Chord Inversion Calculator — Root, 1st & 2nd Inversion
Select a root note, chord type and inversion (root position, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd for 7th chords) to see the note order and the interval of each voice above the bass. Instantly compare how the same chord sounds with a different bass note.
Root note
Chord type
Inversion
How does this calculator work?
An inversion moves a non-root note to the bass by rotating the chord note list. Root position: root in bass. 1st inversion: 3rd in bass. 2nd inversion: 5th in bass. 3rd inversion (7th chords only): 7th in bass. Select any triad or 7th chord and inversion to see the note order and intervals above the bass.
Formula
How this is calculated
A chord inversion is a rearrangement of the same chord tones so that a note other than the root is the lowest-pitched voice (the bass). In root position the root is in the bass. In the first inversion the third of the chord is in the bass; in the second inversion the fifth is in the bass. For seventh chords a third inversion is possible, placing the seventh in the bass.
To compute an inversion, the root-position note list is rotated left by the inversion number. The intervals of the remaining voices above the new bass are then recomputed modulo 12. First inversion triads are characterised by intervals of a third and a sixth above the bass (e.g. C major 1st inversion: E – G – C, intervals 3 and 8 above E). Second inversion triads have a fourth and a sixth (C major 2nd inversion: G – C – E, intervals 5 and 9 above G).
Inversions matter in voice leading: choosing the right inversion lets a bass line step smoothly from note to note rather than leaping. A C – G – Am – F chord progression in close-position root chords involves large bass jumps; the same progression with selected inversions can produce a near-stepwise bass line. This calculator shows the exact note order and interval structure for any inversion so you can make that choice informed.
Frequently asked questions
They contain exactly the same pitches but the order of voices changes. Root position gives the chord its most stable, grounded sound (root in the bass). First inversion puts the third in the bass, creating a lighter, less conclusive feel often used in passing. Second inversion (fifth in bass) is even more unstable and usually appears as a passing chord or cadential "6/4" chord before a dominant.
Inversions are counted by how many notes you can move to the bottom before returning to root position. A triad has three notes, so it has two inversions (root, 1st, 2nd). A seventh chord has four notes, so it has three inversions (root, 1st, 2nd, 3rd). The 3rd inversion places the seventh in the bass.
Listen for the bass note. If the bass matches the chord name (C in a C major chord) it's root position. If the bass sounds like the "3rd" (E in C major, a major third above C) it's 1st inversion. If the bass sounds like the "5th" (G in C major) it's 2nd inversion. Training this ear skill takes time but is fundamental to harmonic analysis.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Chord Inversion Calculator — Root, 1st & 2nd Inversion [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/chord-inversion-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Chord Inversion Calculator — Root, 1st & 2nd Inversion." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/chord-inversion-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Chord Inversion Calculator — Root, 1st & 2nd Inversion," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/chord-inversion-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_chord_inversion_calculator, title = {Chord Inversion Calculator — Root, 1st & 2nd Inversion}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/chord-inversion-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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