The I chord is also commonly heard in second inversion. Second inversion chords are abbreviated ⁶₄. In the key of C, a second inversion I chord, or I⁶₄ (read “one six four”), is just a C major chord with a G played in the bass. So far, the inverted chords we’ve studied have functioned much like their root position equivalents. However, this is often not the case for the I⁶₄. One of the most important uses of I⁶₄ is immediately before a strong cadential V chord. The combination of a I⁶₄ and V creates a strong cadential effect. This is so common in music that it has been given a special name - the “cadential I⁶₄”. An example of a song that uses the cadential I⁶₄ is below:
I⁶₄ and V have such a strong cadential feel together that they shouldn’t be repeated over and over again in a short progression. In fact, one of the most typical uses of I⁶₄ → V is to end a song. Typically the V would cadence directly to a strong final I chord. Here is an example of a song that uses the cadential I⁶₄ to end the song:
Notice that “Circle of Life” doesn’t actually go directly to the I from V because an extra IV chord has been inserted to prolong the progression for a full measure. When our ears hear I⁶₄ → V, they really expect to hear a I . Creating a sense of anticipation for a particular chord and then going to a different one instead creates what is known as a “deceptive cadence.” Although we will not cover in detail the theory behind deceptive cadences here, using deception is yet another way in which you as the songwriter can create tension and resolution in your chord progressions.
While using I⁶₄ as a pre-cadence to V is the most common use of I⁶₄, it does have other uses as well. As with the other inversions we’ve learned, it is typical to use the scale degree in the bass to link neighboring chords (in this case the chords IV and vi). Here is an example of a song that uses this technique along with other inverted chords to create a descending bass line.
Review
I⁶₄ has what scale degree in the bass?
Review
The most common use of the I⁶₄ is to strongly end a chord progression (often to end a song). What chords follow the I⁶₄ when it is functioning in this way?
Second inversion chords in general are much less common than first inversion chords. In fact, seeing a ⁶₄ on any other chord than I is rare in popular music. However, every now and then a song pops up that finds a new and creative way to incorporate a second inversion chord. Recently both Adele and One Republic have made use of a chord that had essentially been unused in popular music: the iii⁶₄.
Review
What scale degree does a iii⁶₄ have in the bass?
Recall that the iii chord in root position is relatively inflexible in that it generally must be followed by a IV or a vi chord. Since the iii⁶₄ does not have the tenacity of its root position complement, this rule does not necessarily apply, although going to vi or IV is still a good idea.
Review
Using your knowledge of popular harmony so far, see if you can figure out what the iii⁶₄ might be used for:
Here is a demonstration of the iii⁶₄ linking I and vi. Compare this with the progression for “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” in the previous section.