| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | seventh. This part of chord symbols is not always |
| Chord symbols (for example, Cmaj7 or G6) are a | | | | shown; if there is no indication of an extension, the |
| type of notation used frequently in jazz and other | | | | musician is to assume that the chord is a triad. |
| areas of modern music to notate chord progressions | | | | The last part in chord symbols, the alteration, is |
| and changes. This type of notation differs from that | | | | usually but not always expressed. Think of this part |
| of classical music in that chord symbols don't show | | | | as the "notes" section in chord symbols; it gives the |
| the function of a chord the way the Roman numeral | | | | musician any specific (and sometimes irregular) |
| notation does. Chord symbols, for modern music with | | | | instructions for playing the chord and is always |
| lots of changes, are much easier to read. They | | | | written in parentheses after the extension (or the |
| function as a sort of shorthand for change-heavy | | | | quality, if no extension exists). For instance, (no fifth) |
| music and are written with four chord parts in mind: | | | | would tell the musician that the chord is to be played |
| the root, the quality, the extension, and the | | | | with the fifth tone left out. Sus — short for |
| alterations. | | | | suspension, would mean to play the 4th scale |
| The first part in chord symbols, the root, tells the | | | | note instead of the 3rd. A minus sign would mean to |
| musician which note is the root of the chord. In an E6 | | | | lower (flat) a chord tone, such as C-9 which would |
| chord, for instance, the E serves as the root. Chord | | | | mean to flat the 9th of the chord. Conversely, a plus |
| symbols also allow for inverted chords, or chords | | | | sign would mean to raise (sharp) a particular chord |
| with a root other than the bass note. These chord | | | | tone. |
| symbols express that by showing the bass note with | | | | Reading music using chord symbols allows a person |
| a diagonal slash under the original symbol. | | | | to use written music as a map, rather than a |
| Quality, the second part in chord symbols, denotes | | | | note-for-note approach. By just reading the melody |
| whether the chord is major, minor, diminished, or | | | | note and the chord symbols, musicians can improvise |
| augmented. In a Cmaj7, the maj tells us that the C | | | | to their hearts content and create their own sounds |
| chord is major. The abbreviations for this area in | | | | on the keyboard. |
| chord symbols are maj, min, dim, and aug, | | | | The best of all worlds, however, is to be able to |
| respectively. | | | | read music as it is written in a sheet music score, but |
| The extension in chord symbols, written after the | | | | also be able to read the chord symbols. Then the |
| quality, shows the musician if the chord differs from | | | | musician is free to choose which is best — the |
| a triad (a third chord), such as an eleventh or | | | | written part, or an improvised part. |