Skip to content
Theory without tear...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Theory without tears question ...

3 Posts
2 Users
0 Likes
1,428 Views
(@Anonymous)
New Member
Joined: 1 second ago
Posts: 0
 

Having read the above article a few times and (I think) understood most of it, couple of points come to mind - (1) if there are only 8 notes in a scale, what are 9th & 11th chords? (2) you show how to form major, minor, 7th chords etc but not 6ths (3) is the "suspended" chord (I, IV & V) the same as a sus 4th - sounds like it to me and uses IV instead of III (4) in the lesson on "The Needle and the Damage done" you mention a Dsus2 chord, with the top E played open - I've seen this tabbed as an A5 chord, are they the same?  ???


   
Quote
(@argus)
Reputable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 221
 

(1) if there are only 8 notes in a scale, what are 9th & 11th chords?

(2) you show how to form major, minor, 7th chords etc but not 6ths

(3) is the "suspended" chord (I, IV & V) the same as a sus 4th - sounds like it to me and uses IV instead of III

(4) in the lesson on "The Needle and the Damage done" you mention a Dsus2 chord, with the top E played open - I've seen this tabbed as an A5 chord, are they the same?  ???

Welcome to "Theory With Tears".

(1) Chords are normally constructed by stacking thirds diatonically (1 3 5 7 etc). If we use the note names for a Cmaj11 chord (C E G B D F) we can see that the numbers of the notes are 1 3 5 7 2 4. We use 9 and 11 (and 13) for two reasons. First, if we're stacking thirds it makes sense for the numbers to move upwards (the third of the 7 would be the 9 of the root). It's also much easier to read Cmaj11 than Cmaj7(add 2 add 4).

(2) 6ths are simply major or minor chords with a major (unflatted) 6th added. Consider it an "add 6".

(3) First, we use roman numerals when naming chords within a key, and modern numerals or words for describing notes within a chord. Anyway, a suspended chord is a chord where the 3 (third) is replaced with a diatonic neighbouring tone (diatonic means "all in the same key"). For instance, a C major chord is C E G (1 3 5). Csus2 replaces the E (3) with a D (2), making it C D G (1 2 5). Csus4 replaces the E (3) with an F (4), making it C F G (1 4 5). Both of these are suspended chords, because they "suspend" the movement to the third. If you follow a Csus2 or 4 with a C major chord, it will sound good. One last thing, the suspended note (the 2 or 4) should come from the preceding chord (but it doesn't have to).

And the difference between the Csus2 and the Cadd9? The Cadd9 has a third whereas the Csus2 doesn't.

(4) A Dsus2 (as we've just learned) is constructed with a 1 2 5, which using D as the root gives us D E A. This is close to the A5 (1 5, which is A and E when you use A as the root) but not exactly the same.

It's an inversion of an Asus4 though (inversion means that it has the same notes, only in a different order). I had never thought of it this way before just now.

I really hope you learn something from this, and that the "something" isn't that I can't shut up.


   
ReplyQuote
(@Anonymous)
New Member
Joined: 1 second ago
Posts: 0
 

Good enough, mate, cleared up a few cloudy issues. Perhaps I should've read a bit more on theory first, though - also the table that Helgi's done on chord construction as a reply to another question (a little advanced chord theory, I think it was) has really helped. I'm going to copy that, print it out and stick it on the wall behind the computer!!! Thanks again... Vic. :) :) :)


   
ReplyQuote