Triads and Chord Progressions Flashcards
Define
Chord
Two or more, typically three, notes that are the song’s building blocks built from scales and set the melody structure
Define
Triad
a three-note chord arranged in intervals of thirds
Define
Major Triad
a chord consisting of three notes: a root, a major third above the root, and a perfect fifth above the root
Name the notes in a C major triad
What is the root, and what are the other notes relationship to the root?
Root C, Major Third E, and Perfect Fifth G
How are triads named?
For their root and quality.
True or False
There are triads of all interval qualities
False: There are no perfect triads.
Define
Root
The lowest note on which the chord is built
What is the difference between the root and the tonic?
The root is the reference note for a chord.
The tonic is the reference note for a key.
What is the triad quality determined by?
The quality of intervals that comprise it, namely the type of third and fifth it contains.
What intervals does a major third consist of? What color is it?
Consists of major third and perfect fifth; happy
What intervals does a minor triad consist of? What color is it?
Consists of minor third and perfect fifth; sad
What intervals does a diminished triad consist of? What color is it?
Consists of minor third and diminished fifth; tense and dissonant
What intervals does an augmented triad consist of? What color is it?
Consists of major third and augmented fifth; other worldly and dreamy
Why is a triad in C major with D as the root called a two (ii) minor triad?
Because it’s built on the second note of the C major scale
Which is the only triad that does not naturally occur in the major scale? What does it consist of?
An augmented third, which consists of a root, major third, and augmented fifth (raised fifth).
Define
First inversion
What is its color?
A triad with the third in the bass; sweet, unstable color
Define
Second inversion
What is it’s color?
A triad with the fifth in the bass; more unstable color
Why do augmented thirds defy inversion?
Their symmetrical interval structure (two major thirds stacked on top of one another) maintains consistent spacing and tonality, making them sound the same in any position.
Why are inversions powerful songwriting tools?
They can change a song’s sound and energy, inspire new melodies, and add harmonic variety.
Define
Chord voicing
The way the notes of a chord are arranged, including their order, spacing, and placement across instruments or voices; It shapes the mood by altering the texture and harmonic character of chords
Define
Chord shape
The density, or space between notes in the chord
How does changing the shape of a chord affect its harmony?
It alters the feel and density of the harmony without changing the chord’s quality.
Define
Close voicing
Playing chord notes closer together; high density
Why is root position considered the most dense voicing?
It has the least amount of space between the notes
Define
Open Voicing
Spreading more space between chord notes
How do inversions affect the openness of a chord?
First and second inversions have more space between notes, making them sound more open.
The openness increases as notes are spread further apart.
What is a general rule of thumb for voicing deeper pitches?
The deeper the pitch, the more space it will need around it for clarity, avoiding muddiness
Define
Doubling
Playing the same note in two or more different octaves to increase its presence in the harmony.
What is the most common use of doubling?
Doubling the root note in the bass, such as in a bass guitar, left hand of a piano, or low string on a guitar.
How is doubling used in orchestration?
Multiple instruments (e.g., trumpet, oboe, and glockenspiel) play the same pitch in unison to create a richer sound.
Define
8vb
Notation indicating notes are played one octave lower than written
Why is chord voicing important for songwriters?
It helps shape the mood and feel of a song by altering the texture and harmonic character of chords.
Define
Chord progression
A series of chords that establishes a sense of tonality founded on a key or tonic. It leads the listener to and from their musical “home.”
What is the main focus of most chord progressions?
To establish the tonic of a key and reinforce its scale.
True or False
Most popular songs change key
False, in 20th and 21st-century popular music, most songs remain in the key they start in.
Define
I-IV-V chord progression
What are the notes in C Major key? Name an example of a song.
A chord progression using the 1st, 4th, and 5th degrees of a major scale. It is the foundation of modern popular music, originating in blues and evolving into rock and roll.
In C Major Key: C Major, F Major, G Major. Example: La Bamba.
Define
I-vi-IV-V chord progression
What are the chords in C major? Whats a song example?
It is called the doo-wop progression, a signature chord motion of 1950s & early 1960s doo-wop songs.
C Major, A Minor, F Major, G Major. Stand by Me, Baby by Bieber
Define
I-V-vi-IV chord progression
What are the chords in C Major key?
a common and versatile chord progression that uses the 1st, 5th, 6th, & 4th degrees a major scale, often creating a catchy and slightly melancholic sound
C Major, G Major, A Minor, F Major
Name a song that uses I-V-vi-IV chord progression
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
Where is the Love by The Black Eyed Peas
Im Yours by Jason Mraz
Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John
Paparazzi by Lady Gaga
And She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
Let It Be by The Beatles
Define
ii-V-I chord progression
What are the chords in C major key?
commonly referred to as the ii-V-I turnaround, an ordered set of three chords built on the second, fifth, and first notes of the key; commonly used in jazz to temporarily imply passing tonalities as a smooth transition between keys
D Minor, G major, C Major
Define
turnaround
A chord progression that leads from one section of a piece to another.
What is The Great American Songbook?
A collection of the most important songs in American popular music focusing on the 1920s through the 1950s
Define
Cadence
A fundamental chord progression that creates resolution, finality, or pause in music. It functions like musical punctuation, shaping how a phrase is perceived.
What are the four main types of cadences?
Authentic Cadence
Plagal Cadence
Half Cadence
Deceptive Cadence
Define
Authentic Cadence
What are the chords in C Major?
The most common cadence in popular music, consisting of a V-I chord progression. It provides a strong sense of resolution and establishes the key.
G major to C Major
Define
Tension and release
Harmonic motion in music is defined by tension (departure from the tonic) and release (return to the tonic). The strongest tension in a major key comes from the seventh scale degree, known as the leading tone.
Define
Leading tone
The seventh note of a major scale that resolves a semitone higher or lower.
Name and define
Two types of leading tones
Lower leading tones resolve up.
Upper leading tones resolve down.
Define
8va
notation indicating notes are played one octave higher than written.
What are the two types of authentic cadences?
Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)
Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)
Define
Perfect Authentic Cadence
The strongest form of the authentic cadence. Occurs when the root of the V and I chords are in the bass and the tonic is the highest note in the I chord. This placement ensures a firm resolution, often used to end musical phrases definitively.
Define
Imperfect Authentic Cadence
A weaker version of the authentic cadence. Occurs when the leading tone resolution happens in the inner voices of the chords rather than the highest voice; the V or I chord is in an inversion. This cadence still resolves but feels less final than a perfect authentic cadence.
Define
Plagal Cadence
What is it in C major?
A plagal cadence, also known as the “amen cadence,” is a harmonic progression where the IV (subdominant) chord resolves to the I (tonic) chord. It’s commonly used to conclude hymns and has a warm but less final sound than an authentic cadence, due to the absence of a leading-tone resolution and the presence of the tonic in both chords.
The progression moves from F major to C major.
Define
Double plagal cadence
A double plagal cadence occurs when two plagal cadences are strung together, effectively moving the song through two keys.
Define
Half cadence
A half cadence ends a phrase or song on the V chord, denying the expected resolution to the I chord. This creates a sense of pause and incompleteness, similar to a musical question mark.
Define
Deceptive Cadence
What is it in C major?
A deceptive cadence is a cadence that defies expectation by not resolving to the I chord. Instead, the V chord moves to the vi chord, tricking the ear with a resolution that lacks the finality of the authentic cadence.
The progression goes from a G chord (V) to an A minor chord (vi)
How can a deceptive cadence be used as a pivot?
A deceptive cadence can be used to transition into a new section within a song, such as shifting a major key section to a more minor feel while remaining in the original key.
What is the role of cadences in music?
Cadences structure musical phrases, similar to how grammar structures sentences. A thorough understanding of cadences helps shape pacing and manipulate the listener’s sense of key and resolution.
