Same notes, different bass
An inversion rearranges the three notes of a triad. The notes themselves do not change, only their order from the lowest to the highest, and the note in the bass names the inversion.
| Inversion | Lowest note | Order | C major | Chord symbol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Root | 1–3–5 | C–E–G | C |
| First inversion | Third | 3–5–1 | E–G–C | C/E |
| Second inversion | Fifth | 5–1–3 | G–C–E | C/G |
The slash in C/E and C/G names the bass note: a C chord with E or G as its lowest note.
How to build each inversion
Take the lowest note and move it up an octave. C–E–G becomes E–G–C, then G–C–E, and one more move brings back C–E–G an octave higher. Three moves, three shapes, and the cycle repeats all the way up the neck.
Inversions on the guitar neck
On a set of three adjacent strings, each inversion is a different shape in a different place on the neck. On strings 1–2–3 in standard tuning, from the G string to the high E string, C major sits at frets 5-5-3 in root position, 9-8-8 in first inversion and 0-1-0 in second inversion. The three shapes of one key give you that chord in three places; learning them in all twelve keys covers the whole neck.
Learn each shape together with its degrees, not as a bare finger pattern. Across the three shapes of a key, every string plays the root, the third and the fifth once: on the G string, C major has its root in root position, its third in first inversion and its fifth in second inversion. Knowing which degree sits under each finger is what makes the shapes useful later, to connect chords and to improvise.
The guide to playing triads on guitar goes through the full practice routine, string set by string set.
Why inversions matter
- Smooth chord changes. Playing the inversion of the next chord that sits closest to the current one lets you change chords with minimal movement: that is voice leading.
- A different top note. The highest note is the fifth in root position, the root in first inversion and the third in second inversion, so the same chord can carry a different melody note.
- Staying in one area. With three inversions per chord, you can play a whole progression without moving up and down the neck.