The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    What I meant is that it can sound unstable (especially if the seventh is a major seventh) but that can be a good thing, passing or weak chords'n'all.
    Yes i agree , (ie. you got me !)
    i do like it as part of that kinda Stairway to Heaven progession
    or My funny valentine etc

    Also, a min7 in second inversion doesn't unstable or unpleasant to me. Does it to you?
    no it sounds stable, and very like the root position chord to me ...

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    What chord symbol do you use for these common guitar voicings?

    x-7-7-7-8-x

    I like A4/E (from Long Beach State music program, E in the bass and then stack 4ths above the A note)

    But then there is this?

    x-7-7-7-8-7

    Maybe Em11 though if I see Em11 in that position I'll play x-7-x-7-8-5 or x-7-9-7-10-x

  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    What chord symbol do you use for these common guitar voicings?

    x-7-7-7-8-x

    I like A4/E (from Long Beach State music program, E in the bass and then stack 4ths above the A note)
    I like the idea of a notation for quartal harmony, but can you call x7x875x (same chord, except A is raised an octave) A4/E? If not the notation is not flexible enough for me. I don't want it to dictate the entire voicing.

    I'd probably call x7778x Em11 unless the context says otherwise, like it could be more of a A7sus4 -- although aren't they kissin cousins?

  5. #29

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    I like the OP's thread as it makes me re-think what I've taken for granted or simply accepted from the literature on Music Theory & Harmony. But there is a logical sequence in how the subject is derived, other than just a load of convenient conventions for communication.

    This is the Musical Alphabet for the key of C Major: ...CEGBDFACEGBDFACE...
    In the key of F Major it would be: ...FACEG Bb DFACEG Bb DFA...
    And so on for each key.

    These 16 letters are a practical quantity, although the sequence is really an infinite circle. They represent the Major Scale in thirds, or every second letter of the alphabet from A to G. Within it you can select any diatonic chord built on each degree of the scale of C Major, extended from triads to sevenths, ninths, elevenths and thirteenths.

    Memorise the order and rotate through the Musical Alphabet order to rapidly spell chords (Chord Spelling) and to find the bass note for each inversion. The sound of any inversion, or chord for that matter, is determined by its lowest note. Learn some elementary piano to find this out for yourself. It's the best instrument to visually study harmony with.

    You can select a different top note, or mix the order of the notes between the bass note and top note, but it's the bass note that determines the sound and function of any chord. That's why inversions are named by the bass note. It's all about context. The chord progression relies heavily upon the bass note, which is not always the root.

    Root Position, First Inversion, Second Inversion, Third Inversion, Fourth Inversion, ...
    Note that Root Position is not an inversion! And slash chords are not always an inversion!

    To answer the OP's question, the position of the root within a chord reveals little information to anyone. In fact, the root is often omitted. The musical field consists of musicians on various instruments, composers and arrangers, so the conventional explanation suits each and all. You need only memorise the simple Musical Alphabet!

    As a bassist, with the role of continually playing the bass note, or bottom-most note, inverted-chords and slash-chords come into play all of the time as the bass line decides the matter. As a guitarist I can use inversions to voice-lead the changes.

    Many guitar chords use the fifth in the bass. However, if a bassist or organist or pianist is playing the third of the chord, then someone needs to give way.

    In particular, C7, in the key of F Major, is the dominant. Voiced as a second inversion dominant seventh chord in open position, (G (C) E Bb C) or a C7/5. The root is omitted and replaced by the fifth in the bass. This sounds great on guitar alone, especially in accompaniment, for a 251 or 1625 progression. I thank Johnny Rector for that chord. But in an ensemble situation, with a bassist or pianist/organist playing left hand bass notes, there will be a clash.

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    Last edited by StringNavigator; 02-28-2020 at 01:32 AM.

  6. #30

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    So for jazz notation, the standard is from "Standard Chord Symbol Notation", Carl Brandt and Clinton Roemer. It's dated, but still the standard.

    How one voices chords or inversions etc... is the players choice, unless notated or verbally cued.

    Generally... with jazz you voice from the top down. The lead note is much more important than the bass note. maybe if your playing something new or not from common jazz practice... and even so, after the 1st or 2nd time through, the root motion or chord progression will be implied. Guitarist don't play Piano voicings... maybe with montinuos, or line cliche... The other detail... traditional intervals and voice leading common practice... is generally what you don't want to do.

    All the practice of playing chords and their inversions is just part of fretboard awareness... developing your technical skills. Somewhat the beginning steps of learning how to comp. If it was easy and didn't take some organized time.... we would all be accomplished musicians.

  7. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    What chord symbol do you use for these common guitar voicings?

    x-7-7-7-8-x

    I like A4/E (from Long Beach State music program, E in the bass and then stack 4ths above the A note)

    But then there is this?

    x-7-7-7-8-7

    Maybe Em11 though if I see Em11 in that position I'll play x-7-x-7-8-5 or x-7-9-7-10-x
    '

    I've just had this come up. The voicing I wanted was x3334x. I tried Cm11, but the pianist ending adding a whole bunch of notes I didn't want.

    I then tried my own name: C(stack4's). Pianist got closer but didn't know how many to stack.

    It was an original, so I just entered the notes I wanted in the chart. To keep it on one page I stacked notes on the same staff as the melody note and then gave them different note heads. I put text on the top of the chart explaning that notehead was to provide information about the voicing and was not to be played as written.

    But, it just came up again. Putting all those notes in is annoying. I tried to add another stave but Musescore wouldn't let me. A bug, I think. It worked on another chart. I have to figure that out.