Basic Music Theory

Tori Kamal
Sep 27

After months of failing over and over, I finally beat the 1st level of Inversionist!

For those like me that struggle with this exercise, here's what it took for me to finally beat it:
• Listen to the ToneGym playback multiple times.
• Find the base chord on the piano in the same general range as the ToneGym playback.
• Move back and forth between inversions on the piano.
• Key step: Now play it back on the piano as an arpeggio. Playing as a chord didn't cut it for me, but for some reason playing as an arpeggio allowed me finally hear where the inversion was.

Good luck, folks, and let me know if this helped any of yall, or if you have any other tips!

6 props

Cedric LB
Sep 28

I was struggling in the beginning and I was able to make good progress after realizing the following aspects, for Maj and min chords:
- If you're in root position, the intervals between the notes are 3rds
- Otherwise there's a P4. On 1st inversion, the P4 is between middle and highest pitch, On 2nd inversion, the P4 is between lowest and middle pitch.
- Of course, it's much easier to distinguish these intervals if you play the chord as an arpeggio (which you can do in the game by clicking on the lifebuoy). Improving ear training on intervals will help there.
- The other thing that helped me is that the root of the chord is always played in the same octave, starting with middle C. So the chord played in root position will sound higher than the chord played in 2nd inversion (with one note above the root), which itself will sound higher than the 1st inversion (where the other 2 notes are below the root). This trick is applicable beyond Maj and min chords.

1 props

Kinsey Nietzsche
Sep 28

This was the most difficult game for me as well, however, I have no idea what actually helped me to get over it. yes, I was playing chord arpeggios on a keyboard at that time for every key up and down, so that could have been the contributor, but the breakthrough came one day, when I decided I need to finally beat it, and I don't care if only by pure chance. So I played the game for over 2 hours, without success, ended up very frustrated and tired. The next day the inversionist appeared in my daily training and, like a charm, I just passed it on first attempt. since then I just somehow know … I have no idea how.

2 props

Kinsey Nietzsche
Sep 28

… and then the minor chords appeared, and my progress slowed again 😅

1 props

J K
Sep 28

I've been relying on my intuition for the most part. It's a lot harder for me to focus on the right answer than it is to just assign a feeling to each sound and take my best guess.

The root sounds settled and final, the 1st sound wonky or off somehow, the 2nd sounds like the root but with a touch more bite or air to it?

Maybe there's a better way, I just started but that's what's worked for me so far!

1 props

Tori Kamal (author)
Sep 29, 19:40

@Kinsey Nietzsche way to stick with it though!
@J K I think just doing what works for each of our individual brains the best is the way to go!

0 props