Uploaded November 2011 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
There is now a full studio recording! Please buy the album on Bandcamp! bit.ly/Well_Trained_Ear
A song about second inversions (six-four chords).
Yes, the chord identifications are carefully timed to coincide with their appearance in the harmony. If you want to hear the inversions clearly, be sure to listen with good headphones or a stereo system that allows you to hear the bass. A laptop's speakers may not give you enough bass.
If you would like to analyze the song, I suggest that you first check out my video on "The Gospel Chord" which was posted just before this one:
youtube.com/watch?v=1SQ9tRtWFic
Lyrics:
Second inversions
are chords I adore.
I write them down
with a 6 and a 4.
These chords we encounter
in four different ways;
You can tell from the context you hear,
From the chords that are near,
And the movement you hear in the bass.
The first we'll call PEDAL (or STATIONARY) [or auxilliary, or neighbor tone]
'Cause the bass stays the same,
But when bass notes move stepwise,
Often PASSING is the name.
When the bass goes a-leapin'
ARPEGGIATED is what we'll say.
And when we come to the end
Of a section, my friend,
A CADENTIAL 6-4 can help carry the day.
Ooo IV 6-4. (That IV 6-4 was stationary!)
Ooo I 6-4. (A passing I 6-4!)
Ooo vi 6-4. (Ain't it great when we can arpeggiate!)
And for the next one I'm just gonna savor it,
'Cause a Cadential 6-4 is my favorite second inversion.
Second inversion.
Oh, Second inversion.
There is now a full studio recording! Please buy the album on Bandcamp! bit.ly/Well_Trained_Ear
A song about second inversions (six-four chords).
Yes, the chord identifications are carefully timed to coincide with their appearance in the harmony. If you want to hear the inversions clearly, be sure to listen with good headphones or a stereo system that allows you to hear the bass. A laptop's speakers may not give you enough bass.
If you would like to analyze the song, I suggest that you first check out my video on "The Gospel Chord" which was posted just before this one:
youtube.com/watch?v=1SQ9tRtWFic
Lyrics:
Second inversions
are chords I adore.
I write them down
with a 6 and a 4.
These chords we encounter
in four different ways;
You can tell from the context you hear,
From the chords that are near,
And the movement you hear in the bass.
The first we'll call PEDAL (or STATIONARY) [or auxilliary, or neighbor tone]
'Cause the bass stays the same,
But when bass notes move stepwise,
Often PASSING is the name.
When the bass goes a-leapin'
ARPEGGIATED is what we'll say.
And when we come to the end
Of a section, my friend,
A CADENTIAL 6-4 can help carry the day.
Ooo IV 6-4. (That IV 6-4 was stationary!)
Ooo I 6-4. (A passing I 6-4!)
Ooo vi 6-4. (Ain't it great when we can arpeggiate!)
And for the next one I'm just gonna savor it,
'Cause a Cadential 6-4 is my favorite second inversion.
Second inversion.
Oh, Second inversion.
