Topic: chord inversions

Any body else learning too, or using inversion chords? if so what are your comments?

Re: chord inversions

chord inversions are helpful for jazz and more technical music but I don't really think they do much for the recreational guitar player. Chord substitutions and extensions are a lot more helpful in my opinion.

Inversions are really helpful for position shifting in solos, so some of it depends upon your goals. What is your objective in learning chord inversions?

Re: chord inversions

BGD, I was thinking about a a few shapes to use for varity only or when playing with another player to compliment the music. Don't know about substititions and extensions, how are the used?   Thanks for your response.    b

Re: chord inversions

I agree with BGD.   Inversions are going to just happen as a result of certain shapes or if you're a little lose with the pick.  For example, if you're playing a C in the open position, and manage to strum the E string, congratulations, you've just played the 1st inversion of C.   

If you play piano, or are really, really good on the fretboard, they're a lot more relevant and meaningful.

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Re: chord inversions

I see. When you're playing with other players you should just capo. That inverts all your chords. smile

So if you are playing in A, maybe one player plays in open position and the other player capos 5 and plays E chord shapes, or capos 2 and plays G chord shapes, or capos 7 and plays D chord shapes.

Re: chord inversions

Thanks for the help guy's, better stay with the capo, i can capo through the 5th but, don't like to go further.   b

7 (edited by e s shaw 2013-12-28 07:07:44)

Re: chord inversions

I have to put in my two cents on the other side of the fence.  I put down the guitar for a number of years and concentrated on piano.
A top concert player gave me a lesson in which he demonstrated how pop, blues, etc. were the foundation for rock piano. I worked and worked on that lesson, but, truthfully, I could never really get it to sink in.
When I went back to the guitar, music culture had made a big shift to computerized and backing tracks, like karaoke. At that time, I made an effort to learn the root chord, and the first and second inversions in the six hand positions.  I feel that learning has paid great dividends for the work that went into it.
It allows the guitar player an instant variety once they become natural. Even if a player learns only the 5-1-3-5, he has a natural
slide up or down to any of the 12 major chords. I play the 5-1-3 with the ring finger and catch the 5 with the index finger.
Not to beat this to death, but maybe the most benefit of all is derived by using the inversions as a good way to learn the scales
up and down the neck. If you don't know them and have that as your goal, learning the inversions will speed that process, because while learning them, you are also learning the 1-3-5
the 3-5-1 and the 5-1-3. 
Just a thought.
There is not really too much good insruction on inversions. There was a good you tube teacher, but he kind of quit doing it.
Say, I like that Harding's Blues.

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Re: chord inversions

e s shaw wrote:

.
Say, I like that Harding's Blues.

Thank you of course this is a bias opinion lol smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: chord inversions

Sure thing, Russell. I was especially taken by the sounds of the chords used, as well as the playing.
This gives me an opportunity to contribute another thought or two on bobwill's dilemma, to pursue or not the study and practice of inversions.
Looking through the thread, I see baldguitardude mentioned the importance of clarifying the intent; that can mean the kind of music wanting to play.
Although I don't regret any of the hours, days, I spent learning the tiad shapes up and down the neck, bass and treble, that is because the style of music I was and am following is the major scale hymnbook. If I ever play a flat, it is because it is part of a chord. The melodies in Cmajor hadly ever call for a black key.
This said, then, I have to qualify my remarks with the same thought: what do you want to play? I play a couple of what you could call Western Kentucky themes, "I'll Fly Away," and "I Saw the Light." In both, in Cmaj, you hardly get off the Aminor pentaonic scale.
If your songs call for a lot of pentatonic work, then that
is probably what you should be doing in practice and in playing. Is there such a thing as a minor pentatonic chord?
I don't know. Would it be the 1-3-5 of a pentatonic scale?
A minor chord, you flat the 3 of the major scale. But it is still based on the major scale.
So, yeah, at this stage neither you or I can have much interest in another dead end study, not that you don't learn from all of them. But you know,the learning curve  really is not much fun, all fingers tripping over each other for what seemed forever.
Well, that's the deal. We need to know what kind of music you like. I'll get out of your way.
The disclaimer to that is that there are ways to learn the 1-3-5 straight and inverted up and down the neck that are not as daunting as you might think. Also, a lot of times, you don't know where you are going until you get there, which can have its own rewards.

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