Name that chord

Subject: Name that chord
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:25 PM

How would I name a chord voiced EAEABE ? (0,0,2,2,0,0, on guitar)

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:34 PM

I'm not good on theory but it sounds like an A2 to me. An A chord with a second thrown in. Or a 9th.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:34 PM

A4

or Look Here if you need to know any others

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:51 PM

That's also known as "A add 9th". The "add" distinguishes it from a regular A9. The term "ninth chord" is usually interpreted to include the dominant 7th as well as the 9th. Some people refer to them as "9/7" chords. Since there's no 7th in your chord, it's "add 9".

Another voicing for the same chord is 577600. It's like a barre chord only you lift your index finger up so it only depresses the 6th string.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: growler
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:55 PM

Try Eric

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 04:55 PM

Thanks Guest,
The site you provided calls it an A4, but this doesn't make sense to me, since D is the fourth of A and this chord has no D. To me it's an A chord with an added B, which is the second note in the A scale, as suggested by Wesley, however, in order to add the B, we removed the C#, or the third of the chord, meaning it can be either major or minor. I've been calling it an A+2, but would like to be sure.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST,MTed
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:15 PM

I depends a lot on what key you're playing in, but A2 is a good approximation. It isn't A 4, because the 4th of A is D, which is nowhere to be seen--It really isn't technically called a chord unless it has a third interval of some sort in it--we could hedge and call that B a C flat. I guess you could call it an "A double minor". No one would know what you're talking about.

As I think about it, this chord is used in Stephen Schwartz wonderful song, "For Good", from the musical "Wicked". It is called a sus2 chord in the sheet music, which isn't exactly right, because to be a suspended chord, technically, the note has to be suspended over a chord change, and it is arguable whether it does that, but you've got to call it something--Asus2 gets the idea across, anyway--

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:16 PM

Bee-dubya-ell and growler submitted while I was writing my last entry. Aadd9 makes sense and thanks for the alternate voicing which gets the C# back in there.
Who is Eric?

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: shepherdlass
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:24 PM

It could also be Esus, A being the 4th and B being the 5th of E. It probably depends on the context of the rest of the tune whether you're going to call it Asus2 or Esus - if it's resolving to either the A or the E then I'd call it the suspension of that chord.

You probably do have to specify it as a sus chord or use brackets to spell it out, ie (no 3rd) - otherwise anyone else reading it is likely to bung in the 3rd and lose the nice spacey quality of the chord.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: Slag
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:37 PM

Doohickey comes to mind. I've hit this chord a few times. I even hit it intentionally while noodlong some ideas. I've thought of it as an accidental E minor 9th but the A 4th add 9th is probably a better nomenclature. I think it depends on the root chord and which direction you're approaching it.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:42 PM

It's an Asus2 chord

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST,gootar
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 05:47 PM

This can name any arangement of notes....

http://www.gootar.com/guitar/

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: s&r
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 06:13 AM

Without the B note, in current naming of chords, the chord would usually be called A5. B is the 9th 0r 2nd of the A scale, so A5add2 or A5add9 would be unambiguous.

I don't like A5 as a name, but it's commonly used in rock and pop.

Add9 as noted above is used instead of just '9' because the normal usage of '9' includes the dominant 7.

As to whether it should be called a chord because it doesn't conform with older rules of music, I think it's a losing battle. It is a chord in current usage.

Stu

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 07:18 AM

Nick
Where are you?
D

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 10:56 AM

Shepherdlass,
Because it looks like an A with one note altered, I thought of it as an A chord, but you're right, it could be an Esus. I usually play an Esus 022200 (EBEABE), but 002200 (EAEABE) contains the same notes with the sus 4th (A) doubled. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Name that chord
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 12:20 PM

To further amplify(or confuse), the "A5" designation is used for what are called, in rock, power chords, which are not really chords, just fifth intervals, A5 is A and E, it's fifth. This device, doohickey, or call it what you like, is a compound of two of these, A5 and E5 (E with a B), you could call it a compound power chord.

In classical music, this might be called also an accaciatura, which is can be a second, played as a passing tone that resolves to the chord. The thing is, nowdays, you might just stay on this chord, instead of resolving to a regular chord.

Giving it a proper name, or explaining it theoretically is more trouble than playing it, because it really just an open A chord with one of the fingers left off. You can also find chords that are easy to use but hard to explain by sliding open chord fingerings up and down the neck.