What does Pivot chord mean in music?

Pivot chord means "A chord shared between the old key and the new key".

What type of musical term is Pivot chord?

Pivot chord is a theory concepts term — see the Theory Practice glossary for the rest of the theory concepts word list.

What grade is Pivot chord tested in?

Pivot chord first appears at Grade 4 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams, and stays in the syllabus for every grade above that.

Music theory · Musical terms · Theory concepts

Pivot chord — meaning in music

Pivot chord is a musical term meaning A chord shared between the old key and the new key. It is a theory concepts marking, first tested at Grade 4 in ABRSM, AMEB and Trinity music theory exams. From that grade on, every written paper expects you to know it on sight.

Definition

A chord shared between the old key and the new key

Theory conceptsFirst tested: Grade 4

Translations

French	Un accord partagé entre l'ancienne tonalité et la nouvelle tonalité
German	Ein zwischen der alten und der neuen Tonart gemeinsamer Akkord
Italian	Un accordo condiviso tra la vecchia tonalità e la nuova tonalità
Spanish	Un acorde compartido entre la tonalidad antigua y la tonalidad nueva.
Chinese	旧调和新调共享的和弦

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All theory concepts terms

Allemande Alto range Anacrusis Answer phrase Arco Bar line Bass clef Bass range Binary form Bourrée Cello clef Cello range Chromatic semitone Compound interval Courante Crotchet (US name)Demisemiquaver Diatonic semitone Dominant Dominant (degree)Double bar line Double bass clef Double flat (𝄫)Double sharp (𝄪)Doubling rule Duplet Final bar line Flat Gavotte Gigue Harmonic minor scale Imperfect cadence Interrupted cadence Inversion of a 3rd Inversion of a 4th Inversion of a 5th Leading note Leger line Mediant Melodic minor scale (ascending)Melodic minor scale (descending)Minim (US name)Minuet Modulate to the dominant Modulate to the relative minor Modulation Natural Natural minor scale Parallel 5ths Parallel 8ves Perfect cadence Pivot chord Pizzicato Plagal cadence Quaver (US name)Question phrase Real sequence Relative minor of C major Relative minor of F major Relative minor of G major Repeat sign Sarabande Semibreve (US name)Semiquaver (US name)Semitone Sequence Sharp Slur Soprano range Stave (staff)Subdominant Subdominant (degree)Submediant Supertonic Tenor range Ternary form Tie Tonal sequence Tone Tonic Tonic (degree)Treble clef Triplet Viola clef Viola range Violin clef Violin range Voice crossing Voice overlap