Mu chord

A mu major chord or mu chord (signified by µ) is a

particular voicing of an add 2[2] or "add 9" chord. It is
formed by adding a major second to a major triad. The
voicing is associated with jazz-rock band Steely Dan. The
mu major chord differs from a suspended second (sus2)
chord, as suspended chords do not contain the major (or
minor) third. Cadd9 chord and two different voicings of
the Mu chord on C: left, middle ,[1]
right .[2] Notice the major second
between the second and the third in all
Contents instances.

Origins
Theory Mu chord
Legacy Component intervals from root
Sources perfect fifth
Further reading major third
major second

Origins root
Tuning
The reference to this chord as "mu major" has been 8:9:10:12
popularized by fans of the jazz-influenced rock group Steely
Dan, as well as by the band members themselves. This chord is Forte no. / Complement
used extensively in their work, often arpeggiated at the end of 4-22 / 8-22
musical phrases. The "mu major sound" is a distinctive idiom
of Steely Dan's style. In a 1989 interview with Paul Zollo, Walter
Becker explained that the use of the chord developed from trying
to enrich the sound of a major chord without making it into a
"jazz chord".[3] In the Steely Dan Songbook, Becker and Donald
Fagen state that "inversions of the µ major may be formed in the
usual manner with one caveat: the voicing of the second and third
scale tones, which is the essence of the chord's appeal, should
Extension of the Mu chord, the
always occur as a whole tone dissonance."[1]
"Steely Dan chord" on C/E[3]
Play
Theory
The chord consists of a major triad with an added major second note. When the chord is voiced
with the third in the bass, the presence of two stacked fourths in the upper register, between the
second and the fifth, and the fifth and the root, gives the chord a quartal harmony flavour. The
chord can also be voiced with the ninth (or second) in the bass, although such voicings are
generally known as slash chords. It is suggested that the chord was conceived on or for use on
keyboards.[2]
Mu chords, or portions thereof, may be used in chord substitution by replacing the major triad
found in voicings of other chords. For example, an Am7 chord can be voiced as a C major triad
(CEG) with an A in the bass. A Cµ chord can be voiced as a DEG triad with a C in the bass. Taking
the upper portion (DEG) of the Cµ chord and substituting this in place of the C triad in the original
Am7 chord would give an A7sus4 chord: DEG with A in the bass.[2]

Legacy
Caligula's Horse's lead guitarist and composer, Sam Vallen,
frequently uses mu chords in his compositions, having studied
Steely Dan's harmonic vocabulary for his honours thesis.[4]

Sources
1. Becker and Fagen. "Intro to the Steely Dan Song Book " (https://s
darchive.com/songbook.html), SteelyDan.com. Posted 05/96.
An Eμ chord displayed as a guitar
2. Howard Wright 2002-2007. "Steely Dan Mu Major Chord" (http://
chord symbol and in notation[1]
www.hakwright.co.uk/steelydan/mu-major.html), Howard Wright's
Play
Home Page.
3. "Winter 1989 interview with Walter Becker" (http://www.granatino.
com/sdresource/14zollo.htm) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20050210033218/http://w
ww.granatino.com/sdresource/14zollo.htm) 2005-02-10 at the Wayback Machine, Metal Leg:
The Steely Dan Magazine, Issue 14, Fall 1990.
4. Astley-Brown 2017-10-05T09:48:58.277ZGuitars, Michael. "10 questions for Caligula's Horse
guitarist Sam Vallen" (https://www.musicradar.com/news/10-questions-for-caligulas-horse-guita
rist-sam-vallen). MusicRadar. Retrieved 2019-03-20.

Further reading
Zollo, Paul (2003). Songwriters on songwriting, p. 432. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-
81265-1.
(2006). Keyboard, Volume 32, Issues 1-6, p. 37. GPI Publications.

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