I need help with theory!

[Katalepsy]

Well...
For those of you on these forums that are theory geniuses, I was wondering if one of you could help me out a bit!

I would love it if someone could explain inversions of triads and seventh chords. I already know root position chords in every key, but I don't really understand inversions. I think I have a general idea about how they work, like figuring out the intervals created by the inversion and such, but when working with 2 voices it gets confusing, because I don't know if there is a special order the notes are to be placed in for any inversion. So if someone could explain that to me, I would really appreciate it!

Also, I need some help memorizing key signatures, if anyone knows of some cool tricks to help me remember how to figure out any key signature.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Luis]

It is not so easy to explain however read this pages:

www.tonalityguide.com/thtriads.php

http://www.alcorn.edu/musictheory/theory1/invert.htm

About the key signatures: Could you be a little more specific please?

Hope this help

 

[Liquid Shadow]

Look up the numbers for inversions in your book. Just remember that they are named by whatever note is in the root. For example, with a 1st inversion of a major triad, it would be 3-5-1. If you have some chord with 4 voices that has a 3 in the bass and then a root position chord over it, it is still a 1st inversion chord because of what the bottom note is. So in that case, you have a X6 chord, with X being whatever numeral corresponds with the chord in whatever key you are in.

For key signatures, remember these rules:

Sharps - the last sharp is the leading tone to the tonic of the major key. So if you have F#, C#, and G#, then you are in A major, because G# is the major 7th in that key.

Flats - go to the second to last flat listed, and that is you key. So with Bb, Eb, and Ab, you are in Eb major.

 

[Katalepsy]

I would look in the book...But *coughs* Jacob has it...That bastard...And yeah, that's how I thought key signatures worked, but I was not sure.

 

[the alumnus]

inversions are quite simple if you understand triads, which you said you did. an inversion of a triad means you take the same note but rearrange the order.
example: c major triad is c-e-g
to invert it you change its order: g-c-e, e-g-c
you are still playing a c major chord, but it is an inversion. this is especially useful when writing multi-part harmonies in order to avoid parallel fifths. just remember not to cross voices. cheers.

 

[seed2003]

wow i really need to study some theory lol

 

[Katalepsy]

I'm coming to the end of the semester in AP Music Theory at my High School, and it's really quite pathetic that I know so much less than everyone else. Even after almost 3 years of playing guitar (About 3-5 hours every day), I still only know how major scales work, and I know somewhere between 5 and 10 chords... But apparently I'm a really good writer, lol. So yeah, I have A LOT to learn...Scales, modes, chords, friggen too much! *DIES!*

 

[the alumnus]

memorizing key signatures can be done through a few tricks. remember the circle of fifths and the circle of fourths. start in major keys:
circle of fifths f-c-g-d-a-e-b
people use various mnemonic devices to remember these, i was taught "Fat Cows Go Down Alleys Eating Bugs", but whatever works for you. another way to figure it out is thus: if you are playing in a key with 4 sharps, and you remember that the first sharp is always f, you count a fifth up and find the next sharp is c. from c a fifth up is g. from g you get d.
the circle of fourths is easier to remember: b-e-a-d-g-c-f. i use bead, good cows fuck. but whatever works for you. if you get the order right, you can count fourths.
to go from major to minor, you go down a minor third. for example if you are in c major, to go to the relative minor a third down gives you a. so if you are in e minor, the relative major is g (up a minor third).
now lets say you want to play in a certain key. maybe d major. how do you figure it out? well, start with c. no sharps. remember f-c-g-d-a-e-b? start on c as zero, and d is two over to the right. that means d has 2 sharps, f and c. if its going to take a whole bunch of sharps, its probably flats instead. so go up a fourth, starting with c. remember that if you want to play in b flat major, you'll need b flat and e flat. hope this helps.

 

[ElPredicador]

I would love it if someone could explain inversions of triads and seventh chords. I already know root position chords in every key, but I don't really understand inversions. I think I have a general idea about how they work, like figuring out the intervals created by the inversion and such, but when working with 2 voices it gets confusing, because I don't know if there is a special order the notes are to be placed in for any inversion. So if someone could explain that to me, I would really appreciate it!

Inversions only rearrange the notes in a chord. For example:
C -> C-E-G
Inversions: C-G-E, G-E-C, G-C-E, E-G-C, E-C-G.
Inversions are named, as Liquid Shadow said, after which note is used as a root. Inversion 1 of C are E-G-C and E-C-G, because we shifted the root position one note (from the root to the third). Inversion 2 would be G-E-C and G-C-E, because we shifted twice (from the root to the third, and then to the fifth). However, I don't seem to find useful remembering all that stuff (namings and such), since if you want to tell someone the exact fingering you would anyway write it (using chord diagrams or directly into the score).