CHORD STANDARDS 1.

0
Standardized Names and Symbols For Chords Used In Jazz and Popular Music

By

Jay Pfeifer
jaypfeifer.com

The latest version of this document is available at: http://jaypfeifer.com/chordstandards/

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Use Of This Document

This document is provided under the Creative Commons license described below. You are free to copy and re-distribute it subject to the conditions listed on this page. For more information about Creative Commons licenses, visit http:// creativecommons.org/.

You may use this document under the following conditions: 1. Attribution You must attribute the work in the manner specied by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). 2. Noncommercial You may not use this work for commercial purposes. 3. Share Alike If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one. With the understanding that: 1. Waiver Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. 2. Public Domain Where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license. 3. Other Rights In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license: Your fair dealing or fair use rights, or other applicable copyright exceptions and limitations; The author's moral rights; Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights. 4. Notice For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work.

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Introduction
This document is intended to include names, recommended symbols, and spellings of all chords commonly used in jazz, rock, pop, country, and other contemporary styles. It is the authors hope that musicians, arrangers, engravers, and songwriters will use it as a starting place for the development of chord symbol standards. Any feedback, positive or negative, can be provided at http:// jaypfeifer.com/chordstandards/ by leaving a comment.

Requirements For Chord Symbols

Text-Friendly
Chord symbols will use common letters and symbols that are easily producible on a computer keyboard either without the need for special characters, superscript characters, or vertical placement of characters or with acceptable substitutes.

Comprehensive
Symbols should include every chord in common use in jazz, rock, country, gospel, and popular music styles.

Precise
The symbols should not be ambiguous, and should differentiate between similar but different chords. For example, a 2 Chord is different than an Add 2 chord, and a Diminished chord is different than a Diminished 7 chord.

Spellings
All example spellings will use C as the root note, however it is understood that users will observe classical spelling rules for chords containing alternative spellings. For example, The C# Major chord will contain an E# rather than an F.

Theoretical Framework
For the most part, the chord names and symbols in this document will reect a theoretical framework consistent with college music theory textbooks. However, there are some differences, and the reader is advised to consult A NonFunctional Theory Of Popular Music (available free at http://jaypfeifer.com/ poptheory) for an explanation of these differences.

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Terminology
Musical terms can be ambiguous, and is one of the reasons standards documents are developed. The following terms may have multiple meanings, but are limited in this document to the denition given here. 2 Chord (as distinct from Add 2 Chord): The 2 chord is given its own tonality, and is considered to be neither Major nor Minor, and is not considered to be a suspension in the sense of functional harmony or in the sense Suspension is dened below. In other words the 2nd in a 2 chord is considered part of the chord, not a non-chord tone. (See also Suspended 4th) 15th Chords: As explained in A Non-Functional Theory Of Popular Music (available free at http://jaypfeifer.com/poptheory) Extended Chord: Any chord that is not a triad, i.e. 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords. Triads with added notes (such as add 2 or add 6) are still considered triads. Dominant: In functional harmony, a dominant note or chord is understood within the context of a key (usually Major), of which it is the fth note. In this document, Dominant refers to the scale derived from the fth mode of Major, and chords derived from this scale. It does not imply function or movement, but can be understood as a tonality on its own, like all modes. Suspended 4th: As with the term Dominant above, the term Suspended used in this document does not imply functional harmony, but simply indicates the 4th is played instead of the 3rd without implying the necessity of resolution. In other words, the 4th in the suspended 4th is considered part of the chord, not a nonchord tone. (See also 2 Chord). Triad: A chord consisting of the rst, third, and fth scale degrees of a particular scale, with any notes added or omitted as specied. For example, a C Major add2 chord contains 4 notes, but is still a triad. A C Major 7 chord contains 4 notes and is a seventh chord (see Extended Chord) not a triad. Modal Chord: A chord comprised of tones chosen by the performer from those specied as a mode or scale in the chord name or symbol. A C Dorian chord could contain any notes from the C Dorian mode/scale. In this document, chords containing the common and - signs used in jazz will also be considered examples of modal chords, with exact notes chosen by the performer. 4

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Major Triads
Full Name C Major Triad C Major Triad Add 2 C Major Triad Add 4 C Major Triad Add 6 C Major Triad Add 6/9 C Major Triad Suspended 4 C Major Triad Add 2 Omit 3 C Major Triad Omit 3 C Major Triad Suspended 4 Add 2 C Major Triad #4 Add 2 C Major Triad Suspended 4 b2 C Cadd2 Cadd4 C6 C6/9 Csus C2 C5 C2/4 C2/#4 Csus b2 Symbol CEG CDEG CEFG CEGA CEGAD CFG CDG CG CDFG C D F# C Db F G Spelling

Minor Triads
Full Name C Minor Triad C Minor Triad Add 2 C Minor Triad Add 4 C Minor Triad Add 6 C Minor Triad Add 6/9 C Minor Triad Suspended 4 C Minor Triad Add 2 Omit 3 C Minor Triad Omit 3 (See Major Triads) Cm Cm add2 Cm add4 Cm6 Cm 6/9 Symbol C Eb G C D Eb G C Eb F G C Eb G A C Eb G A D Spelling

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Major Extended Chords

Full Name C Major 7 C Major 7 b5 C Major 7 #5 C Major 7 Suspended 4 C Major 7 Add 6 C Major 9 C Major 9 Add 6 C Major 9 b5 C Major 9 #5 C Major 11 C Major 9 #11 C Major 13 C Major 13 #11 CMaj7 CMaj7 b5 CMaj7 #5 CMaj7sus CMaj7 add 6 CMaj9 CMaj9 add 6 CMaj9 b5 CMaj9 #5 CMaj11 CMaj9 #11 CMaj13 CMaj13 #11 Symbol Spelling CEGB C E Gb B C E G# B CFGB CEGAB CEGBD CEGABD C E Gb B D C E G# B D CEGBDF C E G B D F# CEGBDFA C E G B D F# A

Minor Extended Chords

Full Name C Minor 7 C Minor 7 b5 C Minor 9 C Minor 9 b5 C Minor 11 C Minor 13 C Minor 11 b5 Cm7 Cm7 b5 Cm9 Cm9 b5 Cm11 Cm13 Dm11 b5 Symbol Spelling C Eb G Bb C Eb Gb Bb C Eb G Bb D C Eb Gb Bb D C Eb G Bb D F C Eb G Bb D F A C Eb Gb Bb D F

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Dominant Extended Chords

Full Name C Dominant 7 C Dominant 7 b5 C Dominant 7 #5 C Dominant 7 Suspended 4 C Dominant 7 b9 Suspended 4 C Dominant 9 C Dominant 7 b9 C Dominant 7 b9 b5 C Dominant 7 b9 #5 C Dominant 7 #9 C Dominant 9 Suspended 4 C Dominant 7 #9 #5 C Dominant 9 #11 C Dominant 13 Omit 11 C Dominant 13 Omit 11 b9 C Dominant 13 Omit 11 b9 #5 C Dominant 13 Omit 11 b9 b5 C Dominant 13 #11 C Dominant 13 Suspended 4 C Dominant 13 Omit 11 Suspended 4 C Dominant 7 b9 #5 Suspended 4 Symbol C7 C7 b5 C7 #5 C7sus C7sus b9 C9 C7 b9 C7 b9 b5 C7 b9 #5 C7 #9 C9sus C7 #9 #5 C9 #11 C13 C13 b9 C13 b9 #5 C13 b9 b5 C13 #11 C13sus C13sus b9 C7sus b9 #5 Spelling C E G Bb C E Gb Bb C E G# Bb C F G Bb C F G Bb Db C E G Bb D C E G Bb Db C E Gb Bb Db C E G# Bb Db C E G Bb D# C F G Bb D C E G# Bb D# C E G Bb D F# C E G Bb D A C E G Bb Db A C E G# Bb Db A C E Gb Bb Db A C E G Bb D F# A C F G Bb D A C F A Bb Db C F Ab Bb Db

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Melodic Minor Chords

Full Name C Minor-Major 7 C Minor-Major 9 Symbol Cm(Maj)7 Cm(Maj)9 Spelling C Eb G B C Eb G B D

Octatonic Chords
Full Name C Diminished 7 C Diminished 9 C Diminished 11 C Diminished 13 C Diminished 15 Symbol Cdim7 Cdim9 Cdim11 Cdim13 Cdim15 Spelling C Eb Gb A C Eb Gb A B C Eb Gb A B D C Eb Gb A B D F C Eb Gb A B D F Ab

Modal Chords
Full Name C Major Mode C Minor Mode C Altered C [Mode Name] Symbol C or C^ C- or CCalt C[Mode] Spelling Any of C E G B D (F/F#) A Any of C D Eb F G (Ab/A) Bb Any of C E (Gb/G) Bb (Db/D/D#) (F/F#) A Any notes in the mode