Post by BarryHi,
Im learning a tune in d major which contains a chord with the notes C#
E A. I was expecting vii0 (diminished) here. What is this chord and is
its chord symbol V3?
Thanks,
Barry
Hi Barry,
I don't have anything to add to Tom's reply, but I find your question
somewhat puzzling. Please don't take this in any kind of wrong way, I
am sure it makes sense somehow but at present I can't quite figure it
out.
I don't understand how someone can be "expecting" a viio or a leading
tone triad which is a dominant function and not know that the C# E A
is an inversion of the actual dominant chord. Since the viio is
actually an A C# E G or V7 chord without the root, it just doesn't
follow that you would know and be "expecting" the chord and you still
get it and not know it.
Like I said, don't read much into this, its only that if a student of
mine asked that question, I would be speechless. Of course with my
present students, I could expect this IF they had the knowledge of any
chords and function they would be likely not to make the connection,
but they are middle school students and their minds are on "other
things". Please don't take this as an insult or anything, I just don't
understand and being a teacher, I just like to know how students think
so that I can try to plug up any holes in my presentations when I
teach things like this.
The problem is with the close relationship of the two chords and your
apparent understanding of the function of the viio (the expectation)
since the chord you don't recognize would generally suggest the exact
same expectation.
Hope you understand my puzzlement!
LJS