Common Jazz Chord Symbols Here I Use the More Explicit Abbreviation 'Maj7' for Major Seventh
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Common jazz chord symbols Here I use the more explicit abbreviation 'maj7' for major seventh. Other common abbreviations include: C² C²7 CMA7 and CM7. Here I use the abbreviation 'm7' for minor seventh. Other common abbreviations include: C- C-7 Cmi7 and Cmin7. The variations given for Major 6th, Major 7th, Dominant 7th, basic altered dominant and minor 7th chords in the first five systems are essentially interchangeable, in other words, the 'color tones' shown added to these chords (9 and 13 on major and dominant seventh chords, 9, 13 and 11 on minor seventh chords) are commonly added even when not included in a chord symbol. For example, a chord notated Cmaj7 is often played with an added 6th and/or 9th, etc. Note that the 11th is not one of the basic color tones added to major and dominant 7th chords. Only #11 is added to these chords, which implies a different scale (lydian rather than major on maj7, lydian dominant rather than the 'seventh scale' on dominant 7th chords.) Although color tones above the seventh are sometimes added to the m7b5 chord, this chord is shown here without color tones, as it is often played without them, especially when a more basic approach is being taken to the minor ii-V-I. Note that the abbreviations Cmaj9, Cmaj13, C9, C13, Cm9 and Cm13 imply that the seventh is included. Major triad Major 6th chords C C6 C% w ww & w w w Major 7th chords (basic structure: root, 3rd, 5th and 7th of root's major scale) 4 CŒ„Š7 CŒ„Š9 CŒ„Š13 w w w w & w w w Dominant seventh chords (basic structure: root, 3rd, 5th and b7 of root's major scale) 7 C7 C9 C13 w bw bw bw & w w w basic altered dominant 7th chords 10 C7(b9) C7(#5) (aka C7+5 or C+7) C7[äÁ] bbw bw b bw & w # w # w Minor 7 flat 5, aka 'half diminished' fully diminished Minor seventh chords (root, b3, b5, b7). seventh Ø) (root, b3, 5th and b7 of root's major scale) Minor 6th chords (aka C Ø 7 or C 13 C‹7 C‹9 C‹11 C‹6 C‹% C‹7(b5) Cdim7 (aka Cº7 ) w bw bw bw w ww bw ∫w & nb w b w b w bw bw bb w bb w other extensions/alterations of basic seventh chords (aka C7alt; this chord symbol can C‹13 also imply b5 20 CŒ„Š7(#11) CŒ„Š13(#11) C7(b5) C7(#11) C13(#11) C7[åÁ] w w w and b9) #w #w #w #w nw bw & n nw w bbw bnw b w b w b #w n w w w w w bw n w.