What is the least a Chord Needs to Have?

[3nd3r3]

Do chords need a minimum amount of strings played for it to be a chord? It can't be a chord if it's just one note from the chord, but some of the song examples show chords that are only two notes of the specified chord.

And also, can it be considered a chord if it is only 3 instances of the same note in different octaves? For example, playing an E chord ("E" form)with only the: "0th fret on the low E", "2nd fret on the D string", "0th fret on the high e". Is this still considered a "partial form?" or is it something else. (has the root, but no 3rd, or 5th).

[biker521]

If it's not a chord, then its just considered an interval. (A powerchord without the octave is just a 5th.) So the least amount of notes a chords has to have is 3 notes. (You can double on one, but it's still a chord. Now, keep in mind that just because the guitar part doesn't have a whole part of a chord, maybe the vocal line or the bass makes up for it. For example, if you are playing a C and a G together, maybe the vocal line is singing an E. Together, it's a C triad. If it has an octave, I think it's just considered an octave. If the 1,3, and 8 are represented, then I'm pretty sure that it is considered a full chord.

[DesiSerna]

Technically, a complete chord should have at least one occurrence of a root (1), third (3) and fifth (5). If not, then it's considered an interval. But I wouldn't get too technical here. Guitar players use partial chord shapes all the time. Usually these shapes are variations on the root and fifth power chord where the third is omitted. Sometimes guitar players use just roots and thirds together, other times they use just thirds and fifths together. If the same interval is repeated in a different octave it doesn't count as another note. For example, a power chord played 1 5 1 is still only two notes. An octave played 1 1 is still only one note.

In my book Fretboard Theory I teach players to visualize the whole chord form regardless of how much of it they're actually playing whenever possible. This gives you a better overall view of what's happening musically.