24
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Accepted
What does the chord notation X/Y ("slash chord") mean?
TL;DR
For pianists, play the X chord with the right hand and the Y bass note with the left hand. For guitar/bass bands: guitarist plays the X chord and bassist plays the Y bass note. (With thanks to @...
- 94.9k
15
votes
Is this an error in this textbook?
The "root" of the problem (so to speak) is that the exercise transcribed the piece incorrectly. The A (edit: in the bass) should actually be an F#. See this score on iMSLP, page 6, the ...
- 94.9k
14
votes
Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?
This is a fundamental music theory concept: (root position) chords are defined as "stacks of thirds", and inversions are considered to be "the same chord". The notes C-E-G are C ...
- 94.9k
14
votes
Specific chord confusion: why the C# in Eb7 b9 13?
The C# is enharmonically Db, which is the b7 of the Eb7 chord. As for the 9b, it is typical to put the accidental before the chord tone, b9 instead of 9b. Also, the b9 should not be an E but rather an ...
- 28.6k
13
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Em/C: Sound Notation, or Dirty Shorthand?
Who is it meant for, are you writing the notation for jazz players, pop/rock or is it a hymnal or what? Cmaj7 is not that strange, but it's just written communication from people to people, so you are ...
- 28.7k
12
votes
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Is 'fundamental frequency' the same thing as 'fundamental bass' (chord root?)
I can offer the physical explanation, which helps me understand all of this. In my answer, I'll briefly describe how hearing is produced so that the notion of the fundamental frequency and harmonic ...
- 11.3k
12
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use of 4/2 chord more compelling than root position?
I see at least two reasons:
Tonal music is really built on the contrast of consonance and dissonance; the inherent tension and release of that dichotomy is what moves tonal music forward. Your second ...
- 85.1k
12
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Difference between Edim7 and Gdim7
The chord finder tool is wrong
The chord in the Bach in C#dim7. This is because the chord in m. 13 is D minor, and the primary function of C#dim7 is to lead into a D chord (major or minor). This is ...
- 94.9k
10
votes
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What should one keep in mind when writing the Neapolitan 6th chord in a chord progression?
Yes, you generally double the 3rd of the chord. It's the chord note that is easier to resolve. Let's take this example in C major, a simple I bii V I:
You can see that both the neapolitan chord and V ...
- 31.5k
10
votes
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Writing an augmented sixth chord on the flattened supertonic
You write an augmented 6th chord on the flattened supertonic by applying the same Italian/French/German formula to the flattened supertonic as the conventional Italian/French/German Augmented 6ths do ...
- 14.3k
9
votes
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Should the comping instrument ever double the bass player?
I agree with the answer and ideas provided by @Tim and would like to add a few of my own.
The thing about group accompanying is unless the music is completely arranged you can’t predict what the other ...
- 28.6k
9
votes
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Formal definition of an inverted chord
This is not possible.
PROOF: Given the notes A-C-E-G and no other information, it's impossible to know whether this is a C6 or A-7 chord. Therefore, it cannot be determined whether the chord is in ...
- 94.9k
9
votes
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How do you tell the inversion of a diminished 7th chord?
Differentiating inversions
All seventh chords, when inverted, contain a second somewhere in the stack of notes. Diminished sevenths are no different. Somewhere in the inversion will be an augmented ...
- 94.9k
9
votes
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Why is an inverted triad not named as another chord with the first note of the inversion as the root?
To directly answer the question - why isn't EGC (1st inv. C major) some sort of E chord?
It could be. E and G gives an E minor feel to it. Add C calling it B♯, and the chord would be called Em+. A ...
- 197k
9
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Why is this image from pianochord.org for A11 labeled as an inversion, when its lowest pitch note is an A?
I'm tempted to close this question because it's simply caused by a confusing website design, but the confusion itself can be addressed:
However under inversions, it shows this image
I see a button ...
- 19.2k
8
votes
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Inversions of chords in closed/open positions
Inversions are always worked out from the bottom note. Thus using a C triad, in close form, C E G is root, E G C is 1st inversion, and G C E is second. That's equivalent to your app's root=0, 1=1st ...
- 197k
8
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What are the uses of inverted chords?
I think you have outlined two of the uses of inversions in your questions already.
To add a bass line to the chords that are not just all roots.
To put the melody note "up on top" so it is the ...
- 7,110
8
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Why are second inversion triads considered less consonant than first inversion triads?
I consider second inversions less stable, because to me they sound less stable. Not because I made calculations and got such and such numbers.
If there's people to whom second inversions give ...
- 28.7k
8
votes
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Do seventh chords have more inversions than triads?
Yes. They have root position, first inversion and second inversion which we have also seen with triads and are exactly the same with the root on the bottom, the 3rd on the bottom, and the 5th on the ...
- 7,110
8
votes
Are inversions for making bass-lines nice and prolonging functions?
I would argue that there are other uses of inverted chords.
One other important usage is for dramatic reasons. A composer may set up a clear upcoming cadence, but at the moment our V chord resolves to ...
- 85.1k
7
votes
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What do you call a minor triad with a 4th in the bass?
I see three distinct possibilities based on how you are actually thinking about the chord itself:
If you really just consider it an A minor chord, it might just end up being a slash chord with a non ...
Dom♦
- 48k
7
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When, if ever, are arpeggiated six-four chords really "real"?
Excellent question. I agree with you that there is no substantial difference in the treatment of the 4th in these two examples. If I were labeling the chords (which is not the same as doing an in-...
- 1,973
7
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Interval of parallel 5ths in the resolution of a German 6th chord
You are correct that resolving the German 6th to a V results to parallel fifths (Ab + Eb -> G + D). This is one of the rare times where the parallel fifths are allowed. People refer to these specific ...
- 31.5k
7
votes
Does every chord have inversions?
Yes, any seventh chord has inversions. No matter what chord quality, the seventh chords are inverted the same (actually, all chord qualities are inverted the same way).
It's possible to invert ninth ...
- 12.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Unclassifiable second-inversion
We typically classify these chords by what their bass notes do. Thus a passing six-four is so named because the bass functions as a passing note; the same is true for the arpeggiating six-four.
Your ...
- 85.1k
7
votes
Intervals and Inversions
The chords in the examples are not inverted. You are right when you say that inversions are determined by the lowest note. If the chords in the treble clef where by themselves then they would be ...
- 394
7
votes
Why is this a Gm7 chord?
Gm7 is the overall harmony, but the lick itself incorporates a Dm7 chord. The point of the example is to show a possible lick that will work with a Gm7 chord, even though it happens to use notes not ...
- 94.9k
6
votes
Interval of parallel 5ths in the resolution of a German 6th chord
Typically the German augmented-sixth chord resolves to a cadential six-four before resolving to the root-position dominant chord. Since the cadential six-four has scale-degree 3, there's no ...
- 85.1k
6
votes
is this F 6'9 chord a figured bass or a chord extension?
69 chords are chords in their own right. They are major triad, with M6 and M9 added. So F69 comprises F A C D G. 9th chords generally are expected to include a 7th of some kind, unless they're 'add9' ...
- 197k
6
votes
Non-cadential use of 6/4 chord
There are at least three "textbook" ways to use a 6/4 chord in common practice harmony, apart from the cadential 6/4.
Of course outside of common practice harmony, there is no limit to what you can ...
- 69
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