Part-Writing: Using Inversions
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1music theory for musicians and normal people by toby w. rush
Part-Writing: Using Inversions
when common practice composers used inverted chords in
four-voice writing, they followed some general patterns
regarding which note of the chord should be doubled .
root position
first inversion
second inversion
the doubling of first inversion triads depends
on the type of the chord being written.
in root
in second
position triads,
in major first
in minor first
in diminished
inversion triads,
composers usually
inversion triads,
inversion triads,
first inversion
composers usually
doubled the root,
composers
composers
triads, they
doubled the fifth,
doubled the
doubled the
doubled the
which is in the
which is in the
bass
soprano
bass
bass
bass
or
of the chord.
of the chord.
of the chord.
of the chord.
soprano
of the chord.
here’s another way to think of it: the only time you can’t double the bass is
in first inversion major triads, where you should double the soprano instead.
okay, we know how to use inversions in four-part writing... but when can we use them?
other than that, you can use
the only “rule” regarding
6
vii°
root position and first inversion
root position triads
essentially whenever you want!
and first inversion triads
6
ii°
is that diminished triads are
it’s second inversion triads that
always placed in first inversion.
have the big restrictions.
6
6
the cadential
chord
the passing
chord
4
4
is a tonic triad in
is a chord placed in
second inversion
second inversion
followed by a
where the bass is
root-position
treated like a
dominant chord
passing tone:
at a cadence.
the middle note of
a stepwise line
6
6
6
moving up or down.
F:
I
V
I
F:
I
V
I
4
4
6
the pedal
chord
if you write a
4
is a second inversion
second inversion triad and
chord where the
it’s not one of these three situations,
bass is treated like
then you are not writing in the common
a pedal tone:
practice period style! the composers of
a note preceded and
the style just didn’t use these chords
followed by the
willy-nilly .
same note.
6
F:
I
IV
I
4
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