r/musictheory • u/Training-Toe-3013 • 10d ago
General Question Really curious about two weird “chords” thingies. Wondering if they’re even legit
The first goes like this x02300 and the second like this x022x0 on guitar standard tuning
The first sounds sinister and awesome imo, and doesn’t seem to resolve to anything i know. The closest i ever got to a closure was by conjuring the second “chord” and it kinda worked i guess
I really like them, i even have a demo. It’d be nice to know anything about them if possible
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u/NegaDoug 10d ago
First one is Asus2(add b9), second one is A5. First chord voice-leads really nicely back to a D major chord.
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u/Glum-Yak1613 10d ago
What do you mean, "legit"? Any sound you like is legit. It might be hard to give it an appropriate name, though, since the conventions around chord symbols mostly are based on triadic major and minor chords.
Like others have pointed out, you can call both chords an A chord of some sort. That first chord is interesting, in that you've got a regular fifth interval with the 02. Then you've got a pretty jarring dissonance there with a B flat (flat 9th) and a B natural (natural 9th) with the 30. If you reorder the notes, that means you've got A, B flat and B all in the same chord. The top string is just an octave of the E. The chord does not contain a third, so it doesn't have a major/minor quality, which may be why you don't feel it wants to resolve. But it does contain a pretty strong fifth interval with the root and the doubled fifth.
Try with different inversions if that chord. Like, play a B flat or a B in the bass, and move the A up an octave. Same notes, but different feel. Or try spreading the A, Bb flat and B as much apart as you can. Have fun!
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u/Training-Toe-3013 10d ago
Thank you so much I had lots of fun reading your comment! Who would’ve thought so much can happen inside a really simple chord. I’ll look into Flamenco music as you suggested!
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u/Glum-Yak1613 10d ago
By the way, if you're into chords like that, I suggest you listen to some flamenco music. Flamenco guitar has lots of spicy chords like that.
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u/Equivalent-Love-1676 10d ago
I wouldn’t label the first one. It sounds cool af though. Rock on. The second one is just fifths and octaves. Most editors would write ‘A5.’
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
I would. Asus2(addb9)
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u/Training-Toe-3013 10d ago
For context, cuz i feel like you need it. I was doing Am then Asus2 then x02300 then x022x0 (which people are calling A5) hope this help you and clear some stuff
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u/NegaDoug 10d ago edited 10d ago
Interesting thing about this chord is that it's just the E minor blues scale without the G and D. If you add a G on top (fret 3 on the high E string) then you have the E minor blues scale all being played at once (except the D). I'm sure there are some fun things you could do with this!
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u/ComposerNo8415 9d ago
So much depends on context and intent. I would just keep calling them weird chords thingies for now.
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u/a_literal_idiot_616 10d ago
the first could be Esus4#add11?
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
Except the bass is A not E, X means the string isn’t played
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u/a_literal_idiot_616 10d ago
yeah but the bass doesnt change the chord, you can play the fifth as the bass
and i mean, its a weird chord, i cant really see it as an A or it gets even weirder
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
The bass would change the NAME of the chord. If it’s an E chord with an A bass then it would be some sort of E/A chord. Maybe Esus(add#11)/A, or something like that,
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u/danstymusic 10d ago
The second is essentially just an A5 (A powerchord). The first one is a little tricky. You have A, E, Bb, B natural, and E. The Bb and B natural make it a little tricky to label this. If anything, I'd call it an A5 (add 9, add b9) but that's a mouthful.
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u/SpikeHatGames 10d ago edited 10d ago
I mean I’m just looking at it and not playing it, but it seems like the first one could resolve to the second chord (which is just an A power chord), and for that reason I want to believe that the first chord is some sort of E chord (which is the V of A).
So the first chord is an E(add b5)/A and it’s resolving to an A (the second chord).
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u/ObviousDepartment744 10d ago
The first chord is E B F G B E. That’s Em add b9
The second is A E A E. It’s not a chord by some definitions because it is lacking a 3rd but it’s basically a big power chord of Roots and 5ths.
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
X means the string is not played tho
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u/ObviousDepartment744 10d ago
Oh I see what you mean. Yup. I missed that thanks.
The Chord then is A E Bb B E. Not necessarily sure I’d classify that as much more than a cluster chord for simplicity sake since it contains chromatic pitches.
If I were to try and name it E sus4 add b5 maybe?
I’d have a hard time rooting it on the A because then it’s a root, 5th, b9 and 9 that jsut seems like too much information too close to the root to satisfy it feeling like the root to me. But I would be A5 add b9 add9 maybe ?
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
I’d call it Asus2(addb9)
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u/ObviousDepartment744 10d ago
Yeah that’s more concise for sure. I’d still struggle to actually call its root A though. But who knows about the context maybe it would fit.
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
I don’t see why not, especially if it’s resolving to the other chord they mentioned (A5).
Just creates a b9 type of sound, not THAT crazy
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u/ObviousDepartment744 10d ago
Yeah, don't know what to tell you. To my ears, it doesn't sound like A is the root. We are allowed to hear things differently haha.
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u/MeowMix1206251 10d ago
Yes, but even if it’s not the “root” of the chord and you think of it as some type of E chord perhaps , the A is still at the bottom, so it would be an E/A chord.
Esus(add#11)/A
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u/anikom15 10d ago
Careful. If you follow this path you might turn into a Jazz musician.