Inversions

In music theory, a chord inversion refers to a chord where the notes are rearranged in a different order from the original chord. Or in laymen's terms; it's the same chord, but just sounds "different".

Chord inversions refer to the rearrangement of the notes in a chord so that a different note other than the root (the fundamental pitch of the chord) is the lowest sounding note.

For example, in a C major chord, the root is C and the other two notes are E and G. In the first inversion of this chord, E becomes the lowest sounding note and the arrangement of the notes is E-G-C. In the second inversion, G is the lowest sounding note and the arrangement is G-C-E.

Inversions allow for greater harmonic variety and can add more interest and tension to chord progressions in music. They can help turn a boring chord progression into a more interesting one.

You can give any programmed chord on the 'Cd' track a fixed inversion (or even an automated inversion!) by editing the 'Inv' parameter, e.g. on any programmed chord;

• Hold step 1-16 until blinking
• Cycle through parameters by pressing value to find the 'Inv' parameter
• Turn value to select an inversion type

As with regular notes on other tracks, you can make these inversions conditional (for example, only play the inversion on every second playthrough of the chord progression, etc.).

The following inversions are at your disposal;

• 'root'; no special inversion
• '1st'; first inversion
• '2nd'; second inversion (no effect if chord is a power 'pw' chord)
  
• '3rd'; third inversion (no effect if a chord is a triad, e.g. only has three notes)
• '1st.d'; first inversion, with chord transposed one octave down
  
• '2nd.d'; second inversion, with chord transposed one octave down (no effect if chord is a power 'pw' chord)
  
• '3rd.d'; third inversion, with chord transposed one octave down (no effect if a chord is a triad, e.g. only has three notes)
• 'rand'; pick any of the above inversions at random
• 'auto'; depending on playthrough, cycle through root, 1st, 2nd (if applicable), 3rd (if applicable), back down to 2nd (if applicable), 1st, root, 3rd one octave down (if applicable), 2nd one octave down (if applicable), 1st one octave down, back up to 2nd one octave down (if applicable), 3rd one octave down (if applicable), and repeat.
• 'auto2'; cycle through root, 3rd one octave down (if applicable), 2nd one octave down (if applicable), 1st one octave down, back up to 2nd one octave down (if applicable), 3rd one octave down (if applicable), root, 1st, 2nd (if applicable), 3rd (if applicable), back down to 2nd (if applicable), 1st, and repeat.

Example

Chord progression without inversions

Chord progression with random inversions