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Seventh Chord Inversion Symbols in Figured Bass
A seventh chord has four notes, so it has four positions: root position and three inversions. Each gets its own inversion symbol: 7, 6/5, 4/3 and 4/2. Here they are on G7 and on Cmaj7, with the reason behind every number.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
G7 in all four positions
- V7, root position: G B D F. Above G: 3rd, 5th, 7th.
- V6/5, first inversion: B D F G. Above B: 3rd, 5th, 6th.
- V4/3, second inversion: D F G B. Above D: 3rd, 4th, 6th.
- V4/2, third inversion: F G B D. Above F: 2nd, 4th, 6th.
The same on Cmaj7
- Imaj7: C E G B.
- I6/5: E G B C.
- I4/3: G B C E.
- I4/2: B C E G.
Seventh Chord Inversion Symbols in Figured Bass
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoWhich numbers are dropped
The full figures are 7/5/3, 6/5/3, 6/4/3 and 6/4/2. Each short form keeps only the two numbers that make it unique. The third inversion is often cut even further to a single 2, so V2 and V4/2 mean the same thing.
Where each inversion goes
The 7th of a chord likes to step down. In V4/2 the 7th, F, is already in the bass, so the bass falls to E and the next chord is almost always I6. V6/5 has the leading tone B in the bass, which rises to C: V6/5 to I. Knowing this makes analysis much faster, because you can guess the next chord before you look.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
What is the symbol for a third inversion 7th chord?
4/2, often shortened to 2. The 7th is in the bass: G7 in third inversion is F G B D, written V4/2 or V2.
What is the symbol for a second inversion 7th chord?
4/3. The 5th is in the bass: G7 in second inversion is D F G B, written V4/3.
Why does 6/5 mean first inversion?
With the 3rd in the bass, the other notes sit a 3rd, a 5th and a 6th above it. The 5 and 6 are the pair that identifies the position, so the 3 is dropped.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Try the demoKeep learning
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