Forum: music.stackexchange.com
Tags: <theory><chords><chord-theory>
Title: Are two pitches played simultaneously considered a chord?
Question: I was studying music, and in my book it says that two notes played simultaneously are considered an  Interval  while three notes are considered a  Chord .Following up this question  Why are two pitches considered a chord? .   Are dyads considered to be chords?  If yes, then can we actually define a chord with just two notes, for example if we have G and B,  which are suitable for both Em and GM.  If not, why are power chords considered chords when they only have two notes?

Answers:
sents: text: It's somewhat subjective, but my problem is how does one name a dyad, apart from calling it an interval.
text: Thus power chord becomes D5 - an interval.
text: Most chords, to me, need the blend of minimum three notes.
text: Majors and minors will have that interval between root and three.
text: Some will argue, corectly to an extent, that actually the root will usually sound a 5th as its second harmonic, thus it's going to sound anyway - a good reason why some jazz chords leave out the P5.
text: However - if that's the case, is that actually a two note 'chord', as we hear and perceive three notes...
text: So, what do we call other two note 'chords'?
text: All the 'proper' chord names won't work, as they're specific to the notes in that chord.
text: Taking a note out of even a three note chord stops it being an xyz.
text: The power chord works sonically because the 3 is missing.
text: Favoured by guitarists using distortion/overdrive.
text: With those effects, the harmonics of each note are accentuated, and those belonging to the 3 clash with the others.
text: Root and 5 harmonics generally sound o.k. together, so it works.
text: But, to me at least, it still isn't a chord, but an interval - a dyad.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/2808/Tim
score: 4
sents: text: A chord is in no way always played at the same time.
text: Arpeggios and broken-chords are chords in the broader sense of the word and neither are played at the same time.
text: A proper melody also has a harmonic structure built on chords and again none of the notes are played at the same time.
text: Also a chord can have three notes as maybe the stadard but it could also have four notes or even five, there is nothing forcing a chord to only have three notes, it can be any number of thirds.
text: As for the specifics about two note chords with guitar, that is much more a peculairity of the guitar as instrument.
text: The guitar has a wealth of harmonics on each string that make playing two note chords still work, but you are right if you take the concepts away from the guitar
text: then G - B would be the space between two notes ie an interval.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/7306/Neil Meyer
score: 1
sents: text: Terminology is fickle.
text: If you want to be exact, don't try to find the "exact" line between what is considered a "chord" or not, because the line will always be arbitrary, as the other answers show.
text: Rather, specify the tones and don't worry about whether they constitute a "chord" or not.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/26744/Scott Wallace
score: 1
sents: text: A chord is, simply put, a group of notes (usually three or more although 2 can still be considered a chord) played as a basis of harmony.
text: They do not necessarily have to be played simultaneously.
text: So yes 2 notes CAN be considered a chord but it depends on their intervals and their relationship with a melody.
text: Although it is a hard question to answer because 'what a chord is' can almost be subject to personal opinion.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/39554/Ben Hughes
score: 1
sents: text: A chord is two or more notes played together.
text: An interval is the distance between 2 notes.
text: For example a 2 note chord might be the A5 power chord.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/37653/Charlie Turnbull
score: 1
sents: text: The most basic chord to which we give a name is a triad, a three-note chord.
text: C major, D minor, Eb diminished etc.
text: Two notes, or even one note can suggest or imply a triad, but they cannot fully define it.
text: And that is what people mean when they argue that you need three notes for it to be a 'chord'.
text: In more general terminology, we often call two or more different notes a 'chord'.
answer_details: author: music.stackexchange.com/users/17003/Laurence Payne
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
The most basic chord to which we give a name is a triad, a three-note chord. C major, D minor, Eb diminished etc. Two notes, or even one note can suggest or imply a triad, but they cannot fully define it. In more general terminology, we often call two or more different notes a 'chord'.    
Two or more different notes a 'chord' can often be called two or more 'chords'