Transposing Chord Symbols There s no easy way of doing this the only way is to identify the interval of the transposition, minor third, perfect fifth etc. and apply it to the original chord symbol. All other chord information, quality (minor, major, diminished, augmented) and extensions (7 th, 9 th etc.) remain the same. The following table gives you the transpositions for all the most common notes. Find your original note along the top row, and follow the column down until you re opposite the interval you require there s your transposed note: To transpose a Dma7 chord up an augmented fourth: Find D on the top row, go down to the aug4/dim5 row and the note is G#/ Ab The chord is therefore G#ma7 (or Abma7 if you re working in a flat key) (this table only works for upward transposition) C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B Min2 C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C Maj2 D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# Min3 D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D Maj3 E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb P4 F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E Aug4/ F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E F dim5 P5 G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb Aug5/ G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G min6 Maj6 A A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab Min7 A#/Bb B C C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Maj7 B C C# D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb Page 1
Italian terms Used in traditionally notated music Adagietto Ad libitum, ad lib. Agitato Alla breve Amore Anima Animato Ben Brio Comodo Deciso Delicato Energico Forza Largamente Leggerio Marcato Marziale Mesto Pesante Prima, primo Risoluto Ritmico Rubato rather slow At choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely agitated with a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2 time, implying a faster tempo than the note values might suggest love soul,spirit (con anima:with feeling) animated, lively well vigour convenient (tempo comodo: at a comfortable speed) with determination delicate energetic force broadly light, nimble emphatic, accented in a military style sad heavy first bold, strong rhythmically with some freedom of time Page 2
Scherzando Seconda Semplice Sempre Stringendo Subito Tanto Tranquillo Triste Volta playful/joking second simple, plain always gradually getting faster suddenly so much calm sad time (prima volta: first time) Page 3
Extended Chords (9th, 11th, 13th): We discussed compound intervals, that is intervals of more than an octave, in an earlier lesson. How might we notate the addition of these as extensions to a chord? The first point to make is that extensions of the tenth and twelve are just thirds and fifths plus an octave. The extensions of real interest are the ninth, eleventh and thirteenth. The chords are named for the extension; so, ninth chords, eleventh chords and thirteenth chords. The extensions are added to seventh chords, the quality and function of which is preserved. Thus, a dominant chord with an added ninth remains a dominant chord. If you who find the naming of extended chords confusing, remember that it is assumed that ninths are added to seventh chords to produce ninth chords, that eleventh and ninths are both added to seventh chords to produce eleventh chords and that thirteenths, elevenths and ninths are all added to seventh chords to give thirteenth chords. So if one calls a chord an eleventh it is assumed that the ninth and eleventh are present and that there is a seventh chord present too. The quality of the chord is determined by the seventh and the greatest extension names the chord. Thus, a major thirteenth chord will be a major seventh chord plus a ninth and a thirteenth, while a dominant ninth is a dominant seventh chord plus a ninth. There are a few practical rules about building extended chords. We list these below. Ninth Chords major ninth is added to all possible seventh chords. Page 4
Here are the four ninth chords on C all in root position; in order they are major ninth minor ninth dominant ninth minor ninth flat five Eleventh Chords Here are the four eleventh chords on C all in root position; in order they are major eleventh minor eleventh dominant eleventh minor eleventh flat five Eleventh Chord: if the third is missing then adding an eleventh produces a 'suspended fourth' chord: sus4 or sus Page 5
Thirteenth Chords major thirteenth is added to the eleventh chords given above if, to relieve the texture, the eleventh is missing the chord remains a 13th; if, however, the eleventh is present but altered, this must be shown in the name of the chord Here are a number of other chords that feature in modern popular music. Power Chords Where one wants neutrality as to whether a chord is major or minor, you can leave out the third. A chord made up only of the key-note and its fifth (maybe plus octaves up or down) is called a power chord. It is written as the (letter name of the chord) together with the number 5: e.g. G5. Suspended Fourth Chords If the third in a chord is changed to a fourth the chord feels as though it is waiting for the fourth to resolve back to the third. This feeling of suspension gives the chord its name, a suspended fourth chord. We have already pointed out in the table above that sometimes suspended fourth chords are mistakenly called eleventh chords. Add2 Chords If a second is added to a major or minor triad or to a power chord the chord is called an add2 chord. A figure 2 is added to the end of the chord name, with a slash in the case of a power chord. Augmented & Diminished Fifth Chords The fifth is often raised (augmented) or lowered (diminished) in major triads and dominant seventh chords. Page 6
Sixth Chords If a major sixth is added to a major or minor triad the chord is called a sixth chord. The chord name is followed by a figure 6. Six/Nine Chords If both a major sixth and a major ninth are added to a major or minor triad the chord is called a 6/9 chord. A six/nine chord is shown as the chord name followed by 6/9. Polychords A polychord is one triad placed above another, often used by keyboard players where each hand plays a different triad. The standard notation is to place one chord name above a horizontal line with the second chord name below the line. Naming Chords C5, C(no3), C(omit3) C power chord C G Cm5, Cmi5, Co, C dim C minor flat 5 or C diminished C Eb Gb Cm, Cmi C minor triad C Eb G Cb5 C major flat 5 triad C E Gb C C or C major triad C E G C+ C augmented triad C E G# Csus4, Csus C suspended 4th triad C F G Cmi2, Cm(add2) C minor add 2 C D Eb G Cmi4, Cm(add4) C minor add 4 C Eb F G C2, C(add2) C major add 2 C D E G Page 7
C4, C(add4) C major add 4 C E F G Cdim, Co, Co7 C diminished seventh C Eb Gb Bb Cm7b5, Cmi7b5, Cø C half diminished seventh C Eb Gb Bb Cm6, Cmi6 C minor sixth C Eb G A Cm7, Cmi7 C minor seventh C Eb G Bb C6 C sixth C E G A C7, V7 C seventh or dominant seventh C E G Bb Cmaj7 C major 7 th C E G B C7+, C+7 C augmented 7 th C E G# B Cm6/9, C minor six ninth C Eb G A D Cm9, Cmi9 C minor ninth C Eb G Bb D C7b9 C seven flat ninth C E G Bb D C9 C ninth C E G Bb D C7#9 C seven sharp ninth C E G# Bb D Cmaj9 C major ninth C E G B D C6/9, C69, C6(add9) C six ninth C E G A D C79+, C+7 C seven flat nine augmented C E G# Bb Db C9+, C+9 C ninth augmented C E G# Bb D Cm11, Cmi11 C minor eleventh C Eb G Bb D F Page 8
C7911 C seven flat ninth sharp eleventh C E G Bb Db F# C911 C ninth sharp eleventh C E G Bb D F# Cmaj911 C major ninth sharp eleventh C E G B D F# Cm13, Cmi13 C minor thirteenth C Eb G Bb D F A C1311 9 C thirteenth sharp eleventh flat nine C E G Bb D F# Ab C13 C thirteenth C E G Bb D F A Page 9