An inversion is what you get when you rearrange which note is on the bottom of a chord. The pitch collection stays the same while the bass note changes.
The chord still has the same notes - you're just changing the order. This changes how the chord sounds and how smoothly it connects to the next one.
Root position
When the root is the lowest note, the chord is in root position. This is the default - the way you've been hearing chords so far.
C Major - Root position (C, E, G)
First inversion
Move the root up an octave. Now the third is on the bottom. The same three chord tones, rearranged.
C Major - 1st inversion (E, G, C)
Second inversion
Move the third up too. Now the fifth is on the bottom.
C Major - 2nd inversion (G, C, E)
Hear all three
Same chord, three different voicings. Notice how the character shifts even though the notes are identical.
Why inversions matter
Inversions make chord changes smoother. Instead of jumping around the keyboard, you can keep notes close together. In production, this is called voice leading - and it's the difference between chords that feel connected and chords that feel disconnected.
Voice leading example
Tap both F chords below. The second one (2nd inversion) sits closer to C major, making the transition feel natural.
Root position versus 2nd inversion after playing C major.
You'll often see inversions written as slash chords - C/E means a C chord with E in the bass (first inversion), C/G means G in the bass (second inversion). The note after the slash is always the bass note.
Try it
Play C major, then play the F chord in root position and in second inversion. Listen for which version keeps the bass closer to C. Name the lowest note in each version before checking the labels.
Key takeaway
Inversions rearrange which note is on the bottom. Same chord, different voicing. Use them to move between chords smoothly instead of jumping around.
Next: adding a fourth note for richer, more colourful chords - seventh chords.
Starts handles inversions for you
The chord generator uses voice leading to pick smooth inversions automatically.