Harmony

Description

When two or more notes are sounded together. Type of chords e.g. major, minor, jazz chords with 7ths, b5ths etc

Most chords can be described in two ways:

1. Consonance - pleasant sounding, resolved
2. Dissonance - which can be tense, or even jarring

Types of Chords

dyad – 2 notes
triad – 3-notes

also see: Intervals

Essential

• major (e.g. IV)
  • refer to interval major third, perfect fifth is implied
• minor (e.g. iv)
  • refer to interval minor third, perfect fifth is implied
• diminished (e.g. ivº)
  • refer to interval diminished fifth, minor third is implied
• augmented (e.g. IV+)
  • refer to interval augmented fifth, major third is implied

name	intervals	e.g.	semitone gaps
major	M3,P5	C - C,E,G,C	4,3,5
minor	m3,P5	Cm - C,E♭,G,C	3,4,5
diminished	m3,d5	Cdim - C,E♭,G♭,C	3,3,6
augmented	M3,A5	Caug - C,E,G♯,C	4,4,4

Additional numbers

• If added number is 2/4/6 – chord has a major added tone M2/M4/M6
• If added number is 7/9/11/13 – chord is dominant and contains m7/M9/P11/M13

Seventh chords

name	intervals	e.g.	semitone gaps
major	M3,P5	C - C,E,G,C	4,3,5
major seventh	M3,P5,M7	CM7- C,E,G,B	4,3,4
dominant seventh	M3,P5,m7	G7 - G,B,D,F	4,3,3

name	intervals	e.g.	semitone gaps
minor	m3,P5	Am - A,C,E,A	3,4,5
minor seventh	m3,P5,m7	Am7 - A,C,D,G	3,4,3

Description

The rhythm and speed of the changing chords. e.g. fast (on every beat), slow (one chord per bar), moderate (2 chords to a bar)