How Many Root Notes Are There?

[czardas]

I thought I would try out the software poll options, but I couldn't figure it out. While the answer might be obvious to some members, I decided to post the question anyway, because it may be of interest to others.

Please give the reason for your choice.

Edit
Now I figured it out.

The question should read :

How many different root notes can a chord have?

[czardas]

I wasn't sure about this poll business. Perhaps I should have made the question clearer. Although they are the same pitch, please count C# and Db as two different root notes. Apologies if you already voted before I mentoned this.

[hed_b94]

What is the point of this question?

[czardas]

The point is get people to think about something that might be less obvious than it first appears, and also to generate discussion which may be in some way educational.

[mr. beaumont]

I'll give the iq test answer.

Any given chord can only have one root. If we change the root, it's a different chord.

Now, any given collection of pitches...well, I'll let y'all duke that one out...

[kenbennett]

Other

[bako]

My fast response is 21. 7 letters, each one flatted and sharped.
What about the appearance of double flats and sharps in certain keys.
Are their not circumstance where they would be the correct spelling for the root of a chord?

F# Harmonic Minor
F#G#ABC#DE#F#
The secondary dominant II would be D#7 (D#FxA#C#)
The diminished chord leading to II would be Fxdim (FxA#C#E)
Using the logic that each of the 14 notes (7 flats and 7 sharps) has a double equivalent would yield 35.
Given the distaste and avoidance of double flats and sharps with people often choosing the easier enharmonic spellings, 35 may be the technical answer and 21 the pragmatic one.

I tested the notation program Encore and it chose G in my example above as the default spelling in the key of F# minor.
The 7 letter system at times makes things seem more difficult than they are when a note was simply a note regardless of the spelling. When I was young I decided that a number system would streamline thinking but outside of serialists and various post tonal schools it hasn't really caught on.

[hed_b94]

There is no point in discussing the possible roots of chords outside harmony context.
How many ways can we lable group of notes as part of a chord? well, we can have infinite roots, because there is infinity amount of notes (Cbbb =/= A, etc)
If for some reason you want to put a limit on the number of accidentials a note could have (which I wouldn't get- since this is a hypothetical question)
Then we would have 21, beacause there are 7 notes names, and 3 'types' -
natural, flat, sharp. 7*3 = 21

[czardas]

Ok, Mr. Beaumont, it was a general chord, not a specific one.

bako, I consider double sharps and double flats to be legitimate.

So how many would you say Ken?

Edit
hed_b94 => Any legitimate root note within any harmonic context.

[hed_b94]

Ok, Mr. Beaumont, it was a general chord, not a specific one.

bako, I consider double sharps and double flats to be legitimate.

So how many would you say Ken?

Edit
hed_b94 => Any legitimate root note within any harmonic context.

You do understand that the harmony context implies what is the chord root, right? that's why I think it's pointless.


And I don't see why double flat or sharp is any way more legitimate than triple flat, none of them exists in jazz anyway. Tell me when you see a 2-5-1 in G# major, because all I see is in Ab major.

[cmajor9]

I'm with Mr. Beaumont... a chord (any single chord) can have exactly one root. If you mean how many possible roots are there, the answer is 12. The rest are different names for one of the 12 possibles.

If what you're asking is how many different names are there for all the possible chords, the answer is 21, not counting double flats or sharps. Which are you asking, its not clear to me?

[czardas]

Tell me when you see a 2-5-1 in G# major, because all I see is in Ab major.

G# Major doesn't have a legitimate key signature, so we can exclude any potential chord roots within hypothetical keys such as this.

[czardas]

I'm with Mr. Beaumont... a chord (any single chord) can have exactly one root. If you mean how many possible roots are there, the answer is 12. The rest are different names for one of the 12 possibles.

If what you're asking is how many different names are there for all the possible chords, the answer is 21, not counting double flats or sharps. Which are you asking, its not clear to me?

I didn't intend the question to be ambiguous. I mean the legitimate names of root notes within western music, as it is written, including double sharps and double flats. For example : C, Bb, Abb etc...

[hed_b94]

G# Major doesn't have a legitimate key signature, so we can exclude any potential chord roots within hypothetical keys such as this.

Ok, I'm sorry, it is just impossible to discuss this with you.

[czardas]

hed_b94 I was merely trying to illustrate the significance of your statement.

If there is still some ambiguity as to the meaning of the question, then please say so. Otherwise feel free to vote if you wish. So far, 66% are in favour of Other.

[MackBolan]

-Damn,laugh at me,
but I vote for:6(root on each of the six strings),
if you flatten the root,you have a slash chord
12-only if you have a twelve string guitar.

[M-ster]

Any given chord can only have one root. If we change the root, it's a different chord.

Ha! I liked Jeff's answer, too.

I'm pretty certain that, no matter what czardas' official answer is, we'll all disagree!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

42!

(stunned silence)

[czardas]

Ha! This is pretty funny. Anyhow I pondered this question a while ago and came up with the answer 35. Then, after further deliberation, I revised my opinion, because I found it difficult to justify the use of certain (otherwise legitimate) note names in the context of root notes for chords. Namely Cbb, Fbb, Bx and Ex. I failed to find any kind of harmonic context that would justify the use of these root notes. So I figured the answer must be 31.

[hed_b94]

[cosmic gumbo]

Anyone ever try root beer and tonic? Don't try it.

[kenbennett]

Ok, Mr. Beaumont, it was a general chord, not a specific one.

bako, I consider double sharps and double flats to be legitimate.

So how many would you say Ken?

Edit
hed_b94 => Any legitimate root note within any harmonic context.

Well, I wouldn't say. But if forced, I would say that for any set of notes there are exactly 12, and only 12, notes that could possibly be the root of that arbitrary set of notes.

The fact that one can call a note by several or many different names does not make it more than the one note that it actually is.

The fact that we call 440Hz "A" does not mean that 220Hz, or 110Hz, or 880Hz are different notes since they are all called by the same name or collection of names.

You want to talk about the Western system. To me there are only twelve notes. Those 12 notes can be played in many different octaves and called by many different names. Still, there are only 12.

I actually like Jeff's answer best. Once you think of a set of notes as a chord, then it only has one root. You may think of that same set of notes as a different chord. Then it still has only one root which may be different from the first. Simple example: Am7 and C6

[Spirit59]

I think that if you would have posted the question as "How many root note names..." you might have an easier time reaching a consensus, but where would the fun be in that?

[czardas]

Although the question could have been worded more clearly, it appears to has sparked some intrigue. In fact your responses have inspired another question: If I was to vote for the best answer, I would have to go with BigDaddyLovesHandles'. Here's the new question:

What is the question to BigDaddyLovesHandles answer 42?

Clue => Think of a similar, or closely related, question.

[cmajor9]

That's easy: what is the meaning of life! (according to Douglas Adams)

Thanks for all the fish!