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I'm self-studying music. I'm trying to learn about chord but I'm currently stuck on its definition. I've read that a "chord" is like a triad, which is 3 notes comprised of a root, a third, and a fifth. But in other definitions, a chord can be any combination of notes, as long as it is 3 OR MORE notes. So what is a chord, then, how many notes is it comprised of

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Basically, a chord is comprised of 3 or more notes. Some disagree and say a chord can be made up using only 2, although that's usually called a dyad. Anyone marking this answer down due to that statement has a perfect right to explain why.

Those 3 notes together get called a triad, and can be any 3 notes at all. Obviously, some combinatios won't sound so good, and the most common combinations are 1, 3 and 5 of a major or minor scale.

Chords of more than 4 notes are often termed extensions, as they can contain extra notes, usually in what we call stacked thirds. As in C E G B D - each a third apart from the next note - 1 3 5 7 9. That will be called Cmaj9. Often, in chords that have several extensions, specific notes are omitted, partly due to clashes in sound, partly due to the fact that on some instruments - guitar, for example - all the relevant notes can't physically be played simultaneously.

So, a chord has anything from 3 to many notes in its make-up. There is no maximum number.

Tim
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    "There is no maximum number." Someone might argue that C1 - C2 - C3 - C4 - C5 - C6 - C7 - C8 is not a chord in all meanings of the word, despite having eight notes. Or how about overtones ... lots of different frequencies. :) White noise? Chord with all possible notes at the same time. – piiperi Reinstate Monica Nov 08 '20 at 13:53
  • @piiperiReinstateMonica - I should have probably stated 3 different note names. I guess theoretically, one note could constitute a chord, as overtones/harmonics are often audible, thus making 'several notes'. Food for thought? – Tim Nov 08 '20 at 15:08
  • @piiperiReinstateMonica Let me introduce yo to the sUpEr UlTrA hYpEr MeGa MeTa LyDiAn – SunnyMoon Nov 08 '20 at 15:56
  • IMHO the best answer would clarify that there is not one single widely agreed upon definition of chord among musicians, but that it most often is 3+ notes, sometimes 2+ notes, sometimes must be 3+ different note names (i.e., octaves don't count), might include clusters or might not, etc. – Todd Wilcox Nov 08 '20 at 17:23
  • I'd also note that anyone downvoting this answer has a perfect right to not explain why. – Todd Wilcox Nov 08 '20 at 17:27
  • @ToddWilcox - merely hoping someone may have the reasoning they used. Naming dyads is simple - they're intervals. Naming chords is fairly simple. I've asked similarly previously - how would one name the 'chord' C and F? – Tim Nov 08 '20 at 18:16
  • @ToddWilcox - the reason I keep banging on about unexplained downvotes is simple. As a teacher, merely saying something is wrong is pretty well no help to a student. An explanation as to why it's wrong makes a lot more sense - there is usually some learning going on. As a teacher yourself, that must be apparent. I learn very little from a dv anonymously given. Thus my encouragement for explanations. 2+2=5. No, it's wrong. But so are millions of other answers to that. Let's try some of them... – Tim Nov 08 '20 at 18:49
  • How would one name the chord composed of C and F? Context. Seems like you’re implying that for something to be a chord, it must be possible to “name” it. It might clarify your answer to include that. I’d like to suggest that asserting that chord must have one clear name might muddy the waters. Pretty much every chord could have multiple names and we need the context to be able name them. C E G? That’s just E-6/C of course. – Todd Wilcox Nov 08 '20 at 19:38
  • One reason why defining “chord” as requiring three notes is that there is wildly popular usage of the phrase “power chord” which comprise only two notes. Someone coming away convinced that it’s only a chord if it has three or more notes might easily get confused in their search for how to play “power chords”. Then again, some music theory teachers might object to calling two simultaneous notes a “chord”, so I don’t think we can offer a single definition that works in every situation. – Todd Wilcox Nov 08 '20 at 19:44
  • @ToddWilcox - I'd be surprised if any chord had more than two sensible names - C6=Am7, Fm6=Dm7b5 are two that spring to mind. Have you honestly ever seen written and had to play Em6/C? Doubtful... Responding to the last comment - the only (recognised) two note chord seems to be that ubiquitous - as far as guitarists are concerned - the 'power chord' (5). – Tim Nov 08 '20 at 19:44
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    CFG could be Fsus2/C, Caus4, G7sus4(no5)/C. And that’s just three notes. Every fully diminished 7th chord has three names. And something like CDGBE has lots of possible names. – Todd Wilcox Nov 08 '20 at 19:48
  • @ToddWilcox - CFG is Csus4 or Fsus2.(Although you prbably know my feelings about sus2. Ret2 is politicallyy correct. Unsure about Caus4 etc. But when music is written, it's supposed to be for ease of playing while being read. That's it for now! – Tim Nov 08 '20 at 19:53
  • @ToddWilcox - fair point about naming chords! Dyads will always have one name only. I guess with my rhythm guitar hat on, I'm used to seeing chords named, and thus playing them. Incidentally, fully dim7 chords have more names - for instance, Co=Ebo=Gbo=Bbbo=Ao at least! – Tim Nov 10 '20 at 08:45