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theory problems

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(@sowterg)
Trusted Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 25
Topic starter  

im a bit cofuse well im learnin the notes and wen i look at them i noticed that in a chord like say D the notes are A,D,F# well D is the seconf note so why is it called a D chord if the note D seems to be the second intervul???

Its the choices you make that diffines you as a person.


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

Chords are build off thirds, either minor or major. Minor chords are a minor third + a major third, and major chords are a major third + a minor third.

D-major: D-F#-A. D-F#=major third, F#-A=minor third
D-minor: D-F-A. D-F=minor third, F-A=major third

So the D F# A notes together are a D-major chord. However, you can order the notes in any way you wish, we call that 'inverting' the chord:

D=D F# A
D/F#=F# A D (first inversion)
D/A=A D F# (second inversion)

If you use seventh chords you also have a third version, for example
D7/C=C D F# A

Again: the bass note doesn't determine the chord:
C E G=C, regular voicing of C-major
C E A=Am/C, first inversion of A-minor
C F A=F/C, second inversion of F-major


   
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(@pearlthekat)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1468
 

it's not.
when you play a D chord you include the D string (4th string) as an open note (it's not fretted). well just because you don't fret i, it doesn't mean that it doesn't count.


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

it's not.
when you play a D chord you include the D string (4th string) as an open note (it's not fretted). well just because you don't fret i, it doesn't mean that it doesn't count.

Sorry, while that's sometimes right, it's a wrong explaination.

I can play a "D" chord as

EADGBE
200xxx

That's a 'D' with the F# in the base.

I can play a "D" chord as

EADGBE
554xxx

That's a 'D' with an A in the base.

I can play a "D" chord as

E A D G B E
10 9 7 x x x

That's a 'D' with the D in the base.

The correct explaination is that the way we name chords is by looking at them as if they are built on thirds, and you line up the notes of the chord so that they fall on thirds (or alterations of thirds) to get the chord name.

The simplest way to line up F# A D so that it's built on thirds is D F# A. And you look at the first note, you see it's some type of D chord. Then you look at the qualities of the thirds (major, minor, diminshed, augmented, etc.) and see that it's a major chord.

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(@pearlthekat)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1468
 

grrrrr.


   
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(@snoogans775)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 297
 

this is called inversion.

inversion is when you play the same notes of a chord in a different order.

if you play

EADGBE
XXX232

you are playing D in it's "second inversion" because the third note of the triad(A) is the root note.

if you played the notes in the order of F#, A, D...

EADGBE
XX423X

that would be Dmaj in it's "first inversion"

and if you played it as D, A, D, F#

EADGBE
XX0232

that would be "root position"

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