SHOSYS ACADEMY 9.2 LESSON: Conventions Of Chord Labeling
Kelvin Sholar
1 Introduction To The Blog Series
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2 Revisiting The Tree Of Knowledge
In Blog 9.1, we learned about conventions of conventions of labeling degrees and intervals. In this Lesson, we will learn about labeling chords. This knowledge resides in the Ways branch (1.20) of the Tree of Knowledge (1.00), at the third leaf from the left (1.21) – Conventions.
2.1 CONVENTIONS OF LABELING CHORDS
In Western music, chords are derived by alternating three or more tones of a major or minor scale; this is why chords are traditionally formed in thirds (Miller 112). For example, using staff notation, all seven of the triads (three note chords) of the A minor/ C Major scale can be formed by choosing three alternate lines or spaces upwards from each scale tone – A minor and C major have the same scale tones.
When we study the seven triads that were derived from the A minor/ C Major scale above, we should notice that there are three types of triad: major, minor and diminished.
Click to hear example
According to Carl Brandt and Clinton Roemer, in “Standardized Chord Symbol Notation“, major triads are normally labeled with the letter name of the tonic; in other words, a C major triad is labeled C (Brandt 13). Minor triads are normally labeled with the letter of the tonic and the affix mi; a C minor triad is labeled Cmi (Brandt 19). Major and minor triads have the same intervals (major third, minor third and perfect fifth); but, in different orders or different directions. The diminished triad is labeled Cº; it is composed of two minor thirds and one tritone (Brandt 24).
In addition to the Major scale, the melodic minor scale is used in some Western music; (there is more on scales in the next lesson).
All seven of the triads of the C Melodic Minor scale can be formed by choosing three to four alternate lines or spaces upwards from each scale tone. One finds an augmented triad in the melodic minor scale (i.e. Eb G B in measure four above); in addition to major, minor and diminished triads. The augmented triad is labeled C+; it is composed of three major thirds (Brandt 25).
We have found that major, minor, diminished and augmented triads are the most basic chord types in western music, because they derive from basic seven tone scales (i.e. major, minor, melodic minor).
More complex chords are derived by choosing alternative scales or by adding scale tones from the same scale (second, fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth etc…).
3 Bibliography
Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. Taxonomy Of Educational Objectives: The Classification Of Educational Goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Company, 1956
Brandt, Carl; Roemer, Clinton. Standardized Chord Symbol Notation. Sherman Oaks: Roerick Music Co, 1976
Miller, Michael. The Complete Idiots Gude To Music Theory. New York: Alpha Books, 2005