154

Chord Svmbols
In sheet music notation, there is a lack of uniformity in writing chord symbols. For example the t
C major seven chord can be written as "Cmaj7" (used in this book), "C^'1" or "Clv{7". The
e
tablebelow outlines the symbols used in this book, together with correct pronunciation and
alternative symbols used for each chord type.

Symbols used Name Alternative Symbols

in this Series
/NTnno\
rvrav/ I'4ajcr Maj, M
f
\4

SUS Suspended sus4 c

l-
-5 Major Flat Five p)
add 9 Major Add Nine
m Minor min, mi,
+ Augmented fi5, +5, oug
A Major Six Maj6,46, M6 €
.-t- ) Major Six Add Nine 6(ac1ct9), $, va.j61aod9), M6(add9)
€
m6 Minor Six mi6, min6
m6l9 N4inor Six Add Nine mi6(add9), min6(add9), m6(add9) €
1 Seventh
€
Tsus Seven Suspended sus7, 7sus4
m7 Minor Seven mi7, min7
/ v)
lrl -!*. N4inor Seven Flat Five
/'/,' lzdim7, mrlb 5,min7b 5, m'., -5
Diminished dim
:, Diminished Seven dim7, "J ,
rl
'7 n5 Seven Sharp Five +J,J+5
/DJ Seven Flat Five
majT Major Seven AJ,MJ
m(maj7) Minor Major Seven m(Maj7), m(a7), m(+7), mi(+7), min(+7)
tbg Seven Flat Nine 7-9 e
tfrsbg Seven Sharp Five, Flat Nine 1+5-9
Major Nine A9, M9 €
-t . nJ9
m9 Minor Nine mi9, min9, -9
nl{<
> Nine Sharp Five rQ Q+5
| /t / tJ
'
t1J
^t
9b)-
Nine Fiat Five 9-5
qHtt Nine Sharp Eleven 9+11
rn9(maj7) N4inor Nine Major Seven mglJ , mingH 7, m9(A 7), m9(Maj7), m9(M7)
m11 N{inor Eleven mi11, min11, -11
t3 Thirteenth
l3b9 Thirteen Flat Nine 13-9
13bsbe Thirteen Flat Five Flat Nine 13-5-9
m13 Ir4inor Thirteen mi13, min13, m7(add6), -13

In sheet music, chord symbols that indic ate a specific bass note to play are sometimes used'
The
For exampie, clG indicates a c chord with a G bass note (it may also be written clG bass).
bass note will not ahvays be a note of the chord; for example, Am/G is an A minor chord
with
a G bass note. which could also be calied Am7.
 Chord Formula Charts
za following chart gives a comprehensive iist of chord formulas, together with an erample
fiased on the C Scale:

CHORD NAME CHORD FORMULA EXAMPLE

Major 1135 C: CEG
Suspended 1
I?J
.1
Csus: CF G

iviajor acid Ninth 1359 A- SSA.

\-auuv: CEG
Minor i b3 5 C EbG
Augmented l13ii5 Caug: C E Gf
Major Sixth C6: CEGA
Major Sixth add Ninth lJ)ov C6l9: CEGAD
Minor Sixth
.t^
LDJ)O Cm6: CEbcA
Minor Sixth add Ninth tbts6e Cm6l9: CEbGAD
Don-iinant Seventh l3sbt C7: CEGBb
Seventh Suspended r4sbt CTsus: CFGBb
Minor Seventh bz s b't Cm7: CEbGBb
Dimrnished Seventh t bt bs bbt Cdim: c Eb cb sbb e*
Major Seventh CmajV: CEGB
Minor Major Seventh tbtst Cm(maj7): CEbGB
Ninth 135btg C9: CEGBbD
Minor Ninth lb3sbtg Cm9: CEbcBbD
Major Ninth 13519 Cmai9: CEGBD
-v Eleventh 1 3x 5 bl g 1l C11: CEXGBbDF
Minor Eleventh t bt s bt g 11 Cmil: c eb c eb D F ,

Thirteenth | 3 5 b] g 1lx 13 C13: CEGBbDF-*A

Minor Thirteenth tbzsbtgll*13 Cm13: CEbGBbDF*A

x indicates that a note is optional.

A double flat}, iowers the note's pitch by one tone.

A double sharp x , raises the note's pitch by one tone.
 tt
chart features chords which have a slight alteration to one of the given
therefore called altered chords.

t' IIORD NAN{E CHORD FORN{ULA EXAMPLB

\t rior Flat Five r3bs cbs: c E Gb
\t inor Seven Flat Five rbzbsbt cm7b5: c Eb cb sb
\\ vcn Sharp Five 1 3 hsbt C7H5: CECif; Bb
I'cn Flat Five t z bs bt C1b5: CEGbBb
lcn Sharp Nine l3sbtl,e C1F,9: CEGBbDH
vcn Flat Nine 135btbg C1b9: CEGBbDb
'r'cn Sharp Five Flat Nine I 3 fis bt bg ctlsbg: cEcl Bb Db

rnc Sharp Five T3 C9fi5: C E Gf; Bb D

rrrc Flat Five l3bsbtg C9b5: C E Gb Bb D
--*---
trtc- 5h?rp tieVen 1,3 s bt g Hrr CqHTT, CEGBbDFH
lrrror Nine Major Seven tbts'tg CEbGBD
Cm9(maj7):
f
I lrirteen Flat Nine r 3 5 bl bg llx 13 C13: CEGBbDbF*A
lrirteen Fiat Five Flat Nine r3bshbg11*13 ctzbsbg: c E Gb Bb Db F* A
.i'.' t'totes optional note
f
t2
' .iire red chords, the notes to be altered are ahvays wri[ten as part of the chord name' enabling I

'\\, r.r construct the chord. For exampie, a Cm7f; 5b 9 (not listed above) is a Cm7 chord rvith the t
'.\ sliarpened (H 5) and the ninth flattened (bq). Wlien you are working out a suitable shape .ai
\. :,lris remember that the root note and,/or the fifth note may be omitted
(see Lesson 28).
n
"hord,
\ r.iher type of alteration occcurs when chord symbols are written thus: {t
L

Example 1: G/FH bass c

This indicates that a G chord is played, but using an Ffi note in the bais. r

Example 2: C/G bass €

This indicates a C chord r'vith a G bass note'

\ \ '..rrirnes the word 'bass' rvill notbe written (i.e. the symbol willbe just GlFfi), butthe same f
'{
' ' ' ',rr1g is implied. L

I
 ,t-n" ",'
1''j
I \
/'l\
t/i,.\ lI\
Clrord lrarntngu
'r,i^.|
i r r^:^,
lvldJUl I llou ^l -
bt ^,, :r ;:".,r,,.;..
i '_
,i
j

;*-.
U E'

1-09

i:

,.i

/1
Z. Minor Triad
UM U'm

t -10

Fim

-T
Frm
Aom

-b
EM c:m
 Chord Train ins@
Diminished 7th Chord

Coim E'dim Aoim

1.
1-39

Cioim Eotm Goim B'dim

2.
I

b ,.
A^ OIM

e
I -41

2. Augmented Chord

Caug Eaug

1.
1-42

2.
r -43

3.
1.44

4.
I -45
 ) Chord Trainin g@
,.,
^ I

'\
I

1 . V"jor Tth Chord

i

Ct',,tz
\\ \i'
D tvtz

1-19

P'M7

B'M7 Bvz

Atttz

l.

r'M7

Et'rtz Ebtutz D N,lz

Z. Dominant 7th Chord

vl

':l

/i
 -c

Chord Train ing(3)

1 . Uinor. Tth Chord
um/

1-29

Emz |-m/ t'm7 Gm7

rJm/

Abmz Gmz t'm7

Dm7 Ci mt um/
tr-m/

2. Vlnor Tth Flat 5 Chord

^:-q
LJm/

1-30
, -(
Fi m7

BomT

um/a
 Exerc ise

1.
2.34

ts'm7 Em7 um/ Ctvtz

C{rz Bm7 Am/ um/

2.
2-35

Fm7 -b
aml Ci mz

-q -5 -q
Bm7 Am7 um/ tsm7

3.
2'38
-5
t-i bm7
L)? m7 -4

_A . -q
Af, m7 G; m7 lr m7 Lm7

4.
2-37
-q
h:
uml Cm7 Ai m7

--

-R
Clls 3 Lr/
72
5.
2-38

Dt' !22

6.
?-39
-i
t"7 v7
+ 7+ 2L
7.
2.40