Overview of Omit
This time, let's learn the concept of "omit", which is worth learning together with sus chords.
It's also very useful knowledge when you hand a chord chart to a performer to play.
First, what is omit?
"Omit" means "to leave out," "to skip" or "to drop".
In other words, it means using a chord with something "left out" of its chord tones.
This time, let's focus on "omit3," the most common form of omit.
*omit3 is sometimes introduced alongside power chords, but we will introduce power chords after learning various movements.
How Omit Is Written
Typical notations for omit are as follows.
The example above uses omit3, but when you see "omit5" or "omit root," it means play the chord while leaving out whatever follows "omit".
It is also used in conversation, as in "omit that note."
Also, "no3" means leaving out the 3rd, and "5" means playing only the root and the 5th; both mean the same thing as omit3.
The Sound and Structure of Omit
First, let's check the sound of Comit3.
The chord tones are played one by one, followed by the chord.
Unlike the chords so far, in this state you can't tell whether it's bright or dark.
Let's also check it on the score and the piano roll.
It lacks the 3rd, the note that determines the chord's character, in other words whether it is minor or major.
It also doesn't include notes with their own character, such as the 7th.
Now let's look at why you would need to play chords with notes left out like this.
Using Omit
First, suppose a melody like this comes to mind in the key of C major.
Suppose that after putting chords to this melody while watching out for avoid notes, you end up with the following.
Of course it isn't bad, but because it starts on the subdominant, the song unfolds with a sense of anticipation: "Where is this going?"
If you want to start on the tonic as usual, the F in the melody stands out as an avoid note, and the muddy sound may bother you.
Listening to just the first sound, it sounds like this.
In such cases, using omit3 lets you start as if on the tonic while avoiding an avoid note.
Of course, in this case you could also use sus4 to clear up the muddiness.
That emphasizes the F, so choose between them to suit the mood.
That is one example of omit, but it may also be specified with intentions such as the following.
- Wanting the sound of a chord that is neither major nor minor
- Wanting to leave out some notes from a chord containing many notes
- Wanting to move the melody freely
When you find omit while analyzing a song, be sure to try to read what the composer intended.
Next time, let's look at a relatively new chord, "sus2."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Are omit3 and power chords the same thing?
They use the same notes, but their context and intent differ. omit3 is a concept based on chord theory of deliberately leaving out the 3rd, while power chords are a playing technique used in genres such as rock to make use of their distinctive sound.
Q2. What other kinds of omit are there besides omit3?
There are omit5 (leaving out the 5th), omit root (leaving out the root) and others. Also, "no3" means leaving out the 3rd and "5" means playing only the root and the 5th; these are sometimes used with the same meaning as omit3.
Q3. How can omit be used with melodies?
It can be used to keep a particular melody note from becoming an avoid note. It's also effective when you want a neutral sound that is neither major nor minor, or want to avoid emphasizing a particular note.
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