kdsfage

The suspension as it pertains to the note itself (and its nomenclature) is in fact a noun. You are right about that. But I disagree with the analysis as it pertains to this moving object.

It's a complicated way of thinking about it. I used to teach it in such a way that it was very easy for students to understand. I would ask them to think of things in major (or more correctly, when speaking about modality, Ionian) then, flat third and seventh, That would make it a dorian scale. So, D dorian, flatten the F# and C#. Easy. I am still stuck upon the idea of the word and more importantly the MEANING and IMPLICATION of the word. Suspension implies a stoppage of movement. In no matter what context... if one is suspended from school, they are stopped from going there. If a lawyer suspends a --->motion<-----, he stops the procedure (as in "to proceed forward"). So, what is the "P"reparation? What is the "S"uspension? What is the "R"esolution? In English, suspension is thought of as a form of verb. Persons who think of it as a chord are using it as a NOUN. Well, the word "suspension" is not a noun. To use it as a noun, they are using the word incorrectly. Holds watermelon in the air... points at it and announces: "this is a steam locomotive". No, it is not a watermelon. It is a choo-choo train.

"And then jazz took even farter" Are you implying that Jazz people are more gaseous than others?

Aleos: I think the conversation started as a set of questions regarding music theory. I get your point about the Zappa quote "Shut up and play yer guitar". That's true, but I think it's best to get the nomenclature and grammar down first, for the student of this sort of thing. ... and of course, accented passing tones are a whole other thing, too.

It's not that the chord has a fourth in it. It has a fourth replacing the third. The "sus" implies "suspended" (as in "suspended chord"). J. Well, again, that's more of a non-chord tone rather than a suspension. The parameters for a suspension -in music theory- are very specific. We all remember having to write the letters P S R over the effect in theory assignments. Here is a short description of a 7-6 suspension, for example. http://www.musictheoryminute.com/Suspension76.htm

Thanks for the tip - Ill definitely have to check it out. Peachboy: I would skip to the Samuel Adler book on orchestration. If you can afford it, buy all of the CDs too.

You've actually chosen to write for a very tricky ensemble. It is for good reason that we do not find many string trios in the repertoire. My first reaction is to avoid the breadth between instruments. What you have here is a open chord voicing but unfortunately, it can sound quite hollow. There's a reason that there's a second violin in string quartets! Also, as another poster had mentioned, avoid octaves and unisons on down beats (especially, the down beat). So, for example, your measure 4 is quite weak, I'm afraid.

I have another question: why do they use the terminology "sus", as in sus 4? That presumes it is a suspension. The truth is, a suspension is actually THREE notes over three beats. Preparation, suspension, resolution. So, in this example, just because the chord has a fourth in it, doesn't mean it is actually a suspension. It's actually a misuse of the terminology.

C6: This is a weird one. The nomenclature presumes this is a C chord with an A in it. That would actually make it an A minor 7th chord in first inversion. So, the truth of the matter is that the "root" of the chord © would actually be wrong. C is not the root of that chord. Anyone that has studied theory will get this one right now: C E G A. It's an A minor seventh chord in first inversion! And of course dear colleagues, we all know that a vi chord resolves to a ii chord, "generally". This is not the tonic chord in C major with a tertiary addition. It's a vi chord.

I went all the way to the doctoral level. I am on my third copy. The spine is split and I don't know where the front and back covers of the book have gone. Insert smiley face here.

First things first: stop using guitar tab. The longer you use it, the more behind you become. Just do the work and learn to read a proper score or part.

For those of us who are not interested in playing in a quintuplet, is there a way to input them? Or, alternatively, a "four tuplet" in 3/8?