Learn All 72 Piano Chord Inversions With One Exercise (Pivot Note Drill)

To practise all 72 major and minor triad inversions, anchor one note (such as D), play the six major and minor triads that contain it with that note at the bottom, top and middle, then repeat on its tritone (Ab) to cover 36 unique shapes.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 14 min

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What this lesson teaches

There are 12 major and 12 minor triads, which makes 24 chords. Each has three positions, so there are 72 shapes in total. In this lesson Jason Zac shows a single exercise that covers them all. Instead of drilling chords one by one, you anchor one note and let it decide the inversion for you. It suits pianists who know basic triads and want inversions to become automatic.

Step 1: Find the six triads that contain one note

Take a single note, for example D. A triad has only a root, a third and a fifth, so D can play just three roles in major and minor chords:

• Root: D major (D F# A) and D minor (D F A)
• Fifth: G major (G B D) and G minor (G Bb D)
• Third: Bb major (Bb D F), where D is the major third, and B minor (B D F#), where D is the minor third

A good order is D major, G major, Bb major, B minor, G minor, D minor. Avoid jumping straight from D major to D minor, as that is the easy change.

Step 2: Keep the anchor note at the bottom

Hold D as the lowest note and play all six chords around it. The note forces the correct inversion each time:

• D major: D F# A (root position)
• G major: D G B (second inversion)
• Bb major: D F Bb (first inversion)
• B minor: D F# B (first inversion)
• G minor: D G Bb (second inversion)
• D minor: D F A (root position)

Step 3: Move the anchor note to the top

Now keep D as the highest note. D major becomes F# A D, G major is G B D, Bb major is F Bb D, B minor is F# B D, G minor is G Bb D and D minor is F A D. D works like a wall that stays fixed while the chords move beneath it.

Step 4: Put the anchor note in the middle

Finally place D in the centre: A D F# for D major, B D G for G major, Bb D F for Bb major, B D F# for B minor, Bb D G for G minor and A D F for D minor. You have now played six chords in all three inversions: 18 shapes from one note.

Ways to vary the drill

• Play the roots in the left hand while the right hand plays the shapes.
• Play a carbon copy of the same shapes in both hands.
• Run the sequence in reverse: D minor, G minor, B minor, Bb major, G major, D major.
• Sing the roots as you play to train your ear.

Step 5: Use the tritone to reach 36

Next take the note a tritone away from D, which is Ab (its opposite on the Circle of Fifths). Its six triads are Ab major, Db major (Ab is the fifth), E major (G#, the same note as Ab, is the major third), F minor (Ab is the minor third), C# minor (G# is the fifth) and Ab minor. Not one of these repeats a chord from the D set. That gives six new chords and 18 more shapes, so you have 36 of the 72.

Any tritone pair works the same way, such as C and F#, A and Eb, G and Db, or F and B.

How to practise from here

After the first tritone pair, every new anchor note brings back chords you already know. With F, for example, Bb major, Db major and D minor repeat. So the work gets much quicker. If the first 36 shapes take you about a week, the remaining 36 may take only a couple of days. Practise slowly, keep the anchor note perfectly still and aim for smooth movement between shapes, because these are the same connections you will use in real songs.

Questions about this lesson

How many piano chord inversions are there for major and minor triads?

There are 12 major and 12 minor triads, each with three positions, so there are 72 shapes in total.

Which major and minor chords contain the note D?

D major and D minor (D is the root), G major and G minor (D is the fifth), and Bb major and B minor (D is the third).

Why use the tritone as the second anchor note?

The tritone is the opposite note on the Circle of Fifths, so its six triads share none of the first note's chords. D and Ab together give 36 unique shapes, half of the full 72.

How do I know which inversion to play in this drill?

You do not have to choose. Keeping the anchor note fixed at the bottom, top or middle forces the correct inversion for each chord automatically.

Practise it

• Chord TreesStart from a note and explore related chords, inversions and voicings.
• Circle of FifthsExplore the Circle of Fifths through keys, scales, chords and intervals.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

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