The S Transform
S on C, voice by voice: the chords it pairs, the voices that step, the source's own words, and every chord each side spells.
On C, S (Slide) pairs C (C E G) with C#m (C# E G#): 2 voices step, 1 holds, and the lead costs 2 semitones.
| Voice | Becomes | Step |
|---|---|---|
| C | C# | +1 |
| E | E | holds |
| G | G# | +1 |
What each side spells
- C: C
- C#m: C#m
As the source prints it
Slide relates a major triad and the minor triad one semitone higher, such as C and C#mi.
The Slide transformation (S) (short for “slide”) is effectively the opposite of the P transformation: it moves the two pitches that form the perfect fifth in a triad by semitone and changes the mode of the triad.Its example:
C and C#mi.
— Open Music Theory, 2nd edition, 5.14 Neo-Riemannian Triadic Progressions; Mark Gotham, Kyle Gullings, Chelsey Hamm, Bryn Hughes, Brian Jarvis, Megan Lavengood and John Peterson. The source, read 2026-10-25.