1. Keep the identity while changing the bass
Purpose: recognize the same triad in different positions. C major always contains C, E, and G. Root position has C at the bottom; first inversion has E; second inversion has G. Moving to a new inversion does not change the chord’s quality.
This drill was previously placed in the triads chapter. It appears here once, where its purpose is the route through inversions. Play each hand separately before combining them. Read the fingers for each hand; they are not identical in every shape.
Name, place, sound, release
Name the lowest note, prepare the shape, sound all three notes together, then release before moving. These are placement drills. There is no need to connect each chord with finger legato or hold a wide stretch between positions.
The written chords last two beats. Begin with unmeasured pauses between placements if necessary, then restore that pulse. Return through the four shapes in reverse order, including a clear landing on the lower root-position chord.
The outer interval in an inversion is a sixth rather than the fifth of root position. Locate the larger internal gap before choosing fingers. A black-key chord may call for a different practical fingering from this C-major example.
Listening task: lower every E to E♭ and compare the same route in C minor. The quality changes while the inversion names stay the same. Do this slowly, one hand at a time.
Checkpoint: you can identify an inversion from its lowest chord tone without guessing from its height on the keyboard.
2. Choose a nearby position for a musical reason
Inversions can keep voices near one another when the harmony changes. The aim is not always to move through root, first, and second inversion in order; it is to reach the next harmony with an appropriate bass and a clear upper line.
The first bar holds C in the bass while RH moves from C–E–G to C–F–A. The second sonority is F/C, an F-major chord in second inversion: the lowest note in the complete texture is C. In bar 2, the bass changes to G and then C. Although RH uses B–D–G for G major, the bass G makes the complete chord root position.
Compare that distinction with the previous page’s isolated hands. When naming a full harmony’s inversion, find the lowest sounding chord tone in the complete texture, not merely the lowest note in RH.
Follow one voice at a time
Play only the top notes G–A–G–G, then add the remaining RH notes softly. Next play the bass C, G, C with its actual durations. Combine the parts only when the held C stays down through the first RH change.
Look for a common tone and the shortest useful movement, but do not assume every common tone must be physically held. Articulation, repetition, and the next position can require a release. The printed study gives a specific sustained bass; keep that written duration.
Read slash chords carefully
In F/C, the letter before the slash names the chord and the letter after it names the bass. When the bass belongs to the triad, this identifies an inversion. A slash chord can also specify a bass outside the triad, so the slash alone does not guarantee a simple inversion.
Checkpoint: you can distinguish the position of the RH shape from the inversion of the full sonority, and can explain why this example’s F/C differs from root-position F major.