Music Fundamentals A Balanced Approach

Chord symbol: FM Gm Am BbM CM Dm E ̊ FM

Roman numeral: I ii iii IV V vi vii ̊ I

• The position of a triad is determined by the lowest note: in root position, the root is the lowest note; in first
  inversion the third is the lowest note; in second inversion the fifth is the lowest note. Assign the figured
  bass accordingly. For example, locate the triad marked “Bb2nd” in the Bach piece above and find its
  corresponding roman numeral and figured bass symbols below.


• Draw the inversions for the E ̊triad. Label each triad with roman numeral and figured bass symbols. Locate
  the triad marked “E ̊ 1st” in the Bach piece above and find its corresponding roman numeral and figured
  bass in the inversions that you have drawn below.

Drawing Chord Progressions in Close Position

Achord progressionis a series of chords (or triads). Music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, jazz,
and many popular songs use chord progressions as their harmonic basis. To see how the 12-bar blues progression
uses a series of triads in a set order, refer to p. 403 in Module 16. Another chord progression that also uses
primary triads is I IV V I. For example:

Below, the same chord progression is written using inversions. Notice how inversions allow the triads to progress
more smoothly, without leaping from triad to triad.

355

INVERSIONS OF TRIADS

FM: IV IV 6 IV^64

Bb Bb1st Bb2nd

Eº Eº 1st Eº 2nd

FM:

Workbook Exercises 14.9–14.11

For example:

GM: I IV V I