better than average; and the bass player sets the standard for how good or interesting each song is, by implying inversions by their creative choice of basslines. So when we see an impressive performance, it's worth looking beyond the guitar solo and considering what the rhythm section are playing.
@@SignalsMusicStudio It's also a pretty good flag up for the bass player about what notes to play. If I see a D/F# I know I better reinforce the F# more than the D or A.
@@ParaBellum2024 Absolutely, a band can't be better than their rhythm section.
@@crimfan But Tony Carroll was shit
Jake: *Talks about Dream Theater*
Me: "A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one"
Also, that same chord progression is the same for the verse of The Spirit Carries On, which is super fun to play on piano.
The same opening as Finally Free too...
deadstar44 Oh yeah, that's right
If you haven't already you should make a playlist just for these "4 pillars" of progression writting.
I'm still practicing basic chord changes but even so, I've managed used what I've learned from your videos to blow my own mind. Thank you so much.
I can't hear that Dream Theater chord progression without the vocals playing in my head. I've listened to that album way too much. Thanks for using that as an example.
As soon as he ended the chord progression I continued singing "Hello, Victoria, so glad to see you, my friend"... Until I realized there is no music to back me up.
Jake: *gives popular music examples*
Also Jake: *puts his own song in it*, 😝👌🤣
pretty cheeky right?
@@SignalsMusicStudio haha. No ones complaining ❤️
@@SignalsMusicStudio I would say 'Dope'!!! You make great Songs too.
@@SignalsMusicStudio stonks
This is hands down the best TH-cam channel for learning music theory
I loooove it :D
Being a metalhead, combining inversions with borrowing chromatic notes from parallel chords has helped me so so much with songwriting :)
Daaaamn does Generations sound awesome!
Some people just know how to teach. Its just a part of them. This guy knows how to teach, it just flows out of him. He even answered the questions I had as he went along. What a great, great channel...
Love how it's almost a tradition to have a mistak on this channel.
mistake*
I think I have 3 or 4 videos with no errors.
@@maltybestgirl7124 ironiic
Ironic*
@@meowlmeowl-gi4925 iconik
10:00
Dream Theater - The spirit carries on
100%
i agree with you
yep, also at the very end of the album, that weird little classical arrangement played on the record by the band right before "OPEN YOUR EYES NICHOLAS". It's the same progression :)
I absolutely love this song...
Gives me the power that i need to keep going
Signals Music Studio I got to see that whole album live in December, it was amazing
@@SignalsMusicStudio my eyes are wide open
For anyone who's ever tried to teach/explain music knows how challenging it can be, and therefore, just how gifted this delightful man is.
I'd like to thank you and your patrons, patreons for this video. You're helping people express the music in their hearts, and helping musicians at different levels of education communicate to work together. Thanks again...
You are extremely helpful, I've never been able to find a channel that can easily explain the theory around chords without me being confused and give up on it but you're way of getting to the point and explaining in a simplified manner is amazing.
This has convinced me I need to keep working on learning every note on the fretboard. Along with all the chord triads. Otherwise, I'll just have to manually look up every inversion, rather than being able to just figure it out for myself.
After 3 decades, this taught me the fretboard in 1 single week:
Take the C major key chords. CEG EGB GBD BDF DFA FAC ACE.
Walk slowly through all 3 and 4 note arpeggios and say each note. Call each chord by its notes, so C major is called CEG chord in your mind.
Extremely quickly this will cement the note names and their relative placement to each other in your mind.
You will know 7 of the 12 chromatic notes. The other 5 will be easy to find because D# (Eb) is between D and E for example, two notes of which you'll know.
@@EclecticEssentric whole step whole step x3 then 1 24 fingering x2 then 1 34 fingering x2 builds mixolydian. i use millpad to describe this to my kids
@@terdcutter3193 OMG, yes.
That Co5ths pattern you describe (it goes 4152637 like any key in circle of 5ths/4ths) should be the first thing any potential soloist learns. I didn't learn it for 3 decades. Crimony.
@@EclecticEssentric lol me too however i am paying my ignorance foward and am currently teaching this to my two 5 year olds..... if they get it by the time they are teenagers they will be decades past me lol
Jake you’re awesome bro!! I’ve been watching your videos for almost a year now and I just wanted to say you’ve helped me grow into a much more sophisticated guitar player and musician in general. Your videos are very well thought out, always knowledgeable and you explain everything in very practical ways making it easier for some of us to understand. Keep up the good work. And thank you to all of his patreon supporters for helping him make these videos possible. As soon as I’m in a better situation myself I plan to join you in the support effort!
I love how you brought up Regression. It's one of the go-to songs I play on an acoustic, I love the warmth and depth of those chords. Very suitable for the song's meaning, falling into a regression feeling safe and warm.
Not watched this lesson yet, but as this is one of my favourite youtube channels, I know it will be great. Thought I would write a comment as I have loved your last two lessons on practical uses of the modes, brilliant stuff! I have been expecting your next lesson to be on writing a song in the phrygian mode. Hope you go through them all, so clear and helpful.
Next video will be riffing with Phrygian :)
Hey Jake, just wanted to give my full on appreciation for the content you make. Your my number one youtuber that I always go to when ever I'm having trouble with this stuff and nobody does it better than you. Thank you so much man.
Still the best music teacher on youtube. The teaching skill is awesome, and after years struggling with some concepts, everything falls into place in 15min. Thank you !
Dude, quick intro, right into the topic. no "hit the bell" etc, love your channel. So much good information that is just there, not covered in minutes and more minutes of blabla or wanking with endless intro soloing. thanks for this one - helped me a lot to see not only how to invert correctly, but the info on where to use it/ and when just rang the bell.
I was just inquiring about this. Perfect timing!
High quality content and teaching that is always really good. Personally I owe Jake bigtime and I never ever thought I was even capable of learning theory , I always thought it was like advanced maths or something. But slowly slowly getting there thanks a lot
Good to hear! I also felt similar to that when I started learning music theory.
Same here
Hey spooner great testimony. Stay at it.
@@michaelmaxey8583
Nice one cheers
It kind of is advanced math, but like math, anyone can understand it with a good teacher and a lot of practice.
You’re such a lovely person Jake. You have such a light and lovely heart. Please don’t stop making these videos, the world needs more people like you.
Carry on 💞
Hey Jake you do a GREAT explaining music theory. I’m an old guy brushing up on theory and I really appreciate your videos. Thanks for your efforts.
Can’t believe you weren’t a music major…your knowledge is encyclopedic! Great video as always!
easily some of the best, most helpful, informative, and entertaining guitar instruction vids on youtube. i take my hat off to you, sir!
Inversions are an amazing tool. I love using them in my music, much like sus chords, if I want to create some subtle movement in my chords without completely moving away from them, or when creating "soft" changes from one chord to the other. It helps a lot.
Huge! HUGE! The bass part in particular. Your ease of explanation was so huge for me in this lesson in particular. I always had trouble with truly understanding how to work with bass clearly. Very nice lesson and a huge wall finally overcome. Thank you!
OH MY GOD! THANK YOU! I've played guitar for way too long to have never realised what slash chords meant in tabs. Thank you again!
Another great video. I've always hated the "correct" notation. And also glad you clarified the naming a chord wrong thing. Props brother
As a budding guitarist I always find your videos very informative! Sometimes it’s over my head or like this an introduction to something I’ve other players doing, but did quite understand what was going on. Now I have a much better understanding! Thanks to you and your Patreons
It's like you read my mind Jake with what lessons to put up?!! Thank you so much, I've learnt so much from you! I remember when this channel was new and it's awesome to see how much it's grown so quickly, well deserved mate!! Keep doing what you're doing! 🍻🍻
Super informative and very well explained. You make everything everyone on TH-cam is trying to explain with ease. Thank u for that breath of fresh air.
Just wanted to stress how helpful your visuals are!!! They make any theory you talk about understandable! Keep it up!
@Signals Music Studio You are one class act, Jake. Well done. I'd say you have to be the clearest and most eloquent guitar teacher on all of TH-cam.
Sure, there are other teachers that clearly know how to play well, but they waffle on and go off on irrelevant tangents.
Keep up the great work amigo 🙌
Classic jake making theory easier than i previously thought it was. Keep it up my guy im waiting for the rest of the mode related videos:)
I watched this video and wanted to like it. Turns out I already did that years ago when I watched it the first time. Still it felt like I was learning something I surely wouldn't have understood back then. Jake's videos are enriching at every reiteration. Solid gold my man!
Jake uploading a video just makes my day.
Thanks for this lesson! I knew a little about slash chords, but this motivated me to apply them to a plain vanilla chord sequence I'd written - and it transformed the song into something so much more interesting! Valuable information!
So good! I think this is the best class I've watched by yours. You are very clear and simple about a bunch of cool theory, but also critical about it. Thank You!
Thanks! As always, you have some of the best lessons for intermediate players. I was really hoping to get to hear the next modal piece in the newest series, but this was just as good.
I really hope to see you teach the modal tonalities of Harmonic Minor after your done with Major.
Your effort is very appreciated. I will soon be a patreon supporter as well.
Thanks Patreon Subs!! and Jake, you give the best descriptions and examples. Must appreciated!!
Great lesson!!! I’ve been looking to understand chord inversions for awhile and you made it easy to understand. Thank you!
Mate been watching your channel for a few years now. So many lightning bolt moments. You just explain things in a way I totally get. Thank you
Dude, you’re a great teacher. I came across this channel by chance and I’m now subscribed. You make things sound so simple and straightforward.
I swear, every video you make is gold my friend. Keep making the best guitar lessons on TH-cam--we'd be lost without you!
Thanks Jake ! Great lessons, what amazing content to go through this quarantine period!
Cant believe it took me this long to find this channel. Awesome vids mate
I just wanted to thank you bro. I've learned so much from your channel. Keep on with the good job man.
I've watched a few videos on this throughout the years but the way you explain it opened a whole new world now I wanna try slash chords with like major 6ths and such
Jake your amazing and you solved a puzzle for me ive been trying to understand for years now.
Thank you !
I've done this once or twice before but I never really noticed how much more palatable this can make large jumps between chords. Thanks jake! Very useful video.
Thank you so much Jake!! The way you teach is just so structured and awesome!!
Hands down best guitar instructor on the internet. Very thorough and understandable. Thanks Jake.
Admirable the thing you do. Your knowledge in music is pristine.
Always great! Looks forward to all of your new vids, thanks!
It’s a wonder you only have 329k subscribers, this has got to be one of the best channels for learning guitar/music theory on TH-cam. Though I guess that would be subjective. Regardless, you have helped me quite a lot in understanding and using the concepts you’ve went over. Thank you Mr. Lizzio!
Thank you! If I wanted more subs, I would make reaction videos, amp reviews, make all my thumbnails nearly identical, include a shocked-face in each one, and do lots of videos where I review the CRAZIEST GUITAR EVER?!?! If that day comes, please find me and slap me.
Signals Music Studio haha that hits the nail on the head! I’m pretty sure all 329k subs would find you and slap you at that point lol. Thanks for that laugh!
Awesome explanation of chord inversion. I loved your practical examples and approach. Thanks for that
Man after about 3 years of following this channel its unbelivable how much I got better just because of your vedios thank you really
the best youtube channel for learning..hats off man!!
Another awesome video, man we need you to upload more often.
Very exciting lesson ! Clear, complete, organized, pleasant, surprising. Thank you Jake.
Great lesson, Jake! Really helps to hear how these inversions sound relative to one another. Thx!
I just want to say that your videos are a amazing. I have not had music theory lessons what so ever and your videos make everything so easy to understand. More importantly, I can actually use it to write! Thank you so much for this!
Great lesson! Exceptional instruction and so simply presented.
Slash chords are really useful when paired with dominant chords. If you put a dominant chord in first inversion, the bass note will be one half-step below the chord it resolves to, which really helps smoothen out the voice leading. This is especially helpful with secondary dominant chords; for example, you can do a progression that goes A - B - G#/B#- C#m, which I think sounds really cool. (You might recognize this progression from the pre-chorus of "Spaceman" by The Killers.)
Love your lessons!!! Perfect explanation with apt examples...❤️❤️
You are one of the better YT teachers. You get you message across clearly. You do sound like the guy that announces movie trailers at the theater.
Very, very smooth explanations. At 11:20 very expressive interior voices movements in that accompaniment formulae
Great video as always thanks Jake!
Good stuff man. Keep making these kind of videos.
Another great lesson.. thanks Jake!
HE MAKES EVERYTHING SO SIMPLE. SIMPLE. SIMPLE. THANK YOU
Best instructor on youtube.Thank you.
Excellent lesson Jake. Thanks!
Great content. Subbed. Even though I already I have a degree in music, I just love the conversation and hearing intelligent and playful people do their thing. Cheers!
You're always useful and to the point. It's great man.
Best music theory channel for the layman
Thanks for a very well delivered and informative lesson. Brilliant.
Great practical introduction to that whole "yeah, you change the order of the notes - so what"-thing.
Thank you - you deserve nice things!
Excellent. Crystal clear explanations and demonstration...😎👍
Another great lesson on how to get out there yourself and write interesting music, but also have a framework to put what you discover into a re-usable framework. Yup, this channel has convinced me to get back to learn some more theory, thank you for posting.
Great video once again, the information is clear and concise. It's true that inverted chords can change the feel of the progression, especially when the bass follows a linear melody. Sometimes it's great to have only the bass player doing the invertion, it creates great tension. Finally one great example of inverted chords and linear chromatic bass is the intro of Stairway to heaven.
You’re just one of the best out there Jake!!
Another excellent video. One of my favorite guitar/theory 'tubers!
I love your videos man! You explain stuff so well
Great video! Very clear and effective presentation.
I'll put my tablet hanging on the wall of my guitar room door with a tag down saying :"Here is THE LESSON that'll change your life forever"
I know very little about theory but for what I do know this connected the dots on so many questions I have had! Awesome work! Thanks!
Excellent lesson. Thanks! I now have a much better understanding of inversions and slash chords and you have a new subscriber.
Hah! When I heard you playing the first example I immediately thought of Freebird :D. Thanks a bunch for the video - inverted chords have been puzzling me. I figured they were an optional thing just so you wouldn't have to move around your hands so much. But hearing the examples really puts it all into place.
Great Info, always a great presentation ; thank you !
Thank you for your videos, they really are enlightening! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Best guitar instruction on the web. Subbed!
Your videos are the best and inspires me to write!! Thank you
Excellent lesson as usual!
Thank you, chord progressions are my weakness and you've made it simple to understand.
It would be cool to have a video where you get into the differences between chorus, verse, bridge etc. I can usually make up my own little chord progressions from noodling on the guitar, but my music has always come out be 1 minute long even when I program the song digitally. I don't know how to take my really good sounding stuff and expand it into a full 3-5 minute song.
I naturally am concise in what I do because of my education and current job. I naturally speak in 1 minute songs and it's frustrating because I want to get more out of my ideas.
I have about 20 songs and samples with ideas I've been saving for when I do learn how to expand on all of them.
Peace
I think it’s probably a good thing your songs are short. It usually means you have a good instinct for cutting redundancy from your music. I find myself having to go back and trim the fat from my music.
Have the same problem . Lot of riffs and ideas saved. More than 90% have not Been finished 😀
Just wanted to thank you for your great lessons. These are really helpful, I am a self taught guitarist. Also the way you explain this is really cool and easy to understand! Keep it up! Greetings from Germany!