ALTERED, ADDED AND OMITTED TONES

Sometimes we find a chord that is different than those we described in the preceding chapters. The question then is how do we name and annotate such a chord? We do that by using altered added and omitted tones.

Altered tones specify which of the note names specified by the chord root and chord quality should be altered (raised or lowered). 

Added tones add new note names to those that are specified by the chord root and chord quality.

Omitted tones specify which of the note names specified by the chord root and chord quality should be omitted.

Altered, added and omitted tones are annotated in the parenthesis so they can be easily noticed. This annotation is interpreted as a list of intervals expressed relative to the chord root when the chord is in the root close position. However, the annotation for intervals that was explained in chapter Annotating intervals is not used here. Instead of that, the sharp and flat symbols can be used before the interval number. The interval number is most often 5, 9, 11 or 13. Without the sharp or flat, the interval is either major or perfect. The sharp adds one half step and the flat subtracts one half step. 

1 and 3 never occur in altered tones. The reason is that altering 1 is the same as altering the chord root and instead of altering 3 we should choose the appropriate chord quality.

In the next figure, we see a chord that we did not assign a name and symbol before. However, we can construct it by taking the C dominant seventh chord in the root close position and lowering its fifth. Thus, instead of the perfect fifth, we have diminished fifth. This is an example of a chord with an altered tone. This chord is called the C dominant seventh flat five chord and we annotate it C7(b5).

Figure: The C dominant seventh flat five chord in the root close position and its symbol

The next figure shows an example of a chord with an added tone. We can construct it by taking the C major seventh chord in the root close position and adding the major thirteenth. It is called the C major seventh thirteen chord and we annotate it CΔ7(13).

Figure: The C major seventh thirteen chord in the root close position and its symbol

The next figure shows an example of a chord with an omitted tone. We can construct it by taking the C dominant seventh chord in the root close position and omitting the fifth. It is called the C dominant seventh no five chord and we annotate it C7(no5).

Figure: The C dominant seventh no five chord in the root close position and its symbol

Chords shown in this chapter are not in the form of a stack of thirds. However, they are directly constructed from such chords. Thus, we can say that they also belong to tertian harmony and have the root close position. The same holds for the chords described in the next chapter because they are just frequently occurring cases of the chords with altered, added and omitted tones. However, they appear enough often that they are given own chord qualities.