chordal

American  

[kawr-dl] / ˈkɔr dl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a chord.

2. of or relating to music that is marked principally by vertical harmonic movement rather than by linear polyphony.

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Other Word Forms

• prechordal adjective

Etymology

Origin of chordal

First recorded in 1610–20; chord ² + -al ¹

Example Sentences

This is originally a piano solo, yet Sorey’s skittering cymbal work was closely attuned to the score, his floor toms tuned to highlight the densest chordal moments in Tao’s interpretation of the notated material.

From New York Times • May 8, 2023

Conductor James Gaffigan played a large part in this regenerative approach, leading the National Symphony Orchestra through Bernstein’s confounding chordal corridors with sureness and vigor, and making the composer’s sometimes dowdy patterns feel effortlessly chic.

From Washington Post • Sep. 16, 2022

Drawing from classical and jazz methods, the chordal instruments will play strictly notated music written by Zorn while Roeder and Sorey will improvise around them.

From New York Times • Dec. 12, 2019

But beyond the center, when the quartet plays in unison or in thick chordal passages, is a freer energy on the fringes, almost like the sun with its corona.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2019

It might be made up of rhythm only, or of a melody line with chordal accompaniment, or many interweaving melodies.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones