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Ricardo -> RE: C/C# chords (Jan. 12 2008 3:17:13)
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quote:
I consider that "the" quintessential flamenco chord. and more often than not it is the one that comes up most, and i never find a way of naming it that suits it.
any suggestions?
Understand that modes are made of notes of a scale. And you dont' really have your normal functioning V-I harmony with modes. So any modal music has just ONE chord, the 13th chord that spells all the notes of the mode. In the case of flamenco, which is sort of a hybrid, you actually have an extra note in the scale that is fair game unlike it's relative in Classical music minor keys where that same note is only used in the V chord.
We can pretend though to fit modes into the western system. You just have to accept using add ons and extensions and things. The tonic chord will be major most of the time for spanish phrygian. So the note that gives the "flavor" is the b2. But in a chord you add notes in 3rds not second intervals, so if you MUST describe things as chords, then you have to count up in 3rd until you get your "note". So in this case, the tonic chord is just a major chord with b9th added. So A(b9) is what you call it. If the G note goes on top, it is not really E diminshed/A, it is A7(b9). That is the way to do it if you MUST do it. You can't say it functions as dim. or even V7 because it is TONIC. But if you use the wrong name, it is still "right" just gives the wrong idea.
The F# taranta chord is the same thing, EXCEPT sometimes you suspend the 3rd, and sometimes you just add the 4th next to it. Again, you can either suspend the 3rd or you must use the 11th. F#7(b9)sus, or F#11(b9). But you want to imply the major 3rd with phrygian tonic (like we talked about with B chords). And all that fanciness just because you have open strings ringing in a "modal" way. Anyway, I am now rethinking the spelling of that Em7b5/A in the A chords section. It really should have been A7(b9)sus or 11 if it is used "por medio". It is not the v half dim chord, it really is just a sus or add 11 tonic chord.
The proper names or "best" way to name chords this thick and complex, requires context. Really when I set out to give the special chord "grips" positions and fingerings, I just wanted to show some chords unique to flamenco. I mean just saying "taranta" gives all the theory naming needed to describe that F# chord.
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