Another Challenge - Theory

In 100 words or less (preferably less) how do you name a chord when only three or two notes are played?

Key: C

II
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-3
--
-3
--
--


and
Chord from "Swing With A Sting" B.Mason

--
-8
-8
-9
--
--

Well 2 notes is a dyad.
But I can't stress enough that the surrounding chords - the movement before and after 'said' chord or dyad - is what gives you the clues to it's functionality and hence, it's name. The 1st example ... I'll call it a "Bb" chord (but it could just as easily be a Csus, Gm7 or F6 ... even Dm).

The second one, I don't know ... G+ (G augmented)? I don't know the tune so "how is it functioning - does it lead back to the I chord, or is it used as a modulation?" It could also be a B+. Is it the V7 chord of the key of your first example? (It could just as easily be a Cm/maj7 or Em/maj7)

klasaine:
"But I can't stress enough that the surrounding chords"

"The second one, I don't know ... G+ (G augmented)? I don't know the tune so "how is it functioning - does it lead back to the I chord, or is it used as a modulation?" It could also be a B+. Is it the V7 chord of the key of your first example? (It could just as easily be a Cm/maj7 or Em/maj7)"

This is the second chord shot in the head of "Swing With a Sting". The song starts on a D note and the head ends on a E note. A horn player once told me that the last note of a melody is usually the key your in. I think the songs is actually in the key of G.

Ask the bass player?


:)

Classical music theory students are trained to identify a harmonic area (which has a chord name) by looking at a bunch of criteria: is there an actual chord sounding; does a part play arpeggios; does a melodic line outline a chord with its gaps and contour; what is the bass doing; what chord name would be logical, given what comes before and after; if the notes are dissonant (non-chord tones), do they resolve?

So if a student saw a dyad in a piece of music, they would consider its name by taking into account those things above. Once the full harmony is identified, the dyad in question would either consist of chord tones or non-chord tones. If they are non-chord tones, they need to resolve. If those notes don't resolve, then they would be considered to be upper members of a chord (9, 11, 13), added notes, or altered notes. But the first thing a student would do with a dyad is see if the non-triad tones resolve. If they resolve, then the chord is still a triad or 7th.

Boy, I didn't explain this well. But have to go.

What was the chord before, what is the chord after and what is the bass note?

Too subjective.

In 100 words or less (preferably less) how do you name a chord when only three or two notes are played?Based on how they sound.

Your two chords are C and G+

Another idea –

The first chord is a Dm/F (with missing 5) or a sort of F6 power chord.

The second one is a B+.

Klasaine has it right -- the chords could have a variety of names depending on their function. -- CS

Another idea –

The first chord is a Dm/F (with missing 5) or a sort of F6 power chord.

The second one is a B+.yeah. I swear those 3's were 5's... lol It's probably a Dm chord, but could also be G7. And the B+ is the same chord tones as G+, as well as D+.

BTW, Function is just a fancy way of saying how something sounds. If it wants to resolve down a 5th, it's a dominant function, if it wants to move to the dominant, it's subdominant, etc. While it's great to know the names for all the various diatonic and non-diatonic functions, it's more important to hear them...