Glossary
Root
Glossary
Instead of numbering a note with “1” for a mode formula or chord formula, we can use R, for root, so named because other notes are measured by their distance above this note, and because modes and chords will be named after the root. (See Diatonic Modes & Chords for a detailed explanation and example of this.)
Many chords besides major and minor triads have different function (and different names) when they are in a different inversion and have a different root, despite having the same unordered collection of note names, for example C Maj 6 and A min 7.
Instead of numbering a note with “1” for a mode formula or chord formula, we can use R, for root, so named because other notes are measured by their distance above this note, and because modes and chords will be named after the root. (See Diatonic Modes & Chords for a detailed explanation and example of this.)
Many chords besides major and minor triads have different function (and different names) when they are in a different inversion and have a different root, despite having the same unordered collection of note names, for example C Maj 6 and A min 7.