<<<<<<<  Tension Chords Several triadic chords types add tension to music. These are diminished chords, augmented chords and suspended chords. Although they are not used a lot or for long spans of time, tension chords are extremely valuable tools for an arranger. They usually appear at transition points in a melody and help to create the tension that the listener craves to be resolved. This section deals with tension chords that use only three tones. The section on color chords discusses chords of four and more tones that build tension.     Diminished Chords The diminished chord is not used often because it is so powerful.   This chord is full of angst. It is a great chord and, when used sparingly, has tremendous effect in music. When a diminished chord is called for, the suffix symbols used are either dim or °. If a “C diminished” chord is required, the composer will write either Cdim or C°. The Formulas. The most basic form of a diminished chord has three members and is often called a diminished “triad.” There are two formulas for spelling a diminished chord. Pick whichever one is easiest for you to remember. They both produce the same result. That result is three tones which define the diminished chord. Diminished chord formula 1:      ♦  The first tone names the chord – often called the “root” tone           ♦  A tone that is a minor 3rd above the naming tone, and               ♦  A tone that is a diminished 5th above the naming tone Diminished chord formula 2:       ♦  The tone that names the chord            ♦  A tone that is a minor 3rd above the naming tone, and                ♦  A tone which is a minor 3rd above the second tone of the chord.   Making Diminished Chords. Here is an example of using these rules to build diminished chords.         A Cdim chord                      ♦  The tone that names the chord is:   C                           ♦  A diminished 3rd above “C” is:   Eb                                ♦  A diminished 5th above “C” is: Gb Note that you can also arrive at the final member of the chord, Gb by using rule two. G is a minor 3rd above the second member of the chord Eb.

Suspended Chords Suspended chords are used frequently in music – all kinds of music.  To form a suspended chord, simply replace or accompany the second tone of the chord with the 4th on the diatonic scale.   That will make the chord spelling work this way.      ♦  The tone that names the chord is C          ♦  A 4th replaces the third F              ♦  A diminished 5th above “C” is G The dissonance of the F and G played simultaneously is intense.  By itself, the sound is not very appealing.  However, within the chord and within the harmony rhythm of the arranging, this chord can be very powerful. The symbol for a suspended chord is the abbreviation sus.  Sometimes it will be written sus4 to indicate that the arrangers wants a suspended fourth to be played.  A suspended D chord, would be written as Dsus or Dsus4. Suspended chords can also be formed by replacing or accompanying the third with a major second.  However, this is a much less common formulation.   That chord would be written as Dsus2.         The “suspension” comes from the technique of holding a note from a previous chord.  If a chord progression moves from the IV chord to the I chord, our ears expect a full resolution.  But IF we allow the tonic of the IV chord to hold while the rest of the chord changes to the I chord, a huge tension is built up.  Usually the arranger allows the suspension to resolve a few beats farther along.  The effect is quite satisfying. Suppose we face a terminal chord progression (sometimes called a “cadence”) in the key of D that moves from the G chord to the D chord  - that’s dominant to tonic.   This kind of chord movement gives a sense of closure to the music.  Between these two target chords of G and D, place a suspended chord. That moves the progress from a V chord that wants to resolve to a I chord.  But right in the middle of the anticipated transition, the suspended chord produces and almost unbearable degree of tenstion.  The resolution back to the tonic chord  brings great relief. G chord moves to Dsus chord  resolves to D chord D  A  A  B  G  F# G  D  D The G tone “sticks”.  It is late in moving.  Allowing this delayed movement creates a powerful effect.

Augmented Chords  Augmented chords don’t appear very frequently.  There are two ways of spelling this chord.  You may form it by replacing the perfect 5th in the chord with an augmented 5th.  That is just the perfect 5th raised one half tone.  Or you may form it by stacking two successive major thirds on top of one another. Three different symbols for an augmented chord appear in music.  You may see it written:  Caug, or C+, or C(#5).    On to Combination Chords>>>>>>>>>

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