when we hum a chord which of the notes do we usually hum?

cause we hum 1 note only so which one is it usually?

 

Probablemente depende de la sonoridad con la que se expresa cada acorde, dependiendo de la inversión hay una nota más aguda que llama la atención.

 

I persume the root of the chord

 

Generally the highest note, whatever its degree.

https://youtube.com/shorts/GPfetp8burc?si=OXF1GFxdYsQboT-v Here, for instance you would most likely be leaping from 9th to 9th.

Maybe try this one: https://youtube.com/shorts/wKQK6PEd3nA?si=RKLtClKPG-6HLhb1 Four chords, but you would most likely hum only two notes, because the upper structure only varies twice.

 

Last edited: Apr 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM

Due to a hair lip, no teeth, cleft palette and asthma I can hum chords. My party piece is
Bb7#9b9#11#5/Ab

 

When you hum a chord, you are typically humming multiple notes simultaneously. A chord is defined as a combination of three or more notes played together. The specific notes in the chord depend on the type of chord you are humming.

For example:

Major chord: Consists of the root note, the major third, and the perfect fifth. For instance, if you hum a C major chord, you would be humming C, E, and G.

Minor chord: Consists of the root note, the minor third, and the perfect fifth. Humming an A minor chord would involve A, C, and E.

Diminished chord: Contains the root, minor third, and diminished fifth. For a B diminished chord, you would hum B, D, and F.

Augmented chord: Contains the root, major third, and augmented fifth. For a C augmented chord, you would hum C, E, and G#.

 

What an open, multifaceted question, prone to the spread of inaccuracies. Ok, here it goes: There is no universal statistical survey on which specific notes tend to be hummed in a chord, as this depends on factors such as a person's familiarity with music (considering the relationship with culture), auditory perception, the type of chord, the chosen voice leading (or progression), and even the vocal range of the person humming. See how many variables there are? It would be better to put it like this: 1) join a music psychology department, 2) secure a research grant, and 3)conduct quite comprehensive statistical surveys (with different samples), and then you might be a little closer to answering such a question...

 

Here's something I just pulled out of my ass: If there's a known melody then it's that. If not it depends on the chord. If it's a power chord kind of a deal, then roots. If they're triads then the thirds. If it's jazz then something from the extensions probably.

In short: fuck knows.

 

yes

 

Last edited: Apr 12, 2025 at 11:11 AM

The root note

 

If I was to improvise my humming mind to a keyboard, it would be a variety of root, lower, upper notes of each chord.

 

Dude, your question is totally amazing, but the answer isn’t here in this forum dedicated to more casual conversations about contemporary popular music. This question fits better in a research context. I’m not trying to discourage you, quite the opposite: if you get the chance, go for it! That’s why research in music is so important and yet remains something so peripheral. What’s worse, each postgraduate program carries its own political biases and preferences for certain themes and approaches, which end up favoring specific research objects and, why not say, biased research outcomes.

[Digressing a bit on this issue, I think it's interesting to reflect on the dramas of human existence and how they permeate our reality. Watching a commentary about someone discussing interpretations of passages from the Upanishads, at a certain point, Vishnu questions Brahma about the problems and imperfections of his/her/its creation (our universe, Bhuloka) and asks him: ‘Are you not ashamed of your creation?’ (the transient nature of our universe's existence; cycles of creation and destruction that lead the spirits animating human bodies to feelings of insignificance or delusions of grandeur; frustration with the lack of control in the face of existential chaos; and the resilience humans must build to cope with the violence and suffering inherent to the cycles of life—karmas, dharmas, etc.)]

In essence, Vishnu's question conveys the idea that we live in an inevitable 'existential embarrassment' accompanying the quest for any kind of meaning in life, even if it’s through challenging research in highly biased postgraduate programs. But don’t forget to share the results of your work with us! (and sorry for those huge brackets!!!)

 

Why are they called vocal chords if we can only hum one note at a time? Hmmmmmm...

 

usually the note I wanna hum because I have a working relative pitch perception.

 

It is indeed, i queeried it many moons ago ago, the answer is the highest note of the chord, how i know this is that if you play an inversion of a triad the character of that chord changes cos you are hearing, in first inversion the root, not the 5th.

Chords don't really carry melodies that well and if you want to pick out the melody of a chord run, just use the higest note...

Tuvan throat singers can produce two pitches simultaneously, a hum and a whistle.

 

They're not called that. They're called vocal cords.

 

e7, according to research at the Chord Institute of Vibrational Frequencies, located in Zurich.

Using a precisely calibrated Humming Bird with a modified atomic clock and 154 "volunteers" commandered from a local homeless shelter and plied with food and drink.

" E7, it was always Bloody E7" said Stanley Twitchey, director of human and semi-human research at the Zurich institution. "We double checked the Humming Birds, we changed the ambient temperature, we vaccuumed using a Triple Oreck design that can remove carbon from carbon dioxide molecules, it so powerful. I used it home to suck the black off of a black cat, once turned coffee into milk with it, but I digress... Whatever we did it was alway E7".

"bloody uncanny", he muttered while trying to capture a humming bird in a butterfly net....

 

only pointing this out because don't know if poster did it intentionally or not. these type jokes where words sound alike but spelled different work best when said aloud. however if written, spelling the word correctly as 'cords' instead of 'chords', the joke won't land obviously.

 

not only that but for real entertainment catch a Tuvan Throat Singer when in the middle of a song he burps and farts simultaneously. Its a multimedia performance, especially if they are wearing a tutu and dancing at the same time. Still remember those magic days and nights in Tuvan, drinking fermented goats milk and enjoying the local culture.

 

And singing is called vocal chores