Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

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By: Robert Hutchinson

Triads

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M jor, Minor, Augmented & Diminished

Prof George Sy Ong

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A triad consists of three notes STACKED in CONSECUTIVE 3RDS
It is called a Chord as well as a Harmony

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• Memorize the intervals of thirds
• Do, mi, sol, si, re, fa, la, do
 Parts of triad tones

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The lowest note of a triad when it is stacked in thirds is called root
The middle note is the third
The highest note is the fth

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• Inversions will be discuss later
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 Qualities

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Four of them

• Augmented, Major, Minor and Diminished

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• Augmented are rare
 Lead-Sheet Symbols

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J zz nd pop music

• Also lead-sheets notation. And chord symbols

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Chord Symbols

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and Guitar
Tablature
Major triads are represented by an
uppercase letter while minor triads are

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represented with the root in uppercase
followed by a lowercase ‘m’ (F#m)
Diminished triads are represented by
including the diminished symbol (o)
after the chord root(Co) while augment
ted triads are represented by including
the augmented symbol after the root
(C+)
 Inverted Triads

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Does not have the root as the lowest note.
Distinguished the root from the bass
The root of a chord is the lowest note when the notes are stacked in thirds

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• The bass is the lowest note, which might be the root, third, or fth

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 Chord Inversions

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Root position - when the root is in the bass (lowest note of the chord)
First inversion - third in the bass
Second inversion - fth in the bass

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 “Slash” Chords

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• An inverted chord has the triad before the slash (/) and the bass note after it.
• C/E means a C triad with an E as the lowest note
• It is possible to have slash chords where the bass note is not one of the chord tones
( C/F#)

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 Analyzing Chords

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When a three-note chord is represented by four or more notes (some of which are
duplicates of the original three notes) and spread out across a grand sta , we can
arrive at a lead-sheet symbol by answering three questions:
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What is the root of the chord?
• What is the quality of the chord
• Major, minor, augmented or diminished
• What is the bass note?
• What is the chord position

ff
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Analyzing Chords

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 Analyzing Chords

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Then bottom note is the root when the chord is stacked as a triad. In this case the
root is D

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 Analyzing Chords

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• Next, determine the quality of the triad ( major, minor, diminished or augmented) by
analyzing if there is a M3 or m3 from the root to the 3rd and if there is a M3 or m3
from the 3rd to 5th
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 Analyzing Chords

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• Finally, determine if the chord is inverted by checking to see if a note other than the
root is the lowest note.
• Since the bass note (lowest note) is the root D, the chord is not inverted.
• The chord is in root position
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The chord symbol is Dm
 Case 2

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An lysis of chord - inversion

• Stack the notes only on lines in the treble clef to determine the root
• The root is E
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 Case 2 An lysis of chord - inversion

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• Analyze the quality of the triad
by measuring from E to G and
from G to Bb
• It is an E diminished triad (Eo)
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Finally, determine if the triad is
inverted.
• Is the root (E) the lowest note?
• Since the lowest note is G, the
chord is invented. Eo/G
a
 Simple “Sus” Chords

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sus2 nd sus4

• Common in pop music are ‘sus’ chords, with ‘sus’ being a shortening of the
‘suspended’, a term we will studying the later topic on non-chord tones
• sus4 - a perfect 4th replaces the 3rd of the chord
• sus2 (sus9) - a major 2nd replaces the 3rd of the chord.
• Both chords have a P5 from the root to the 5th.

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 Musical Example

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 Musical Example

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Summary

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 Tonic Major Triads

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Fl t-Keys

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Tonic Major Triads

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Sh rp Keys

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 Keyboard Theory

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M jor Tri ds

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 Enharmonic

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M jor Tri ds

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 Different types

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C-E-G chord

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 Exercise

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O
# O
# O

A#o Bb+

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Exercise

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