Is this a chord?

[Depth_Charge]

For some reason, I've always thought that the Open E/7th fret A is called the BE chord. Please don't ask, I'm just an idiot.

Just now, I was recently jamming a line using "it", and discovered it's actually E, E, DC you moron

Now, since it's 2 E's of varying pitch, is is still considered a chord and if so, is it a power chord or what?

Thanks,

DC

[dlloyd]

No, it's an octave.

[GaryM]

Yep, an E and an E an octave above wouldn't commonly be called a chord. A power chord is the root note and the note a fifth above it, e.g E5 would be E and the B above it. You can play variations of this as well, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_chord

[middy]

Usually, in Western music, a "chord" is 3 or more notes with intervals of major or minor thirds between them. Two simultaneous notes are often called a dyad or a double-stop.

Power "chords" don't really have any harmonic content, just the hurdy-gurdy drone of the perfect fifth, so it's kind of a stretch to call them chords.

In your example, I would just call it an octave double-stop.

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by middy

Usually, in Western music, a "chord" is 3 or more notes with intervals of major or minor thirds between them.

Intervals consists only of major or minor thirds? I'd say that's true for only major and minor triads. Most other chords contain at least major and minor seconds too.

[Depth_Charge]

Thanks guys. Octave double stop! Cool. I like those double stops! They add colour to the songs.

That EE one on the E, A string is my fave of course it just booms out!!

But I also like the C/E and D/F# ones used in Why Do You Love Me? (Garbage) and the F#/C# Flea uses at the start of the chorus to Under The Bridge (Chilli Peppers) before he plays the rest and excuse my tab but I love this riff/phrase/whatever it's called play it daily and I can't play the whole song LOL :

(R - Rest)

G |-6-R------4------4-----------R
D |-4-R--2-2--2------2-4-4-4-4-R
A |---R---------4-2-------------R
E |---R-------------------------R

G |-6-R------4------4-----------R
D |-4-R--2-2--2------2-4-4-4-6(4)-6(4) <--pulloffs sound awesome too!!
A |---R---------4-2-------------R
E |---R-------------------------R

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

Intervals consists only of major or minor thirds? I'd say that's true for only major and minor triads. Most other chords contain at least major and minor seconds too.

I would disagree with that a little. Common diatonic chords are combination of major and minor 3rds no seconds. 1,3,5,7,9,11,13 are all a third apart. Now you do have non-diatonic chords that introduce different interval like a Sus. Then there are clusters which may or may not be considered chords they do have three or more notes played together.

I don't understand what you are trying to say about intervals, intervals can be anything 2nd's, 3rd's, 4th's, 5th's, and so on. Intervals get classified some major or minor, other are perfect, diminish, augmented. So not sure what you are trying to say.

[Charling]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

Intervals consists only of major or minor thirds? I'd say that's true for only major and minor triads. Most other chords contain at least major and minor seconds too.

nah he said chords are made of a succession of notes with a major or minor third between them, and you can explain all the common chords in that way!

for example

major triad = M3, m3
minor traid = m3, M3
maj9 (with a b7) = M3, m3, m3, M3
min11 (including the b7 and 9) = m3, M3, m3, M3, m3
m7b5 = m3, m3, M3
Maj7#5 = M3, M3, m3

sus chords, and some chords that have a flattened degree have different intervals within them, for example maj7b9 (the 7 and b9 are a second apart) but generally they are all thirds!

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by DocBop

I would disagree with that a little.

<snip that distraction for me>

So not sure what you are trying to say.

What was said thus far answered my question until you stepped in and clouded it all



(j/k) I enjoy reading these debates. I don't think I learn much from them, still good to read and immerse

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by DocBop

I would disagree with that a little. Common diatonic chords are combination of major and minor 3rds no seconds. 1,3,5,7,9,11,13 are all a third apart. Now you do have non-diatonic chords that introduce different interval like a Sus. Then there are clusters which may or may not be considered chords they do have three or more notes played together.

I was thinking about chords like sus2, sus4 and major 6. I don't see how they're not diatonic, alternatively my definition of diatonic is false. I have always thought that a diatonic chord means a chord consisting of only notes from the scale in question. I'm obviously wrong there?

Originally Posted by DocBop

I don't understand what you are trying to say about intervals, intervals can be anything 2nd's, 3rd's, 4th's, 5th's, and so on. Intervals get classified some major or minor, other are perfect, diminish, augmented. So not sure what you are trying to say.

Of course I know that. I just thought that it would be obvious what I meant after reading the line I quoted... I typed a too short version and left out some essential parts - it should have been "Do you say that the intervals a (diatonic) chord consist of only are minor and major thirds?"

[WillBuckingham]

Originally Posted by DocBop

Now you do have non-diatonic chords that introduce different interval like a Sus.

A "sus" is not an interval. It's an abbreviation for "suspension", meaning, a non-chord tone, e.g. a 4th, is suspended in a chord, which is always made up exclusively of 3rds. A tone cluster is just that: a cluster, not a chord.

[Chad.mundt]

Originally Posted by Charling

nah he said chords are made of a succession of notes with a major or minor third between them, and you can explain all the common chords in that way!

for example

major triad = M3, m3
minor traid = m3, M3
maj9 (with a b7) = M3, m3, m3, M3
min11 (including the b7 and 9) = m3, M3, m3, M3, m3
m7b5 = m3, m3, M3
Maj7#5 = M3, M3, m3

sus chords, and some chords that have a flattened degree have different intervals within them, for example maj7b9 (the 7 and b9 are a second apart) but generally they are all thirds!

Technically, a maj7b9 chord is all thirds (1, 3, 5, maj7, b9). the maj7th and the b9th has the interval of a diminished 3rd (one whole tone) between them.

Not that there is any functional use for that chord. In fact, if you were to find it somewhere, it would probably be better to just call it a sort of tone cluster, depending on the voicing.

The idea of a suspended chord is one of necessity, not of diatonicism. A suspension, in classical theory, is a non-chord tone that will be resolved downwards to a chord tone (ie. 4 to 3). Writing down "sus" is just a way of notating that tension. Remember that in jazz, the musician needs to be able to react as quickly as possible, and so "jazz" theory is just applied classical theory, written in such a way that the musician doesn't need to figure it out. Keep in mind, as well, that a suspension doesn't always resolve. It is supposed to make our ear expect a resolution, even if it deceptively doesn't come (ex. Vsus7 - I).

A sus chord is only a way of describing a more complex idea.

[Charling]

Originally Posted by Chad.mundt

Technically, a maj7b9 chord is all thirds (1, 3, 5, maj7, b9). the maj7th and the b9th has the interval of a diminished 3rd (one whole tone) between them.

Not that there is any functional use for that chord. In fact, if you were to find it somewhere, it would probably be better to just call it a sort of tone cluster, depending on the voicing.

Yeah, I was just pointing out to Deacon Blues the stacked-third nature of most chords, and I didn't want to cloud things with explaining diminished thirds too! I randomly chose that chord as an example of where he may find an interval other than a 3 or b3 in a chord

[AlphaMale]

Chords can also be harmonies though. Two notes at the same time.
ex:
Power chords

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by Charling

Yeah, I was just pointing out to Deacon Blues the stacked-third nature of most chords, and I didn't want to cloud things with explaining diminished thirds too! I randomly chose that chord as an example of where he may find an interval other than a 3 or b3 in a chord

Scriabin created chords by stacking fourths - try it on a keyboard - they sound pretty cool!