chordlike

Chordlike is an adjective used in music theory and analysis to describe a sonic effect that resembles a chord or chordal harmony but does not present a complete, simultaneously sounding chord. A chordlike passage may outline a harmony through sequential voices, suspensions, partial triads, or melodic lines that imply a particular chord progression without all chord tones sounding at once.

In analysis, labeling something as chordlike signals that the intended harmony can be inferred from context, even though the vertical stack of notes is not fully realized. In composition and performance, chordlike textures can create ambiguity, tension, or forward motion by delaying the full realization of a chord or by distributing chord tones across time or timbres. This approach often results in a sense of unfolding harmony rather than a static sonority.

Common ways to produce chordlike effects include arpeggiated figures that outline a chord, pedal points with implied harmonies, and melodies that imply a underlying progression without fully stating it in every voice. Chordlike textures are used across genres to vary harmonic clarity, to smooth voice leading, or to foreground melodic material while maintaining a sense of harmonic trajectory.

See also: chord, harmony, arpeggiation, chord detection.