In A minor, I play a chord with the notes E, A, F - with E being in the bass. What would you call this chord?
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What is this chord called?
- Thread starter Taylor Livingston
- Start date
Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
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- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
Well, I hate to be vague, but it really depends on the context of the chord-it's function in what's going on. Since the "E" is on the bottom, you don't have any really obvious thirds. It seems unlikely that it's an Fmaj7/E, although it could be. It could be like an Esus(add9) too.
Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
- 1,135
- 819
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
Dissonant classical music, I guess. I have a tune that goes
Amin-Caug-Amin-Fdim-G#dim
Amin-(this chord we are talking about)-G#min-(B,E,C)
So to me the minor ninth sounds more like a minor ninth than an inverted major seventh, if that makes sense.
Amin-Caug-Amin-Fdim-G#dim
Amin-(this chord we are talking about)-G#min-(B,E,C)
So to me the minor ninth sounds more like a minor ninth than an inverted major seventh, if that makes sense.
No. Fmaj7 in third inversion. The 5th is the first note to be omitted in a chord voicing because that pitch is an overtone so strongly present in the root note.
Unless there is a melody present to indicate a non harmonic tone context doesn't matter: a chord name is a chord name regardless of context.
I am taking a stab in the dark but maybe
E Suspended 4th Add Flat 9th but I could see FM7/E
All of the other chords in his progression are from tertian harmony, functional or not.
Suspended chords are quartal and if you're finding a suspension in tertian harmony it is a nonharmonic tone called, of course, a suspension.
Fmaj7, 3rd inversion.
The Integer Model would call it a rotation of 078. That way you don't get bogged down in worrying about some alleged "function" of the chord, or about how to indicate which chord tones not to play.
What does that mean, "functional or not"? Sounds like a jab, like my chords are superfluous to you.
Functional harmony is the term that means we are relating all chords back to a particular key center or scale. It's not pejorative, although maybe John Cage would have meant it that way...
It seems like all my chords here do relate to the tonal center, though, no? G# minor contains the D#, which is not a part of the key, but what is not "functional" here?
I'd just call it a cluster. Is the next "chord" voiced the same combo of intervals that is how clusters are used. Clusters are a cool way to harmonize a melody.
