Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

What the heck is XX1212?


LiveMusic

Recommended Posts

Diminished chords... love 'em. But I can never figure out what to call the dang thing for my lead sheets. Like xx1212 coming off a D chord. D#dim7? These chords are different depending on where you come from? Couldn't I just always call it D#dim7 or whatever for simplicity? Although, it might be best to learn it right.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 4
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Hmmmm... If the D# is actually in the bass, then it is a fully diminished D# chord. But, this same chord shape could also be a Adim7, Cdim7, or F#dim7 if those notes were in the bass. Also, if you play 1X1212 it functions as the upper voices of an F7b9. Coming off a D chord, I'd call it a D#dim7. Seems there could be some 'it depends' answers. My 2 cents...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The chord could as easily be named for its uppermost note as its bass note...or in fact for any note.

The best way to determine is to analyze its function in the chord progression & call it by its pivot position in reference to the chords preceding &, especially, following it.

What chord follows in this case?

 

You can take some relief in the fact that these chords are so harmonically identical that if a player substitutes one inversion for another, the sound is hardly altered, except insofar as voice-leading---in which case sensitive players would pick the most appropriate position anyhow!

 

PS, Keep in mind that music theory is more a way of analyzing what occurs in music than guidelines for its design. Even well-experienced & trained conservatory types sometimes disagree on functional terms.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think for my personal use, maybe I'll just always call this chord one thing only. I don't know enought theory to really get nit-picky about this. Although, I think in the song it was D, D#dim7, A, A7 progression.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A general rule (by no means all-inclusive) for dim. 7th chords in contexts like yours: even though they are "symmetrically" transposable, when looked at as used in your progression the D# has by far the most "weight" in that chord--it's acting as a leading tone upwards to the E in the following A chord (& you sometimes can play A/E in your example to accentuate this even more, right?).

Looking at a chord out of context can be misleading. Am7b5 might be "the same" as Cm6 or Cm6/A (since they share the same 4 notes), but only if you ignore the general harmonic environment (like the chords that go before & after, duh...). One note or the other (the C or the A) tends to be the harmonic "center of gravity" if considered IN CONTEXT.

In short, I agree 100% with you: D#dim7 is the most correct description of the chord in your example.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...