Practicing Minor Triads & Inversions Series 2
Description
This time we'll start with an A minor in 2nd inversion. The closest possible D minor chord is a 1st inversion chord that shares the note A on the D string. When two consecutive chords share a note it is called a common tone. The other two notes of the chord move very minimally. One note moves up a half-step and another moves up a whole-step. Pitchwise, from low to high, we get:
A to A - same pitch
C to D - up whole-step (2 frets)
E to F - up half-step (1 fret)
We move back to the A minor chord. Next we look for the closest possible E minor chord. This happens to be the root position E minor below the A minor. The low note E is a common tone. The other two notes of the chord move very minimally. One note moves down a
whole-step and another moves down a half-step. Pitchwise, from low to high, we get:
C to D - up whole-step (2 frets)
E to F - up half-step (1 fret)
A to A - same pitch
We move back to the A minor chord. Next we look for the closest possible E minor chord. This happens to be the 2nd inversion shape E minor below the A minor. Again, the note E is a common tone. The other two notes of the chord move minimally. One note moves down a
whole-step and another moves down a half-step. Pitchwise, from low to high, we get:
C to B - down half-step (1 fret)
E to E - same pitch
A to G - down whole-step (2 frets)
Notice the pattern emerges concerning our i-iv-iv chord progression. In this case Am(i)-Dm(iv)-Am(i)-Em(v).
The distance from any given i chord to it's closest voicing iv chord always involves three characteristics:
Root note of i chord to 5th of iv chord - same pitch
3rd of i chord to root note of iv chord - up whole-step (2 frets)
5th of i chord to 3rd of iv chord - up half-step (1 fret)
Depending upon which voicing you start with, these motions could be in a different order, but all three will always be present in some order. Likewise, the distance from any given I chord to it's closest voicing v chord always involves three characteristics:
Root note of i chord to 3rd of V chord - down whole-step (2 frets)
3rd of i chord to 5th of V chord - down half-step (1 fret)
5th of i chord to root note of V chord - same pitch
Again, depending upon which voicing you start with, these motions could be in a different order, but all three will always be present in some order.
This is a very important feature of all I-IV-I-V chord progressions with incredibly wide ranging implications, applications and potential.
Also, remember we are altering the E minor chord (v) to an E major chord (V) in order to get that leading tone modulation of the major 3rd of the V chord to the root of the I chord: G# to A! We'll do this on the last measure of every cycle before we start again.
Lesson Info
Tutorial Lessons
- Introduction
- Root Position Triads
- Root Position Triads With Backing Track
- First Inversion Triads
- First Inversion Triads With Backing Track
- Second Inversion Triads
- Second Inversion Triads With Backing Track
- Close Harmony Voice Motion
- Close Harmony Version 1 With Backing Track
- Close Harmony Version 2
- Close Harmony Version 2 With Backing Track
- Close Harmony Version 3
- Close Harmony Version 3 With Backing Track
- Using All The Voicings!
- Using All The Voicings With A Backing Track
- Conclusion