{"id":4091,"date":"2010-05-27T13:31:36","date_gmt":"2010-05-27T13:31:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/?p=4091"},"modified":"2019-08-02T12:30:41","modified_gmt":"2019-08-02T12:30:41","slug":"chord-symbols-explained-a-guest-post-by-kim-gentes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/chord-symbols-explained-a-guest-post-by-kim-gentes\/","title":{"rendered":"Chord symbols explained – a guest post by Kim Gentes"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do all the strange names and symbols mean in guitar chords?<\/h2>\n

First, understand that chord nomenclature is a colloquialism of modern music, and there are occasional variances on how people use the symbols. I used the common forms below, which are a mixture of common pop music (such as the half-diminished) and jazz influenced (such as minor major 7th) chord symbols.\u00a0 You will doubtless find people using the + symbol occasionally to mean “add” a specific note to a chord form (rather than augmented which is the more common form), and various other such renderings. In fact, the + is also sometimes used as a way to “sharp” a note in some circles.\u00a0 That said, I tend to revert to letters, instead of using symbols where possible, to avoid such confusion. Meaning, I would use C7aug rather than C7+ simply to avoid misunderstanding in some circles.\u00a0 Then again, if everyone simply used my chart below, there would be not confusion at all :).\u00a0 So there you go then- use this as gospel chord notation.<\/p>\n

The use of “b” in this table\u00a0symbolizes flat, and applies to the note that follows it in a chord form, or the chord name that proceeds it when contexted to the chord itself. The use of the “#” symbol indicates a sharp.<\/p>\n

General chord theory has some “essentials” to remember:<\/p>\n