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Overview 11b - Voice-leading for First and Third Inversion Chords

First-inversion and third-inversion chords are used to make smoother, more melodic bass lines, but in doing so, we put tendency tones – and all of the accompanying expectations – into the bass. Even though this seems more restrictive, first- and third- inversion chords actually allow more freedom in part-writing because they remove the potential objectionable parallels that come from having the root in the bass.