Unusual Chord?

[paganjack]

THEORY FIGHT!!!

I love these threads. My first reaction was that D A E would just be a 9th. I wouldn't really think to decompose it to this degree. It's a fun read though. Chords with the 9th in them are always pretty. I use them (and various inversions/voicings) a lot in my compositions.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

D - D, F#, A

Dadd2 - D, E, F#, A

Dsus2 - D, E, A

D7 - D, F#, A, C

D9 - D, F#, A, C, E

Dadd9 - D, F#, A, E

Dadd9(no3rd) - D, A, E >>> this is the OP's chord.

The problem is that you think the note order above the root in this case matters for determining what the chord name is. It doesn't. That is a matter of voicing, and chord names, as we use them here, as a rule neither determine nor reflect voicing. This is a classic case of a distinction without a difference.

In a sense it doesn't matter what you call it, because people will figure it out either way. But to insist on an illusory difference that has no explanatory power or practical significance--namely, that these are really two different chords somehow--seems to me pointless. But then, I'm an Occam's razor kind of guy.

 

[sammyp]

Exactly.

Or... call this D, A, E - three note chord: Dadd9 (no 3rd).

you only use an add 9 when you're adding the 9 to a chord that has the 3rd ...therefore the chord in question is a

Dsus2

 

[Stick_Player]

By this logic you're saying it's not a D7 unless it's voiced D F# A C. That's just wrong.

John

I didn't say that at all. Did I need to spell out all the inversions along with figured bass?

Richard, of course the order does not necessarily matter. I'm sure you are inferring the term "inversion".

However, the OP's chord is an "add9 (no third)". Having no key center reference nor knowing the previous or following chord, I gave the best answer.

You don't have to like it.

By the way, what do YOU want call it?

 

[Stick_Player]

you only use an add 9 when you're adding the 9 to a chord that has the 3rd ...therefore the chord in question is a

Dsus2

No. I explained the differences.

 

[slybass3000]

Exactly.

Or... call this D, A, E - three note chord: Dadd9 (no 3rd).

+1

It is so funny how 3 littles notes can get sooooooooo confusing and complicated here on the "my father is stronger then yours" forum.

BTW, put D add9 no3 on a chart and good musicians will know what to do with it: D,A and E . That's all folks !!!

 

[Richard Lindsey]

I didn't say that at all. Did I need to spell out all the inversions along with figured bass?

Richard, of course the order does not necessarily matter. I'm sure you are inferring the term "inversion".

However, the OP's chord is an "add9 (no third)". Having no key center reference nor knowing the previous or following chord, I gave the best answer.

You don't have to like it.

By the way, what do YOU want call it?

I call it a Dsus2, or a Dadd9(no3) if I'm in the mood. The point is not that it's wrong to call it the latter, it's that there is no difference between the two. They're not two different chords as you suggested.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

+1

It is so funny how 3 littles notes can get sooooooooo confusing and complicated here on the "my father is stronger then yours" forum.

BTW, put D add9 no3 on a chart and good musicians will know what to do with it: D,A and E . That's all folks !!!

They will also know what to do if you write Dsus2, and they will be doing the same things because it's the same chord. That was the point.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Richard, of course the order does not necessarily matter. I'm sure you are inferring the term "inversion".

I'm not referring to inversions at all. But if the order doesn't matter, why do you claim D A E is a different chord from D E A? Is C G E a different chord from C E G? Obviously not. So why the special pleading for the other chord?

 

[slybass3000]

They will also know what to do if you write Dsus2, and they will be doing the same things. That was the point.

I think the symbol Dsus2 is not as popular and straight forward because it is not largely used by professional musicians as D add9 no3 because a lot of musicians would play the Dsus2 as a D triad with the F# and the E as well.

IMHE

 

[Febs]

I think the symbol Dsus2 is not as popular and straight forward because it is not largely used by professional musicians as D add9 no3 because a lot of musicians would play the Dsus2 as a D triad with the F# and the E as well.

IMHE

Not if they know what a sus chord is. I see sus2 on charts FAR more often than add 9 no 3.

 

[mambo4]

You're all wrong it's A Sus4 /D

 

[Richard Lindsey]

I think the symbol Dsus2 is not as popular and straight forward because it is not largely used by professional musicians as D add9 no3 because a lot of musicians would play the Dsus2 as a D triad with the F# and the E as well.

IMHE

Not the musicians I know, most of them at least. As I know you are perfectly aware, the whole meaning of "sus" is that the 2 or the 4 is in a sense a replacement for a chord tone, not an addition to the chord. Thus, with a sus4 the 4 is there in place of the 3, so you have 1 4 5 rather than 1 3 5. Same with the sus2 (1 2 5). What you're describing above, with the F#, is of course a Dadd9 (or add2) rather than a Dsus2.

 

[slybass3000]

Not if they know what a sus chord is. I see sus2 on charts FAR more often than add 9 no 3.

This is where notation gets confusing. A sus2 is an add2 as well for a lot of people. The fact that you specify the add9 suggests strongly the 9 an octave up.

I think the sus symbol should be used only for the fourth that replacing the third. Otherwise, everybody is interpreting its usage locally which defies the purpose of an international music notation.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

You're all wrong it's A Sus4 /D

Or the 3rd inversion of an Esus4(no5).

 

[Richard Lindsey]

I think the sus symbol should be used only for the fourth that replacing the third. Otherwise, everybody is interpreting its usage locally which defies the purpose of an international music notation.

I dunno; nobody I know confuses a sus2 for an add2. And though I respect your preference, I think your battle is already lost. I would respectfully maintain that sus2 may be more widely used than you suggest. It actually is used fairly widely.

 

[onlyclave]

I dunno; nobody I know confuses a sus2 for an add2. And though I respect your preference, I think your battle is already lost. I would respectfully maintain that sus2 may be more widely used than you suggest. It actually is used fairly widely.

"Sus" is short for Suspension. Suspensions resolve downward by step. If a "sus2" resolves down what do you get? A power chord. Sus4 resolves into a triad.

 

[slybass3000]

I dunno; nobody I know confuses a sus2 for an add2. And though I respect your preference, I think your battle is already lost. I would respectfully maintain that sus2 may be more widely used than you suggest. It actually is used fairly widely.

Then in the case of the OP, the notation D add9no3 is much more accurate. If not, you will need to explain to the band that the 2 is on top of the voicing. I personally don't like the sus2 notation for a lot of reasons that been explained.

If not, i would use E7sus4 no5/D. LOL

 

[Richard Lindsey]

"Sus" is short for Suspension. Suspensions resolve downward by step.

No, they do resolve stepwise (when they resolve), but it doesn't have to be downward. It can be upward as well, as with a sus2. (Actually, of course, they don't have to resolve at all in modern practice, though they are generally expected to in traditional functional harmony.)

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Then in the case of the OP, the notation D add9no3 is much more accurate. If not, you will need to explain to the band that the 2 is on top of the voicing.

But no, the 2 doesn't have to be on top of the voicing, because not everybody has to voice the chord the same way. There's no law that says the guitar player and the piano player have to voice a chord identically. It would actually be fairly unusual for that to happen. Sometimes it would even be impossible.

I'd say the two notations are equally accurate, and the choice between them is merely that: a choice. They're the same chord.

Of course, deep down, I'd really prefer to call it C6/9(no1no5). Or Bbmaj7#11(no1no5).