Chord positions

The same chord can appear in many forms. For instance, the next figure shows a few different forms of the same chord. Each form contains only the note names C, E and G and thus represents the same chord. As we shall learn later, this chord is called the C major triad chord. The different forms of the same chord are called chord positions.

Figure: A few chord positions of the same chord which is built of the note names C, E and G

The three chord positions written in the first measure in the previous figure are called close positions. In a close position, the notes of a chord are as close as they can be. The three chord positions written in the second measure in the previous figure are called open positions. An open position is one in which the notes of a chord are not as close as they can be. The open positions shown in the figure span more than one octave, while the close positions do not. The first open position does not double any note name, while the other two double some of note names. For instance, the second open position doubles the note names C and E. C is present in this chord as C5 and C6, while E is present as E4 and E5.  The third open position triples the note name G because G is present in this chord as G4, G5 and G6.

Between the close positions of a single chord, there is one which is particularly important. This is the root close position. A chord is in the root close position if it can be constructed by stacking the thirds. We see that the first close position in the previous figure is the root close position because this chord can be created by stacking the major third over C4, which gives E4 and then stacking the minor third over E4, which gives G4. It can be also described as the major third and perfect fifth, both over C4. Both the ways to describe this chord are shown in the next figure.

Figure: A chord in the root close position and its intervals

A traditional harmony is called tertian harmony because it is based on stacking the thirds. It is fascinating that all the important chords can be constructed in this way, by stacking the thirds.