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Music Information
links:
Some Music / Chord
Definitions
If you are not yet familiar with chord theory, you may wish
to click on the above chord theory link to
acquire at least a beginning background in it. Some of the definitions
below do assume some chord theory knowledge.
| + |
The + sign on a chord, if by itself, often
really means +5, which in turn is the same as an augmented chord. An
augmented chord raises the fifth note of the scale in forming a chord. |
|
- |
The "-" sign means that the note is "flatted".
For example C-5 means that the fifth note of the scale that makes up the
chord is flatted. C-5 would therefore be C, E, Gb or C, E, F#
written another way, rather than C, E, G. |
|
# |
Used here to represent sharps - a note raised
one half step |
|
b |
Used here to represent flats - a note lowered
one half step |
|
+5 |
A +5 again refers to the augmented chord.
See the above description for +. |
|
5 |
While this is considered a chord, it really
just is two notes - the first and fifth note of the scale. For a C5
chord, for example, it would simply be C and a G. This combination is
also sometimes called C no 3rd, or C major no 3rd, or C no 3. Note
that for a C major chord that without the 3rd, it would simply be C and a G. |
|
augmented |
This is really the same as a + chord or a +5
chord as shown above under +. It begins with a normal major chord of
first, third and fifth notes of the scale, and then raises the fifth note
one half step. For example, C major would be C, E, and G. C augmented
would be C, E, and G# with the fifth note a sharp, raised one half
step. |
|
chromatic |
The chromatic scale includes all possible notes
in the scale. Starting at C, the chromatic scale would be:
C, C#,
D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B,
. . .twelve possible notes. Note that the scale could have also been
written with flats.
Db (D flat) is the same as C# (C sharp), for
example. |
|
diminished |
The diminished chord really is made up of four
notes of the chromatic scale - each spaced 3 half steps from each other.
For example, C diminished would be C, D#, F#, A. Note that an oddity
of the diminished scale is that these notes would be exactly the same if any
of the four notes were the base note. For example, C dim (abbreviated)
has the same notes as D# dim, F# dim, and A dim. |
dominant (7th) |
The term dominant 7th means that the 7th note
is added to the major chord - but while doing so, it is also "flatted".
So C 7th (which means the dominant 7th if just 7th is shown) is made up of
C, E, G, A# (can be written C, E, G, Bb) |
|
flat |
A flat (b) lowers a note one half step |
|
inversion |
Inversion is a different way of playing a
chord. It mostly has been referred to for keyboard applications, but
it really could also apply to other instruments as well. Let us look
at the so called normal way of playing a C major. It would be C, E, G,
with C being the lowest key played on the piano, E in the middle and G the
highest. This would be normal since it follows the definition of the
major chord which is that it uses the first, third and fifth notes of the
scale. However, these same notes could also be played: E, G, C with E
the lowest key, G in the middle, and C the highest. This chord would
be considered C major chord, first inversion. Playing G, C, and E with
G the lowest key would be considered C major chord 2nd inversion.
There is no third inversion for a three note chord of course, since the next
change would bring the chord back to C, E, G, the expected chord fingering. |
|
major (M, maj) |
The name major for a chord, abbreviated capital
M or "maj" means that the chord is made up of the first, third and fifth
notes of the scale. For a C major, that would be C, E, and G. |
minor (m, min) |
The name "minor", which is abbreviated small
"m" or "min" means that the chord has a flatted third note. So C
minor, instead of being like C major with C, E, G, is made up of C, Eb, G
(where the E is E flat, one half step lower) |
|
no 3 (no 3rd) |
This chord name, such as "C no 3" really ends
up being the same as the C 5 chord above. The notes are being
approached from two different directions, but end up with the same result.
The C5 chord is really just two notes - the first and fifth note of the
scale. So, a C5 is really just C and G. "C no 3" really starts
with the C major chord and subtracts. The C major chord is C, E, and
G. When one subtracts the 3rd note of the octave, 6ne arrives at the
same two notes: C and G . . as indicated by the C5 chord also. |
|
scale |
The term "scale" usually just refers to the 8
note scale that would contain most of the normal notes used in a song.
If the word "chromatic" is in front of the word scale, then it refers to all
possible tones, 12 different notes, which would include all notes including
all sharps and flats. The simple C scale of 8 notes is: C, D, E,
F, G, A, B, C. Note that this sequence of 8 notes is simular to the
singer scale of "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti do" which also has 8 notes
with the first and 8th note the same name. |
|
sharp |
A sharp "#" raises a note one half step. |
|
sus |
"sus" stands for suspended. If just the
letters "sus" appear after a chord, then it is assumed to be "sus 4".
"sus 4" means that the fourth note of the scale is added to the chord.
Also the third note is often taken away. For example, a C major chord
again would be notes: C, E, and G. "C sus" would be C, F, and G.
In this second case, note that we eliminated "E' which was the third note of
the scale, but added "F" which is the 4th note of the scale. |
|
sus 2 |
Since "sus" here specifically refers to "2", it
does not stand for a suspended 4th as above. Instead of course it
refers to the 2nd note of the scale. A chord "C sus 2" would be C, D
and G instead of the normal C major chord C, E, and G. In the "sus 2"
case, "E" the third note of the scale disappears and is replaced by "D" the
second note of the scale. |
|
transpose |
To change notes or an entire song or melody
from one key to another. |
return
Recommended eBook on One Person Band Music Making and Recording
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Book: Becoming a
One Person Band (click for info)
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If you have some instrument skills,
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