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Hello guys/gals,
Please forgive me in advance if this question is rudimentary or simple.
I have been playing guitar for nearly 30 years. However, I have never really delved into the world of jazz chords or comping (Mostly a rock and blues player). As I begin my studies into jazz guitar chords and naming I've run across a few chord symbols that I'm confused about what to call them and why they may be called that way.
For example: -maj7 or -add2. What does the "-" represent. Same with "+" in something like: -9+7 or +7.
Thanks for any info anyone can provide and, again, I'm sorry if this question is a bit too elementary.
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10-30-2019 09:35 AM
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- means minor
+ indicates augmented 5th
-9 indicates flat ninth
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Originally Posted by shrews824
+ means an augmented chord. +7 would be like C E G# Bb
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Originally Posted by Stuart Elliott
Is that correct?
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yep
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Perfect. Thanks so much guys. BTW, enjoying the forum quite a bit.
Cheers.
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A much older convention of naming flatted intervals with a "-" can still be found. C7-9 would be C7b9... More rare now, but you might run into it.
"+" is more common, but I think both are more old fashioned now. D7#5, D7b13, Dmaj7#5 etc is more used than the +'s.
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Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher
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I'm not very busy at the moment so -!
The others have answered it really. I think your main confusion was between the minus and plus signs but these other points could come in useful too. In fact, they probably will.
(EDIT: I can't get the triangle symbol to display so I've just written it /\)
Triangle: Major 7 chords are usually written with a triangle: C/\
The more obvious versions are C maj7 or CM7. Other major chord types (not 7) say the name: Cmaj9 or CM9 (or C6, CM13, etc). You won't see C/\9.
It's also used to denote the minor/major chord: Cm/maj7, Cmin/Maj7, Cm//\. But I've never seen C-//\ or C-/\.
Minus sign 1: Minor is written C min, Cm or, as already said, C-.
So: Cm9, Cmin9, C-9, etc.
Minus sign 2: The minus sign is also used for the flat symbol.
So: C7b9, C7-9, etc. It's never used for a key signature. The key of Ab is never written A-. That means A minor!
Plus sign 1: The plus sign is used for the sharp symbol. So C7#9 is also C7+9.
Plus sign 2: It's also used to denote a sharpened 5th. Those chords are also called 'augmented' or 'raised'. So a C augmented chord (C E G#) would be C aug or just C+.
Also with dominant chords with a raised (sharpened) 5th: C7#5 or C7+5.
Again, the + sign is never used for a key sig. F# major is never F+ or F+maj.
The 'add' word: Not to be confused with the + sign. C add9 means the chord is a major triad with the 9 added to it (C E G D). Which is different to a CM9 (C E G B D).
The small circle: Used for a diminished chord: C dim, Co, Cdim7, Co7, etc.
Small circle with a line through it: Means half-diminished, also called minor7b5: So Cm7b5, Cm7-5, Cø. I've never seen C half-dim or anything like that.
The slash symbol: Used to denote the bottom note of a chord: C7/E ( for example: E Bb C G).
When the bass note isn't in the chord then it's simpler to write it as a slash chord rather than try to figure out the musicology: B/C means a B maj triad over a C bass (C F# B D#).
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Try looking at lead sheets (lots on this forum or in a Real Book, etc) and spot the symbols. Context usually clarifies any confusion.
There is one last point. I think the Continental way of writing chords is slightly different. If you ever see a sheet that makes no sense at all, that's probably why. Best ask, there are people here who understand all that.Last edited by ragman1; 11-01-2019 at 10:25 AM.
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Ok, great. I believe I'm beginning to understand it a little bit. It'll just be a matter of getting used to seeing the chord notation written that way.
This has been incredibly helpful. Thanks again everyone and if I have any more questions I'll be sure to ask for advice.
Also, thanks for the genuine responses and for not treating me like a total "newb".
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Never :-)
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Useful info
There's three types of chord
Fancy major (maj7, add9, maj9, 6/9, 6)
Fancy minor (min7, min9, minmaj7, min6/9, min(add9))
Fancy dominant (7, 13, 7#11, 7+9, 7b9 etc)
All of the other chords can be understood as one of these three, but I didn't want to give to much info. m7b5s and o7s are 7s in disguise.
The important notes for any chord are the highest note (melody) and the lowest note (bass.) Everything in the middle is filler. The name is less important than the basic colour of the chord and those two bits of info.
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Originally Posted by shrews824
The melody and bass thing becomes key when you start to join chords up in progressions and so on....
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Originally Posted by shrews824
How about these?
DmiMa7, or D-(Maj7)
D+7
D+7(b9)
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Originally Posted by ragman1
EDIT: the forum must have some filter to block unusual characters and avoid injection attacks or something like that
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Originally Posted by Jazzstdnt
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For
D-9+7 = D (flat) 9th augmented 5th 7.
I would write if D7#5b9 -- I wrote it the way I would say it, D seventh, sharp five, flat nine. (0x54546)
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Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
I'm just going to have to study them. That's all there is to it. Learn them inside and out.
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Originally Posted by shrews824
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Isn’t there a sort of order that normally gets observed? Triad/seventh chord first then extensions in ascending order.
Eg
E+7-9
Not
E-9+7
Though I’m sure you can find some hateful chart somewhere probably in a singer’s pad that breaks these rules lol
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D-9+7 would literally mean D-9 with an augmented seventh (ie an octave lol) but if I saw that I would assume that something was up.
It’s chordal word salad tbh
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You know this page isn't bad
Chord names and symbols (popular music) - Wikipedia
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I wish I was well versed enough to have a meaningful thought about the last few comments. In due time I guess.
One head, two cabs.
Today, 03:56 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos