Chord Lecture: Major and Minor Chords In this lecture, I'll demonstrate two things: 1.

How to classify chords into major and minor. 2. How to identify the root of a chord. Major vs. Minor There lots of kinds of chords, but in MCO, we're going to learn just two of them: major and minor. Let's examine a major chord. Example 1: A Major Chord:

This is a major chord. It is identified as major, because the relationship between the lowest note (its root) and the next highest note (its third), have the interval of a major third. In this case, the example is identified further as a "G Major Chord." That's because the root of the chord is "G." A chord is named after its root. As you can see, the chord in the example is spelled "G,B,D." The "G" is the root, or "1" note. We then spell the chord from the root, using a "3" and a "5." If the "1" is "G", the "3" is derived by counting and spelling from "G", so that "G" is "1" and "A" (the next note in the musical alphabet) is "2" and arriving at "B," which is "3." We continue in this manner to derive the "5." After "B" comes "C," which is 4, and after "C" comes "D," which is "5." So, "1,2,3,4,5" = "G,A,B,C,D" and we find the notes of any chord once we know the root. Let's spell a chord which has "E" as its root. "E" would be "1," "F" would be "2," "G" would be "3," "A" would be "4," and "B" would be "5." So the E chord would be "E-G-B." Example 1: A Chord Which Has "E" As Its Root:

This is a minor chord. It is identified as minor, because the relationship between the lowest note (its root) and the next highest note (its third), have the interval of a minor third. In this case, the example is identified further as an "E Minor Chord." That's because the root of the chord is "E." A chord is named after its root. As you can see, the chord in the example is spelled "E,G,B." The "E" is the root, or "1" note. We then spell the chord from the root, using a "3" and a "5." If the "1" is "E", the "3" is derived by counting and spelling from "E", so that "E" is "1" and "F" (the next note in the musical alphabet) is "2" and arriving at "G," which is "3." We continue in this manner to derive the "5." After "G" comes "A," which is 4, and after "A" comes "B," which is "5." So, "1,2,3,4,5" = "E,F,G,A,B" and we can find the notes of any chord once we know the root.

Triad A triad is a group of three notes having a specific construction and relationship to one another. They are constructed on 3 consecutive lines or three consecutive spaces. Each member of the triad is separated by an interval of a third. The triad is composed of a Root, Third, and Fifth.

There are four types of triads: major, minor, diminished and augmented.

Inversions of Triads All triads have three positions that they can be arranged in. The root, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion. Root Position Triad If the triad root is in the lowest voice then the triad is in Root Position.

1st Inversion Triad If the third of the triad is in the lowest voice the triad is the 1st inversion.

2nd Inversion Triad

If the 5th of the triad is in the lowest voice, the triad is in the 2nd inversion.

Figured Bass Figured Bass was developed in the early Baroque period. It was a system of musical shorthand that made the writing of keyboard parts easier. It was customary for the composer to write out the bass line and to place Arabic numerals above or below the figured bass to indicate the harmonies. The keyboard part was called the continuo, which was improvised by the player. In figured bass the Arabic numerals represent the intervals that sound above a given bass part. Certain abbreviations have become well known.

Alterations Alterations from the given key signature are indicated by placing an accidental before the Arabic numeral. An accidental, such as a sharp, flat, or natural that appears by itself under a bass note indicates a triad in root position with the third interval above the bass note sharped, flatted or naturaled.

Any sharp, flat, or natural sign beside the Arabic number indicates that this interval above the bass note should be sharped, flatted, or naturaled depending on the symbol. #6, b6, 6, #6 4 b4 Sometimes, composers used a slash through the Arabic number instead of a sharp. They both mean the same thing. Roman Numeral Analysis In the early 1800's, German composers started to use roman numerals to symbolize harmony. Each note in a scale can have a triad or chord built above it. Upper case (Major) and lower case (minor) Roman Numerals are used to indicate the type of chord. I, IV, V are major triads/chords, ii, iii, vi are minor triads/chords, and vii is diminished.