An Introduction to America’s Music

TALKING ABOUT MUSIC 15

fourth, fi fth, and sixth partials form a major triad. Lowering the middle pitch

of a major triad by a half step results in a minor triad. Likewise, lowering the

top pitch of a minor triad by a half step results in a diminished triad. Perhaps

because all of its pitches resonate so well with the overtones of the root, the

major triad sounds brighter or “happier” than the minor triad, whose third is

not so resonant. The diminished triad, with both third and fi fth out of kilter

with the root’s overtone series, sounds unstable and is treated as a dissonant

chord.

Triads can be built on all seven scale degrees of a diatonic scale; some tri-

ads will be major, others minor, and one will be diminished. The all-important

tonic chord, built on the tonic pitch, will be major in major keys, appropriately

enough, and minor in minor keys. Two chords nearly as important as the tonic

are those built on the fi fth scale degree, or dominant, and the fourth scale

degree, or subdominant. Although the remaining chords are useful, a huge

number of folk and popular songs can be harmonized using only tonic, domi-

nant, and subdominant chords, which are often labeled with roman numerals

as I, V, and IV, respectively. In major keys, all three of these chords are major. In

minor keys, all three are minor in theory, but in practice the dominant chord is

usually changed to major.

Learning to identify chords by ear is an advanced skill that is not needed for

this introductory study. But learning to hear the movement from one chord to

another, even if you cannot name the specifi c chords being played, is useful and

not hard to do. An excellent song for practice is one you have already come to

know quite well, “Lost Highway” (LG 17.2). The following chart shows the sixteen

bars of the fi rst stanza with the lyrics and roman numerals to indicate where the

song’s three chords—I, IV, and V—occur:

(Four-bar instrumental introduction) I’m a rollin’

1 2 3 4

stone all a-lone and lost For a life of

I I IV I I

5 6 7 8

sin I have paid the cost W hen I walk

I I V V

9 10 11 12

by all the people say “Just another

IV IV I I

13 14 15 16

guy on the lost high- way”

I I V I I

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