Duration: 3:21

Here is where your knowledge of chord inversions and open voicings and closed voicings becomes really useful.

When writing for voices in a choir, a string section or in fact any orchestral chords, an arranger goes to the closest inversion which is often referred to as the next inversion. The assignment in this lesson allows you to become familiar with this technique.

When a pianist's hands are taken of the keyboard the notes continue to sound briefly and the sustain pedal keeps them ringing as long as the pianist wants but when an organist's hands are taken off the keyboard there is an immediate silence and an organ does not have a sustain pedal. So, when changing a chord, an organist must always go to the closest inversion.

But a sudden silence can be very effective - especially on a cathedral organ as the natural reverberation of a huge cathedral makes the music fade over several seconds - a very powerful and grand effect.

(Print the pdfs of questions before playing the video)