But inversions do sound different. If they sounded the same, it would have been a matter of indifference to classical composers whether they ended a piece with a tonic chord in root position or in first inversion, yet they seemed to have a preference.
The reason for the different qualities of inversions is the way in which the overtone series of each note lines up with the others. In first inversion the second harmonic of the third of the chord is a half step off from the first harmonic of the root itself, and since the third of the chord is the lowest note, that clash occurs in a relatively low and easily audible octave. You can hear that clash easily if you voice the chord with the third way down in the bass and the root and fifth high up in the treble. When the chord is in root position, the clash between the second harmonic of the third of the chord and the first harmonic of the root happens higher up and is less audible. That makes the first inversion have a more unstable, dissonant quality than the root position. There are always dissonances between the overtones of the three notes of a triad - root position consigns them to the highest, and least audible, octave possible; first inversion makes those dissonances more salient.
Just on this part.On having a teacher to learn from. Those videos are his teacher's "teaching". He is supposed to "learn from" those videos.
The whole mystery of why the OP is confused about ordinary things, while at the same time citing videos he presently seems to trust is solved in this fact. If you are a novice music student, you tend to have blind trust in your teacher, you trust what you are given, and you do not yet have enough knowledge to see the holes in it - and you still have loyalty toward that teacher.
lostinidlewonder, your post speaks volume about your attitude, even you are a elite "concert pianist". I am not going to respond anymore. I feel sorry for you.
to timothy42b, "It doesn't matter if the OP of a thread is possibly a scammer as long as it leads to interesting conversation."It matters to me, because we are NOT a scammer!
I am sure you are having fun poking me. That's fine. For the Nobel laureate I am associated with, he came up with the original concept of liquid crystal. I am nobody compared to these giants in science. I am only mentioning it to prove I am not a scammer.
Perhaps scammer is an unfortunate term.Would it be fair to say that your primary purpose in posting is to publicize your teacher's youtube channel, and your question about chord progressions is less important, almost rhetorical in nature? This is the student forum. It would have been perfectly acceptable to simply post saying you have found an online teacher who is fabulous and really helping you learn, and you want to share. Otherwise you can seem insincere. Or, if you are genuinely confused about chord progressions, maybe just ask a question about that, and get the answers without the distraction of the videos. I do have a related question that does not need an answer, but I am genuinely curious. Your teacher has degrees from Oklahoma University and teaches in Iowa. Your sentence construction and grammar suggests you are not a native speaker of English. Is that the case? Unfortunately on the internet that can cause suspicion.
I'll send the original question to wkmt, that should take care of the confusion.
All right, here's my turn for a small confusion, I suppose.I know that the ii6 (short for 63) is utterly standard, is in all the textbooks, yadda yadda.But I swear I've heard at least one person describe the ii6 as just a IV chord with an added (major) six interval. Does this interpretation hold any water at all, or is it just a case of simplifying the harmony by reducing it to the simpler progression?It does explain the cadential ii6 pretty well, but seems like a stretch.
So no worries about poking fun at me, but leave my teacher alone, she is a respectful hard-working piano teacher with 3 young children.
Why are you continuing on and on about your teacher being attacked? I already explained that video lessons DO NOT REPLACE in person lessons and cannot come close to the benefits of one on one teaching, a point you are conveniently ignoring so you can continue on about your poor teacher. So the videos you posted are absolutely rubbish compared to studying with an actual teacher who can take your specific problems into consideration. This is not a personal attack on your teacher it is just revealing a logical conclusion. If your teacher is getting you to do the chord progression in all keys without you even playing pieces that are in those keys, then I think you are learning in a rather inefficient manner.
Just FYI. This is her INPERSON teacher
It only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch.
To lostinidlewonder and some others, you are entitled to your opinions. However, let me remind you humbleness is also a virtue, beyond your virtuoso piano knowledge.
Let me ask you this, how do you do in-person during COVID time? How many in-person concerts have you been giving? Following your logic, online concerts are absolutely rubbish, there is no way sound quality and experience can match in-person ones.
Another question for the smart people here to answer, if a student is sick, how could he still learn?
You and others keep ignoring my message, these are made for level 1 beginners, whose who have no idea know what chord progression is, how to sit in front of piano. These videos are not made for any of those who think they have learned everything about music theory. These are SUPPLEMENT for in-person teaching, for those unfortunate ones during COVID lockdown.
Not everyone can afford taking in-person classes, not to mention those who lived in less economy developed countries. Do I need to remind you we are still in one of the worst PANDEMIC?
However, let me remind you humbleness is also a virtue, beyond your virtuoso piano knowledge.
You and others keep ignoring my message, these are made for level 1 beginners, whose who have no idea know what chord progression is, how to sit in front of piano. These videos are not made for any of those who think they have learned everything about music theory. These are SUPPLEMENT for in-person teaching, for those unfortunate ones during COVID lockdown. Not everyone can afford taking in-person classes, not to mention those who lived in less economy developed countries. Do I need to remind you we are still in one of the worst PANDEMIC?
Dr. Janci L. A. Bronson is the Coordinator of Class Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Iowa State University. She earned a Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma (OU) where she studied with Drs. Jane Magrath and Barbara Fast. She previously earned a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from OU and a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude in Piano Performance from Kansas State University.
Re: the Chopin Em Prelude, ... the simplest thing is to realize that at every chord change, only one note in the chord changes, and always descending by a semitone.
Bad teaching is bad teaching, period. Check out the course brogers mentioned. It is the one I followed, and the instructor was very good with his explanations. Your teacher spent 10 minutes explaining four basic chords, out of context, in a confusing way for beginners.
If you look at how some of these things have been "taught" it will be clear why they appeared confusing to the OP.
what is the fundamental reason people follow certain chord progression? Like my teacher always ask me to practice I - IV - V7 progression....