I dont know if this is something that cant be explained easily or not, but im hoping it can be.

How do you read it / what do the numbers mean?

different sets of numbers refer to different chord 'shapes'

eg 5/3 (3 under 5) means play the note marked and the 3rd and 5th above. likewise 6/3 means the note plus 3rd and 6th. this is pretty much it, although certain chords are abbreviated (the only ones i can remember are that '6' means 6/3 and if there is nothing written you do 5/3...you'll need to wait for someone more knowledgeable than me to come along)

Its all in the AB guide to theory (pink one i think), if you have that.

Otherwise you can look here.

well thats all i know also, but the 6/3 confuses me, as that means 1st inversion, but a Second inversion of CM is ECG
The 6 is correct, but the 3 would make it ECE :S Or does the Three mean a thid above E? because that would be a G.
But then wouldnt that make it EGC? :S


Yep. That was a load of rubbish i just wrote lol...

The numbers mean the interval needed above the bass note that is written.  For example, if you have a C with 5/3 underneath, you need the third note above C (E) and the 5th (G).  Any note with 5/3 underneath means the chord is in root position.  In this case the numbers are often omitted as it's taken as read that the chord will be root position.  6/3 underneath is a first inversion chord and 6/4 is a second inversion chord. 6/3 chords are often just represented by the figure 6. You will also see accidentals next to the figures which apply to that particular note in the chord. For 7th chords, you will have 7/5/3 (root position), 6/5/3 (first inversion) 6/4/3 (Second inversion) and 6/4/2 (third inversion).                                         
                                        
                                        
                              

would it be shown as 3/5 or 5/3 for root position?

5 is on top

Yep...


It's in fractions but I can't do it on this computer! You always read from the bottom figure up...so it would be 3 5 etc..

ooh right, so it would be
5
3
that makes sense now

6/3 does mean first inversion which - in the chord of C - is EGC, not ECG.

Perhaps your signature is out of date, but if you've only done Grade I theory, why are you worrying about figured bass? Unless you're playing continuo parts (and, again, I don't expect you are if you're Grade II piano) it's not really something you need until A-level.

Ive only taken grade 1. that doesnt mean im at grade 1.

Does it really matter what grade a person is "only" on? I was reading the AB pink book all the way through before I'd sat my first theory grade. OK, a lot of it went way above my head, and I backed it up with books that were easier to read, but at least I had the basics planted in my brain before I got to the grades where you do have to think about things like figured bass. It also helped prepare me for the OU A214 course which covered loads of figured bass work.

But about playing figured bass, 6/3 on a bass note E in key C, could be played as EGC or ECG, both are first inversion, ECG spread out more.

Have a look at http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory18.htm

We have lost so much since the skill and art of reading and playing from figured basses died out. Now almost every baroque sonata that is played is similar to every other because the same edition is being used and the spontaneity and creativity is gone.

No, of course it doesn't matter which grade you've got to on paper, but - as my piano teacher always used to say - it's not always a good idea to try to run before you can walk. Which you obviously agree with when you say, "I had the basics planted in my brain before I got to the grades where you have to think about things like figured bass." That's exactly my point!!

There's a big, big gap between Grade I and figured bass so I was just suggesting it would be worth concentrating on the things 'in the middle' first.

And it's so annoying when editions not only supply realisations of the continuo part, they omit the figures! When this happens, I resort to using the bass part and pencilling in figures. (That's not a bad way to practise working out the figures, as well as studying already figured bass parts. If you're doing the latter, make sure it's a well figured bass - Telemann is often a very good place to start.)

I know the skills are similar, but I find using figured bass much easier than jazz/pop chord notation - I think because jazz chord notation doesn't relate the chord to its function in the harmonic context. I suppose, thinking about it, neither does figured bass really, but somehow for me, I find it easier to think about chord progressions with figured bass - things like chains of first inversions, cadential 6/4 5/3s etc.

The two pieces of advice I'd give about figured bass is that it only really makes sense when you've got a reasonably good grasp of harmony and chord voicing, and even more when you can apply that knowledge in practice on a keyboard (and preferably an organ or harpsichord in an ensemble!)