Chord Identification - Music Theory

Music Matters
25 Oct 201807:23
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe script analyzes what constitutes major, minor, augmented, and diminished chords. It provides musical examples to distinguish their sounds and recipes to construct them, using intervals above the root note - major chords have a major 3rd and perfect 5th, minor chords have a minor 3rd and perfect 5th, augmented chords have a major 3rd and augmented 5th, diminished chords have a minor 3rd and diminished 5th. These interval patterns can be thought of in semitones as well. Understanding these chord structures allows musicians to compose, analyze scores, and play various harmonic colors.

Takeaways
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ A major chord consists of a root note, a major 3rd, and a perfect 5th above the root note
  • ๐Ÿ˜ƒ A minor chord consists of a root note, a minor 3rd, and a perfect 5th above the root note
  • ๐Ÿ˜„ An augmented chord consists of a root note, a major 3rd, and an augmented/raised 5th above the root note
  • ๐Ÿ˜ A diminished chord consists of a root note, a minor 3rd, and a diminished/lowered 5th above the root note
  • ๐Ÿ˜† Intervals are important for understanding how chords are constructed
  • ๐Ÿค“ Knowing the interval structure helps determine if a chord is major, minor, augmented or diminished
  • ๐Ÿ˜Š Hearing and recognizing the different qualities of these chords is also very useful
  • ๐Ÿ™‚ Triads form the foundation that full chords are built on
  • ๐Ÿง The notes of a triad can be arranged in different ways to create chord inversions
  • ๐Ÿ’ก Applying triad construction principles on any root note allows you to build various chord types
Q & A
  • What are the four types of chords mentioned in the video?

    -The four types of chords mentioned are major, minor, augmented, and diminished.

  • How can you identify a major chord?

    -A major chord contains a major third and a perfect fifth above the root note. For example, a C major chord contains the notes C, E, and G.

  • What makes up a minor chord?

    -A minor chord contains a minor third and a perfect fifth above the root note. For example, a C minor chord contains C, Eb, and G.

  • What gives an augmented chord its distinctive and dramatic sound?

    -An augmented chord contains a major third and an augmented fifth above the root note, creating tension. For example, a C augmented chord contains C, E, and G#.

  • What intervals make up a diminished chord?

    -A diminished chord contains a minor third and a diminished fifth above the root note. For example, a C diminished chord contains C, Eb, and Gb.

  • How can you calculate the intervals that make up these chords?

    -You can calculate the intervals by counting semitones between notes. For example, C to E is 4 semitones for a major third, C to Eb is 3 semitones for a minor third.

  • Once you have identified the triad, what can you do with it?

    -Once you have the triad such as CEG for C Major, you can arrange the notes in any order to create different chord inversions.

  • What scale degree names identify the triad notes?

    -The root, third, and fifth scale degrees. So in a C major triad, C is the root, E is the third, and G is the fifth.

  • Where may you see these types of chords used?

    -These chords can be used in all types of music, but augmented and diminished chords are common in film scores to create tension and drama.

  • How can you apply this chord building knowledge?

    -You can apply it by building triads and chords on any root note using the interval patterns covered. This is useful for songwriting, composing, sight-reading chords, and music analysis.

Outlines
00:00
๐Ÿ˜€ What notes make up major, minor, augmented and diminished chords?

Major chords consist of a root note, a major third interval, and a perfect fifth interval. Minor chords have a root note, a minor third interval, and a perfect fifth interval. Augmented chords contain a root note, a major third, and an augmented (raised) fifth interval. Diminished chords comprise a root note, a minor third, and a diminished fifth interval.

05:00
๐Ÿ˜ƒ Interval and semitone formulas to build each type of chord

The major chord formula is 4 semitones (major third) plus 7 semitones (perfect fifth) above the root note. The minor chord formula is 3 semitones (minor third) plus 7 semitones (perfect fifth). Augmented chords follow the major third (4 semitones) plus an augmented fifth (8 semitones). Diminished chords have a minor third (3 semitones) plus a diminished fifth (6 semitones).

Mindmap
Keywords
๐Ÿ’กchord
A chord is a combination of musical notes that blend harmoniously when played together. The video discusses different types of chords like major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. It provides recipes to construct these chords by stacking certain intervals like major/minor thirds, perfect/diminished fifths on top of a root note.
๐Ÿ’กtriad
A triad is a 3-note chord consisting of a root note, a third, and a fifth above the root note. By changing the type of third (major/minor) and fifth (perfect/diminished/augmented), different types of chords can be built from a triad.
๐Ÿ’กinterval
An interval refers to the difference in pitch between two musical notes. The video explains chords in terms of intervals above the root note - like major third, minor third, perfect fifth etc. Correct intervals stacked on top of the root note determines the chord type.
๐Ÿ’กroot note
The root note is the starting note on which a chord is built. It is the foundation note and determines the name of the chord. All other notes are added above it at certain intervals to build different chord types like C major or A minor.
๐Ÿ’กinversion
Inversion refers to changing which note of a chord is the lowest (bass) note. So C major chord in root position has C as bass note, but can be inverted to have E or G as the bass note. This changes the spacing but not the essential chord type.
๐Ÿ’กsemitone
A semitone is the smallest musical interval between two adjacent notes in Western music. The video explains chord construction interms of semitones above the root note as an easier alternative to interval identification for beginners.
๐Ÿ’กmajor third
A major third is an interval encompassing four semitones. A major chord contains a major third above the root note (in addition to perfect fifth). For example, C to E is a major third in C major chord.
๐Ÿ’กminor third
A minor third spans three semitones. A minor chord contains a minor third above the root note unlike major chord's major third. For example, C to Eb is a minor third in C minor chord.
๐Ÿ’กaugmented fifth
An augmented fifth is an interval of eight semitones above the root note. It is wider than perfect fifth by one semitone. An augmented chord contains this augmented (raised) fifth interval above the root note which creates tension.
๐Ÿ’กdiminished fifth
A diminished fifth is an interval of six semitones above the root note making it narrower than perfect fifth by one semitone. A diminished chord contains this unstable diminished fifth above the root note instead of perfect fifth.
Highlights

Introduction to the question frequently asked by musicians about chord constitution.

Explanation of using intervals to construct chords.

Building a major chord from a C major triad explained.

Auditory engagement to understand the major tonality.

Major chord construction: root, major third, and perfect fifth intervals.

Using semitones to define a major triad.

Explanation of minor chord construction.

Auditory comparison between C major and C minor chords.

Minor chord construction: root, minor third, and perfect fifth.

Introduction and auditory experience of augmented chords.

Augmented triad construction: major third and augmented fifth.

Using semitones to define an augmented triad.

Explanation of diminished chords and their musical tension.

Diminished chord construction: minor third and diminished fifth.

Summary of constructing major, minor, augmented, and diminished chords.

Transcripts
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