<P> Regardless of whether a chord is in root position or in an inversion, the root remains the same in all three cases . Four - note seventh chords have four possible positions . That is, the chord can be played with the root as the bass note, the note a third above the root as the bass note (first inversion), the note a fifth above the root as the bass note (second inversion), or the note a seventh above the root as the bass note (third inversion). Five - note ninth chords know five positions, etc., but the root position always is that of the stack of thirds, and the root is the lowest note of this stack (see also Factor (chord)). </P> <P> Although the safest way to recognize a chord's root is, after having reduced the chord to close spacing, to rearrange it as a stack of thirds, there are shortcuts to this: in inverted triads, the root is directly above the interval of a fourth, in inverted sevenths, it is directly above the interval of a second . With chord types, such as chords with added sixths or chords over pedal points, more than one possible chordal analysis may be possible . For example, in a tonal piece of music, the notes C, E, G, A, sounded as a chord, could be analyzed as a C major sixth chord in root position (a major triad--C, E, G--with an added sixth--A--above the root) or as a first inversion A minor seventh chord (the A minor seventh chord contains the notes A, C, E and G, but in this example, the C note, the third of the A minor chord, is in the bass). Deciding which note is the root of this chord could be determined by considering context . If the chord spelled C, E, G, A occurs immediately before a D chord (spelled D, F ♯, A, C), most theorists and musicians would consider the first chord a minor seventh chord in first inversion, because the progression ii--V is a standard chord movement . </P> <P> Various devices have been imagined to notate inverted chords and their roots: </P> <Ul> <Li> Chord names and symbols (e.g., C major, A minor, G etc .) </Li> <Li> Roman numeral analysis (e.g., I to indicate the tonic chord and V to indicate the dominant chord) </Li> <Li> Slash chords (e.g., G / B bass, which instructs the chord - playing performer to play a G major triad with a "B" in bass voice / lowest note) </Li> </Ul>

The root of a chord can be defined as