Is this major?

tplyons · 10-04-2003, 05:52 PM

From the bottom up:

E, A, C# ... It's A major in order (A, C#, E) but is it major with the E on the bottom?

And similarly,

E, A, C nat ... minor?

No Clever Name · 10-05-2003, 07:13 AM

Now, I may be wrong... Just a highschooler, after all.

But I am under the impression that in most cases, the first chord you listed would be a I 5/6 the second inversion of a major triad (I of Amaj).

The second would be a i 5/6, the second inversion of a minor triad (I of Am).

But then, the 1st could also be a V 5/6, which would be major, but in a different key (Dmaj, not A).

Ah, my head hurts. Too late for me.

Minatar12 · 10-05-2003, 07:33 AM

Theoretically speaking, E, A, C# is A Major 2nd inversion.

The 2nd is A minor 2nd inversion.

KSQ · 10-05-2003, 08:33 AM

The "I" and "V" that No Clever Name mentions have to do not with the quality (i.e. major/minor) of the chord, but with the function (i.e. tonic/dominant), so NCN is correct in that it could be either a "I" chord in A or a "V" chord in D. However, the Roman numeral designation would be I-6/4, not I-5/6. (This indicates a sixth and a fourth played above the bass -- i.e. a C-sharp and an A above the E.) Most theorists use "capital" Roman numerals for major and "lower-case" for minor. So, E/A/C-sharp in A Major would be marked "I," while E/A/C-natural in A minor would be marked "i."