OK, I may be about to reveal some ignorance...

I'm working in a method book that uses some strange (to me!) notation for chord inversions. From what I can see, I think they're using figured bass notation, but it seems like an odd application of it, and it's confusing to me.

For example, let's assume we're in C Major. V chord in first inversion (BDG), is notated V6. Then a V7 chord as typically played in first inversion with third omitted (BFG) is written V6/5 (no slash, I'm just trying to show the numbers on top of one another). The same chord with fifth omitted is notated as V4/3.

I think I get that they're just showing the interval(s) above the lowest note in the chord, like figured bass. However, this seems odd to me used in the context of notating triads by scale position. My exposure to figured bass is in a whole different context. Furthermore, if I have a V7 chord, I'm used to seeing it identified as a V7 (possibly with some indication of what note is bottom). The way it's done in this book, it's not identified by chord type unless you do a whole lot of mental gymnastics. I'm curious how this author would notate various inversions of further chord extensions... 9ths, 11ths... I think one's head would explode trying to figure out what chord it was.

I'm an old jazzer who's new to piano, but what I would expect to see is G/B for first inversion, G/D for second... or, if we're talking harmonic function instead of name, as we are here, something more like V(inv.) or V7(sec inv).

I guess my question is two-fold:

1. Am I right that they're using figured bass numbers?

2. Is this something I will encounter and need to be able to read, or is this kind of an anomaly?

Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance for any replies.

When I took a keyboard harmony class many years ago, we had to learn the roman numeral notation for chords, along with the accompanying notation for inversions. Really, if I had to read it this way now my head would explode - it was difficult then and very difficult now (except I hardly ever run across it now).
Anyway, the notation I tried to learn was 6/5 for 1st inversion, 4/3 for second inversion, and 2 for third inversion.

In key of C, the I chord first inversion is notated- I 6/5 (except the numerals are much smaller) and would be e g b c. This is because C down to E is a sixth, & B down to E is a fifth.

The I chord second inversion is I 4/3, g b c e. C down to G is a fourth & B down to G is a third.

The I chord third inversion is I 2, b c e g. C down to B is a second.

I don't know if this helps, it's all way too complicated for me to read chord inversions this way. (probably why I gave up on this system). I like the C/G (i.e.) notation much better.

What method book are you using? If I read the notation of your V6 (in key of C) it would translate as a G6 chord to me.

I hope this doesn't confuse you further - it was confusing for me to write! I had to think way too hard.

Thanks for the thoughtful response, CMohr. I appreciate it. Between your response and one I got on a PM, I think my questions are well answered. In short: yes, it's the same as figured bass, just showing the intervals above the bottom note, and no it's not something I really need to worry about encountering with any frequency.



You hit the nail right on the head... that's the part that was most confusing to me. My mind, used to seeing V7, says "that's a 6 chord!" But it's not in this notation. I've also discovered that what this author really means by that notation is V6/3, but just uses V6 for a shorthand of it. Geez.