Nathaniel School of Music

Play Any Chord Progression in Every Key Using the Smoothest Inversions

To play any chord progression smoothly on piano, write out the key's scale and triads in a circle, list every inversion of each chord in the progression, then choose the next inversion that keeps common notes in place so your hand barely moves.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Beginner · 33 min

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Key points

This lesson from Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music is for pianists who can play basic triads but struggle to change chords smoothly, or who avoid keys beyond C major and G major. The method is a write-it-down-first flowchart that works in any key. It is demonstrated in Eb major with the popular vi–IV–I–V progression.

Step 1: Write the scale in a circle

Write Eb F G Ab Bb C D in a neat circle, not a line. In a circle you can build any chord by wrapping around, so the third and fifth of a chord near the top of the scale are always easy to find. Check it against the major scale formula: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

Step 2: Draw the scale worm

Map the scale as black and white keys. Eb major splits into two matching groups, which you can picture as two boats: Eb F G Ab and Bb C D Eb, each shaped black, white, white, black. Try to see and finger the scale in your mind before you play it, the way guitarists and other instrumentalists visualise.

Step 3: Build the triads in a circle

From each note, skip one and play one. In Eb major you get:

Write each triad in its own small circle too. Then note their shapes, or triad worms: F minor and G minor are both white, black, white, while Eb and Ab major share a similar shape. Learning shapes helps you play chords without looking.

Step 4: Sort chords into three columns

Group them as major (I, IV, V), minor (ii, iii, vi) and diminished (vii°). Major sounds bright, minor sad or serious, diminished tense. This also helps your ear: if you hear a happy-sounding chord in Eb major, it can only be Eb, Ab or Bb, so you test three options instead of twelve.

Step 5: Write the progression and every inversion

Write the Roman numerals (capitals for major, lower case for minor, a degree sign for diminished), then the chord names: C minor, Ab major, Eb major, Bb major. Under each, list all three inversions one below the other. Reading a chord circle clockwise gives you the root position, first inversion and second inversion.

Step 6: Choose the smoothest path

Always think one chord ahead. If two chords share notes, change to a different inversion so the common notes stay put. Chords next to each other in the scale, such as V to vi, usually share nothing, so they can stay in the same row.

  1. Starting in root position: C Eb G → C Eb Ab → Bb Eb G → Bb D F, then back to C Eb G.
  2. Starting in first inversion: Eb G C → Eb Ab C → Eb G Bb → D F Bb, then back to Eb G C.
  3. Starting in second inversion: G C Eb → Ab C Eb → G Bb Eb → F Bb D, then back to G C Eb. Jason Zac finds this one the easiest.

How to practise

Let the left hand play only the roots: C, Ab, Eb, Bb. Even when the right hand plays an inversion, the bass names the chord. Play each chord four times to start. For fingering, curve your thumb slightly when it lands on a black key, and use your ring finger when the top note of a triad is a black key. Once it feels natural, try arpeggiating or adding rhythm to suit the song. As an assignment, work out vi–IV–I–V in other keys, aiming for at least three keys over a week.

Questions about this lesson

What are the chords of vi–IV–I–V in Eb major?

They are C minor (C Eb G), Ab major (Ab C Eb), Eb major (Eb G Bb) and Bb major (Bb D F).

How do I choose which inversion to play next?

Look for notes the two chords share and pick the inversion that keeps those notes in the same place. Your hand then moves as little as possible, which on piano also tends to sound best.

What should my left hand play with chord inversions?

Play the root of each chord, which is the chord's name, whatever inversion the right hand uses. This keeps the harmony clear so the chord does not sound like a slash chord.

Why write the scale in a circle?

In a circle you can skip-one-play-one from any note and wrap around, so building triads like Bb D F or reading inversions is easy. In a straight line the upper chords run off the end.

Practise it

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