Chord inversions

part 1: theory of inversions

part 2: open position inversions

Open Position Guitar Progressions with Inversions – Major Triads

1.

| C | G/B | Am | F |

2.

| F | F/A | Bb | C |

3.

| A E/G# | F#m A/E | D A/C# | B7 E7 |

4.

| G G7/B | C A7/C# | D B7/D# | Em D/F# |

5.

| Am | Am/G | D/F# | Dm/F E7 |

6.

| D | D/C | G/B | Gm/Bb |

7.

| C | F/C | G/D | Em |

8.

| D A/C# | Bm Bm7/A | G G/F# | Em/G A7 |

Open Position Guitar Progressions with Inversions – Minor Triads

||: Em | Em/G | Am | Am/C | Bm | Bm/D | Bm/F# | D/F# :||

2.

||: Am | Am/C | Dm | Dm/F | Em | Em/G | Em/B | G/B :||

||: Dm | Dm/F | Gm | Gm/Bb | Am | Am/C | Am/E | F/A :||

||: Cm | Cm/Eb | Fm | Fm/Ab | Gm | Gm/Bb | Gm/D | Eb/G :||

||: Bm | Bm/D | Em | Em/G | F#m | F#m/A | F#m/C# | A/C# :||

||: F#m | F#m/A | Bm | Bm/D | C#m | C#m/E | C#m/G# | A/E :||

||: G#m | G#m/B | C#m | C#m/E | D#m | D#m/F# | D#m/A# | B/D# :||

||: Fm | Fm/Ab | Bbm | Bbm/Db | Cm | Cm/Eb | Cm/G | Ab/C :||

||: Bbm | Bbm/Db | Ebm | Ebm/Gb | Fm | Fm/Ab | Fm/C | Db/F :||

part 3: moveable inversions

More Progressions with Inversions

9.

| E | A/C# | B/D# | A/C# |

10.

| F#m | D/F# | A/E | B/D# |

11.

| Gm | C/E | F | F/A |

12.

| D | Bm | G/B | A/C# |

13.

| Bm | Em/G | A/C# | D/F# |

14.

| A | F#m | Bm/D | E/G# |

15.

| G | C/E | Em/G | D/F# |

16.

| F | C/E | Dm/F | Bb/D |

17.

| Am | D/F# | G/B | C/E |

18.

| C#m | A/C# | F#/A# | B/D# |

summary of how to play moveable inversions

part 4: famous songs that use inversions

“Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon

| C | C/E | F | % |

“Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel

| E | F#m | E/G# | A B |

“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran

| D | D/F# | G | A |

“Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

| G D/F# | Em | F C | D |

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Gaye & Terrell

| Bm7/A | G#m7b5 | Gmaj7 F#m7 | Em9 D/F# G E/G# |

“God Only Knows” by Beach Boys

| D/A | Bm6 | F#m7 | B7/A |

| E/B | Cdim7 | E/B | Bbm7b5 |

| A | E/G# | F#m7 |

“Something” by Beatles

| F | Eb G/D | C |

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis

| D/A | A | D |

“Hakuna Matata” by Elton John

| C/G | G | C |

“Don’t Think Twice” by Bob Dylan

| E/B | B | E |

“Carolina on My Mind”

| D A/C# | Bm A | G D/F# | Em7 A7sus |

“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton:

| G | D/F# | C | D |

“Your Song” by Elton John

[Verse]
|| Eb Abmaj7 | Bb/D Gm | Cm Cm/Bb | Am7b5 Ab |
| Eb/Bb Bb | G/B Cm | Eb Fm7 | 1. Ab Bb :|| 2. Ab Eb ||

[Chorus]
|| Bb/D Cm | Fm7 Abmaj7 | Bb/D Cm | Fm Ab |
| Cm Cm/Bb | Am7b5 Ab6 | Eb/G Fm | Ab Bb ||

“After All These Years” by Journey

intro/ interlude

||: B F#/A# | G#m F# | E G#m | F# :||

verse

|| B / / F#/A#| G#m | E | B/F# F# |

| D#m7 | G#m | E | B/F# F# |

| G#m7 | F#7sus F#7 | C#/E# | E69 E |

| C#m / / B/D# | E F# | B | B/D# / B F#/A# ||

chorus

||: G#m E | 2/4 B | 4/4 F# :||

| C#m / / B/D# | E F# |