How is this chord called? Pls help.

[beeni30]

Hey!

My dad says there is no chord like a E-G-A because you never play two notes that are side by side lig G and A.

So is this a chord? how is it called? Can you play side by side notes?

Im new to piano so...

Thx

[Bob]

It's not a triad.  That would be spaced in thirds.  If it was e g b.

Maybe a suspended 4th?  Although I thought they left the third out.  That would have the a moving down to the g later.

Or an a minor seventh chord missing the third, which doesn't make much sense.  Or an A dominant chord.   Who knows if there's no third?

You could call it a cluster.  Or maybe a "tri-note" chord. 

There aren't any rules.  It's all theory.  You can do whatever you want.

[quantum]

The fact that this is a collection of three notes lends strong credence to calling it a "chord."  If we were to examine it tonally in one of many possibilities it resembles an A7 in 2nd inversion or A7/E.  The full chord would be A C# E G. Omitting the C# is acceptable.  

Side by side - I gather you mean notes spaced major 2nd or smaller?  All major-minor 7 chords have notes which occur a maj 2nd apart - the 3rd note and the root above.  So to answer your question, yes chords can have notes "side by side".  The occurs frequently in commonly played chords.  

The major-major 7 chord (major 7th for short) can have notes spaced a minor 2nd apart.  Eg: AMaj7: A C# E G# (A).  

E G A could be part of a 7th chord, or just a tone cluster as Bob notes.  

Remember theory is a means of explaining trends and techniques which composers have created.  Music is first created, then someone writes a theory to try to explain it.  Playing music which does not conform to theory rules is not illegal.

[oxy60]

How about (C) E G A, a C major sixth?

[thalbergmad]

My banjolele is tuned G C E A and that is a C6.

Thal

[oxy60]

I agree with Thal and as I stated before the chord is a C6. I should have gone on and explained myself further but I was recuperating from a Rick Derringer concert the night before (125db+!).

In popular music chords like that are very common for the keyboards. The root is left off for the bass to play. In Thal's case when that banjo is played in an ensemble and bass will play the C bringing that chord into the root inversion.

[ramseytheii]

Haha, I have to disagree with everyone here.

Because this chord isn't based on thirds you can't assume it has a diatonic basis.  While it could very well be an A⁷ or an a⁷ there's no indication.  Furthermore, to even assume that that is too much: it could be an e minor chord, with a suspended fourth.  And there really isn't to my knowledge of analyzing this chord in a traditional Roman numeral system, when it is taken out of context.

According to the Forte system, this trichord is classified as a 3-7, whose prime form is {0,2,5}.

 

Walter Ramsey

[quantum]

I think the problem in analyzing this lone chord is its lack of context.  Any of the above suggested theories could be correct or incorrect depending on the material that surrounds the chord.  It could be only a part of grouping of vertical sonorities (such as the RH only part of a fuller chord), or piece of a horizontal figuration on a chord spread out across time. 

[thalbergmad]

It is the first chord of "Aint she sweet".

Thal

[Bob]

I was thinking it's probably a set.  No doubt it's a twelve-tone piece this guy is working on.  However, isn't it possible that trichord could be two or more sets that just happen to line up at that moment?

[beeni30]

Thx for all the help!

I play this chord when i play Yesterday from The Beatles.

Yesterday...far away..

Thats when i play it. At "far away"

Sounds good to me with the right hand playing E D D notes.

EGA Chord
E = far
D = a-
D = way

i dont know how to describe it better^^

[oxy60]

I'm glad that my guess was correct. When I played the chord there was something familiar about it. Now I know. I was at a Ringo Starr concert (with all stars) and they played Yesterday among many other platinum hits. Ringo is now 70 and still has the voice we remember along with his signature moves. It was an expensive but a once in a lifetime chance to hear and see an icon.

[ed palamar]

Spelled that way it is formally called an e minor add 11 with an omitted 5th, this is with respect to tertian harmony.

[ramseytheii]

Spelled that way it is formally called an e minor add 11 with an omitted 5th, this is with respect to tertian harmony.

That's only one way to describe this chord, which has several plausible possibilities.

Walter Ramsey

[keyofc]

I think in jazz it would just be notated

emi sus 4 (no 5)

[ramseytheii]

It's funny that everyone assuming E is the root, just because he named that note first.

Walter Ramsey

[ted]

Many years ago I published the following way of defining chords. I have used it ever since. Of course it is a purely combinatorial mental convenience and has nothing to do with conventions about sequences of chords or how they are related, at least not in the usual way.

https://www.box.net/shared/xau7zbj2ss
https://www.box.net/shared/vhsc8a176c
https://www.box.net/shared/a6b9hqrris

So the chord in question is equivalent to the partition (3,2,7)

[scottmcc]

the transcription I have of it (from "The Beatles Best' for piano-vocal-guitar) lists the chord differently.

we're in the key of F, and "far" is LH D, RH F, A, D, thus making Dmin.  next the RH plays C for "a-" and "-way," which is notated Dm/C, although I can't say that I necessarily agree with that notation.

the Beatles often experimented with unconventional chords and chord progressions, and this song is one example of that.  but it's a good one!

[Bob]

We can call it the "beeni30 enigma chord."

When in doubt, just stick a label on it and then it's 'known.'

[keyofc]

Well, it sure got us going!

I liked what someone said about - it's OK to play something that theory hasn't explained yet -

[oxy60]

Back when the Beatles were hot, all kids in school wanted to sing their songs. All we had then were "autoharps." It fell on me to help arrange the chord accompaniment for that instrument so any grade school teacher could play while their class sung. I wish I still had my notes...

[keyofc]

It would be interesting to see - I think they have great chord progressions.
And I guess millions of other people did too.
I think they had the art of being sophisticated in their knowledge without looking like it at all which made people love them.

[ed palamar]

That's only one way to describe this chord, which has several plausible possibilities.

Walter Ramsey

As presented with an "E" root, that is the only way to identify the chord in tertian harmony.  It is an E minor add 11, no fifth.

[j_menz]

As presented with an "E" root, that is the only way to identify the chord in tertian harmony.  It is an E minor add 11, no fifth.

Wow. Did it really take you two years to come up with that (lame and incorrect) response?

 

[ed palamar]

Wow.

There is no other way to identify the chord as presented with an "e" root in Tertian Harmony.  It is obvious that you neither know what Tertian Harmony is, nor of its precision.

Honking your own horn, care to give your interpretation of what the 'correct' response is?

[j_menz]

There is no other way to identify the chord as presented with an "e" root in Tertian Harmony.  It is obvious that you neither know what Tertian Harmony is, nor of its precision.

Honking your own horn, care to give your interpretation of what the 'correct' response is?

I wouldn't describe it in tertian harmony, and don't believe that it would be so described more usually.

I call this particular chord Jemima.  The system I use is even more precise, but somewhat less known.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

A chord is three or more notes played at the same time.

It's not a triad, but it is a chord.

[49410enrique]

I call this particular chord Jemima.  The system I use is even more precise, but somewhat less known.

indeed. auntie's chord forms the foundation for this gem

[49410enrique]

A chord is three or more notes played at the same time.

It's not a triad, but it is a chord.

so are tone clusters chords? not being snarky, just keeping the conversation going, i'm of the side that they are not, they are probably more for certain 'effects' but not in supporting a harmoney, implying a tonality, or other sense of the stuff like that.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

so are tone clusters chords?

Yup!

If it's not, then how many notes is too many for a chord? 

[49410enrique]

Yup!

are you sure?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

are you sure?

Well then how many notes is too many for a chord?

[49410enrique]

Well then how many notes is too many for a chord?

indeed. good question, by that account what about rolled chords, if a gliss is fast enough, is it a chord?

[j_menz]

Well then how many notes is too many for a chord?

On a standard piano? 89.

[ed palamar]

I wouldn't describe it in tertian harmony,

But being that "E-G" is already a given, that would be your first mistake.

and don't believe that it would be so described more usually.

More than likely due to neglect :

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tertian_Harmony/

I call this particular chord Jemima.

That's fine if it helps you remember the chord, but if everyone gave their own names as such, there would be billions of unnecessary titles.

The system I use is even more precise, but somewhat less known.

The reason it is less known is because it isn't more precise.

[ed palamar]

It is the first chord of "Aint she sweet".

The first chord of "Ain't She Sweet" is an add 13th. (sixth)

[ed palamar]

i dont know how to describe it better^^

Used in "Yesterday" as such, the "E-G-A" form part of a D minor 11th.  The best chord symbol to use is Dm7(11), though, as the "E" is used only as a suspension in the melody.

[ed palamar]

A chord is three or more notes played at the same time.

Two or more notes.  Common intervals played and/or referenced simultaneously (or arpeggiated) are also chords.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Two or more notes.

Two notes are just intervals.

[Bob]

Or a diad.

[j_menz]

Or a diad.

Does that make any individual note a monad?

[Bob]

Unison.  Haha.

[Bob]

I guess I can't spell.  Dyad.

And apparently there is a monad.
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=define:+monad&rlz=1R2GGHP_enUS455&oq=define:+monad&gs_l=hp.3..0l3.131.2785.0.3032.13.13.0.0.0.0.240.2147.0j11j2.13.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1._XQmN-MQWB4&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=d86f76d0cf9da41a&biw=1205&bih=575

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Or a diad.

There we go.

Couldn't think of the name of it.

[49410enrique]

I guess I can't spell.  Dyad.

And apparently there is a monad.
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=define:+monad&rlz=1R2GGHP_enUS455&oq=define:+monad&gs_l=hp.3..0l3.131.2785.0.3032.13.13.0.0.0.0.240.2147.0j11j2.13.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1._XQmN-MQWB4&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=d86f76d0cf9da41a&biw=1205&bih=575

how about  a

[chopin2015]

On a standard piano? 89.

[Bob]

"Chords of four notes are known as tetrads, those containing five are called pentads and those using six are hexads. Sometimes the terms "trichord", "tetrachord", "pentachord" and "hexachord" are used, though these more usually refer to the pitch classes of any scale, not generally played simultaneously. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_(music)

How about a set?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_(music)

Or a set of three pitch classes?