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I was studying music, and in my book it says that two notes played simultaneously are considered an Interval while three notes are considered a Chord. Following up this question Why are two pitches considered a chord?.

Are dyads considered to be chords?

If yes, then can we actually define a chord with just two notes, for example if we have G and B, which are suitable for both Em and GM.

If not, why are power chords considered chords when they only have two notes?

Tim
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Jaafar Jumaa
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    The answer to the linked question answers this question pretty much – Shevliaskovic May 29 '17 at 08:03
  • That G and B also could, at a big push, be CM7, Eb+... – Tim May 29 '17 at 08:13
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    power chords often have the octave added, they are often three note chords. – Neil Meyer May 29 '17 at 09:51
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    Because theorists like to spend their time pointlessly splitting hairs - as some of the answers below demonstrate ;) –  May 29 '17 at 11:44
  • There has to be some sensitivity to context here. In a solo you might play a line of dyads composed of 6ths within a scale; Wes Montgomery was famous for playing octaves. It makes little sense to call these dyads chords in this context. –  May 29 '17 at 13:28
  • A power chord really isn't a chord in typical tonal context since there is no quality associated with it and includes a node that is heavily implied by the root( which is the 5th). You would also never look at G and B alone a E minor because you are complete missing the root pitch and the D is implied if G is in the bass. – Dom May 29 '17 at 13:47
  • I'm tempted to vote to close as opinion based, which seems justified by the variety of answers and comments. Personally I don't see why a musical entity has to have a harmonic function or not be part of a solo to be called a chord, so I'm on the end of a spectrum that says once there are minimum of two notes involved, it's a chord. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to call them power chords, and I very much like to use that term a lot. – Todd Wilcox May 29 '17 at 14:14
  • A chord is three notes? What do you call just two notes? is a similar question. – Нет войне May 29 '17 at 14:44
  • @ToddWilcox - perhaps the term 'power chord' is a misnomer, christened by guitarists because they play 'chords' an awful lot. If Leo can get mixed up between tremolo and vibrato, what chance have ordinary mortals got? Incidentally, I can't seem to find any other two note 'chords'. Wonder why... – Tim May 29 '17 at 17:13
  • @Tim I don't know anything about finding chords but I play two note whatever-ya-wanna-callems all the time, and they are not always root-fifth. I can only assume that those who think you can't create tonal harmony with a sequence of dyads have simply never tried before, because it works quite well. A single dyad can be ambiguous. A connected sequence of them can firmly establish a tonality. Entire songs by bands like Sleater-Kinney are composed of less. That's leaving aside the question of when does a sequence of single notes turn into a sequence of arpeggios and are those then chords? – Todd Wilcox May 29 '17 at 20:04
  • @ToddWilcox - those dyads you play will generally be incomplet chords, otherwise they wouldn't fit the harmony, surely. So if you play E and G, they're going to be part of a c chord, maybe a D9, et al. They won't merely be two random notes, and what do they get called? How do you describe them to another muso that wants to play them? – Tim May 29 '17 at 21:50
  • Tim - I'd have to agree with Todd on this. Look at bands like Faith No More - many of their songs use dyads that aren't fifths. But you still have tonality, tension and release. – Doktor Mayhem May 31 '17 at 08:12

6 Answers6

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It's somewhat subjective, but my problem is how does one name a dyad, apart from calling it an interval. Thus power chord becomes D5 - an interval.

Most chords, to me, need the blend of minimum three notes. Majors and minors will have that interval between root and three. Some will argue, corectly to an extent, that actually the root will usually sound a 5th as its second harmonic, thus it's going to sound anyway - a good reason why some jazz chords leave out the P5. However - if that's the case, is that actually a two note 'chord', as we hear and perceive three notes...

So, what do we call other two note 'chords'? All the 'proper' chord names won't work, as they're specific to the notes in that chord. Taking a note out of even a three note chord stops it being an xyz.

The power chord works sonically because the 3 is missing. Favoured by guitarists using distortion/overdrive. With those effects, the harmonics of each note are accentuated, and those belonging to the 3 clash with the others. Root and 5 harmonics generally sound o.k. together, so it works. But, to me at least, it still isn't a chord, but an interval - a dyad.

Tim
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  • Without any surrounding harmonic context (e.g., a key signature or a progression), naming triads poses similar challenges. What is F-G-D? An inverted G7 or an inverted DmSus4? Then again, If it's surrounded by C and F chords, who would suggest it's anything but the former? – Todd Wilcox May 29 '17 at 20:08
  • @ToddWilcox - we're down to two choices, can't think of any others. Not too much of a challenge. What name is given to C-E, or D-Ab, for example? – Tim May 29 '17 at 21:46
  • @ToddWilcox - I don't think F G D can be a sus, as the sus bit does away with the third, which is still there. Dmadd4 works, I think. But, yes, there's ambiguity in some chords, even in context. C6 or Am7? – Tim Jun 03 '17 at 07:09
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A chord is in no way always played at the same time. Arpeggios and broken-chords are chords in the broader sense of the word and neither are played at the same time. A proper melody also has a harmonic structure built on chords and again none of the notes are played at the same time.

Also a chord can have three notes as maybe the stadard but it could also have four notes or even five, there is nothing forcing a chord to only have three notes, it can be any number of thirds.

As for the specifics about two note chords with guitar, that is much more a peculairity of the guitar as instrument. The guitar has a wealth of harmonics on each string that make playing two note chords still work, but you are right if you take the concepts away from the guitar then G - B would be the space between two notes ie an interval.

Neil Meyer
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    Chords need not be built in thirds, as in quartal harmony, for example. –  May 29 '17 at 10:27
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    Don't forget 6th chords, sus chords... And - notes only constitute a chord when they are sounding simultaneously, as in all played together, or ring into each other. Broken chords and argeggios are vague sorts of chords, but not true ones. If a melody goes C, E, G, it does not play a chord. – Tim May 29 '17 at 11:23
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Terminology is fickle. If you want to be exact, don't try to find the "exact" line between what is considered a "chord" or not, because the line will always be arbitrary, as the other answers show. Rather, specify the tones and don't worry about whether they constitute a "chord" or not.

Scott Wallace
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A chord is, simply put, a group of notes (usually three or more although 2 can still be considered a chord) played as a basis of harmony. They do not necessarily have to be played simultaneously.

So yes 2 notes CAN be considered a chord but it depends on their intervals and their relationship with a melody.

Although it is a hard question to answer because 'what a chord is' can almost be subject to personal opinion.

Ben Hughes
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  • Notes need to sound simultaneously to be a chord. – Tim May 29 '17 at 17:05
  • @Tim No, not always. An arpeggiated chord does not have the notes together however it is still considered a chord. Chords are defined by whether the notes previously (or currently played) are still fresh. If I played an ascending C triad in quavers, that's a chord. Similarly if I play C as a minim and E + G as crotchets over the top. – Ben Hughes May 30 '17 at 18:46
  • like I stated, simultaneous sounding, as you alluded. An arpeggiated chord is not called 'a chord', but an 'arpeggiated chord' because the notes are nebulously joined, but don't have to be simultaneously sounded. So, as long as they sound together at some point in their sounding, they constitute a chord, as I said. – Tim May 30 '17 at 19:29
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A chord is two or more notes played together. An interval is the distance between 2 notes. For example a 2 note chord might be the A5 power chord.

Charlie Turnbull
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The most basic chord to which we give a name is a triad, a three-note chord. C major, D minor, Eb diminished etc. Two notes, or even one note can suggest or imply a triad, but they cannot fully define it. And that is what people mean when they argue that you need three notes for it to be a 'chord'.

In more general terminology, we often call two or more different notes a 'chord'.

Laurence
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