12.01.06 Details or Dots

The biggest difference I hear at the moment between the mainstream music my ears gravitate toward and the “contemporary” music in so many U.S. churches could be described as a tonal one.  Here’s what I mean in geeky theory terms.  (I have a degree in theory/composition so I guess this is where I get to use those four years.)

A chord is at least three notes separated by thirds.  An “A major” chord, for example, would be spelled A-C#-E.  In church you’d likely hear all three notes.  To the audience, the chord is heard as obviously an “A” chord and obviously “major” even if the listener doesn’t know to call it that.

By contrast, when Snow Patrol, for instance, plays an “A” chord in their song Chasing Cars, it’s at best A-ish.  They leave out the