- Tertian
: "Tertial" redirects here. For the feathers in a birds wing, see tertials".In
music ormusic theory , tertian is the quality of a chord constructed fromthird s, and other things constructed from thirds such ascounterpoint . A third may be either minor (3 semitones) or major (4 semitones). Example: the interval A-C is a minor third, because it encompasses 3 semitones (A-Bb, Bb-B, B-C), and C-E is a major third, because it encompasses 4 semitones (C-Db, Db-D, D-Eb, Eb-E).Chords which may be considered as built from
sixth s are actually tertian because of inversion. Example: the interval C-A is a major sixth. The inversion is that the interval A-C defines a minor third.Note that the root progression between tertian chords is most often not by third but by perfect fifth (or its inversion perfect fourth).
Other uses
* Tertian is a term used at some
universities to describe students in the third year of their studies, or the normal standard reached by a student after this time. This description is also the definition for Junior.
* Recurring at approximately 48-hour intervals —used of malaria.ee also
*
Secundal
*Quartal and quintal harmony
*Polychord External links
* Definition of [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tertian tertian] in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
* Definition of [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tertian tertian] at dictionary.com
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