[Notuproductions]

I recently purchased the "Jazz Chord changes Anthology"
Does anyone have a clue how to read it? It looks like the periodic table to me. LOL

help please.

[Rainer.]

I'm just gonna whip up a somewhat comprehensive chord symbol primer... Tell me if you have any questions (and the Roman Numeral section is probably not as in-depth as I'd like right now...)

All About Chord Symbols!
(particularly for jazz cats)

The Parts of a Chord Symbol

Let's take a nice, fancy chord example:

Cmaj7(b5)(add13)/F

First we have the root [C]. The root is the basis of the chord. Start here.

Next we have the chord name. The chord name starts with one of three things:
maj: aka. ma, M, ∆
This means you use a major third, and a major seventh.
min: aka. mi, m, -
This means you use a minor third and a minor seventh.
dim: aka. °
This means you use a minor third, minor seventh, and a diminished fifth.
aug: aka. +
This means you use a major third, major seventh, and an augmented fifth.
[nothing]
This means you use a major third and a minor seventh. If you just have the root alone, then that simply means major triad, not using any other notes.

After that you have a number. This number represents all the additional notes to add to the chord. Chords are built in thirds, so the number here is going to show what thirds to play:
7 means play notes 1, 3, 5, and 7.
9 means play notes 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.
11 means play notes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Over 11 the pattern changes.
13 means play notes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13.
13 and higher chords usually omit the 11th, though you don't see many chords with a number larger than 13 (though you might see 13 a lot).

Now what about 6ths? Just follow the rule, and play 1, 3, 5 and 6. You won't come across many fourths and seconds, but if you do, it's safe to assume it's a major triad with those notes added.

After that, you have lovely alterations. These numbers flat or sharp (or maybe doubleflat/doublesharp) a note in your chord. If you no alterations, leave your chord be, but if you have an alteration, you basically just need to do what it says. In the example chord, the fifth is flatted. So take any fifth in your note, and play it flat.

After that you may have a note addition. This is where you take a note, and add it to your party. It can either be written as adding an interval (such as adding a 13) or as adding a note (Fm9(add E)). Perhaps you may ask "If they're going to add a 13 to a G7, then why don't they write G13?". It's simply because you don't want the 9th implied by the 13. They add it instead.

Lastly, you have the bass note. That's the note you put at the very bottom of your chord. Usually, the bass takes care of that note.

Now I didn't cover suspensions. You have two main kinds of suspensions, a sus2 and a sus4. Essentially, you're erasing the third, and playing a 2 or 4 in its place. If the chord just says sus (as it usually will), play a sus4.

If we take a chord like:
Fm13
You can think of it like this:

1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 13 are the notes in the chord.




_______________________________


Roman Numeral Notation

Capital letters denote major chords, lowercase letters are minor chords. The number is the scale degree of the chord in the key you are playing in. There is one sequence possible in a major scale:
I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii°
These shift with modal changes and tonal shifts. For example, relative natural minor to the major yields the following:
i - ii° - III - iv - v - VI - VII
Harmonic Minor:
i - ii - III+ - iv - V - VI - vii°

In jazz, Roman numeral symbols are often mixed with modern chord symbols. However, inversion symbols are used in classical music as follows:
Triads:
6 - First Inversion
6/4 - Second Inversion
Dominant Seventh (only used with the scale degree V):
6/5 - First Inversion
4/3 - Second Inversion
4/2 - Third Inversion (also just 2)

[Xkcer Man]

Nice post, Rainer. I'd like to add one thing: sometimes playing all the notes is unnecessary. You don't have to play every note in the chord. The first note you should omit is the 5th (unless it is b5 or #5). After that you can omit the root (since the bass player usually covers it) and the 11th (unless it is #11). Keeping the 3rd and 7th is very important.

[Notuproductions]

Thanks for the quick response fellas. Thanks Rainer for posting that great theory info...Unfortunately my problem is a little more specific. I have some experience reading chord shapes and I know enough theory to construct chords based on diatonic scale degrees etc... my sight reading leaves a lot to be desired though lol, I purchased a book on line titled " The Jazz Chord Changes Anthology" and instead of normal staff papered charts the songs chord shapes are written inside of conjoined boxes and it literally resembles the periodic table. I would be willing to email someone pages from the book (unless somebody knows how to convert PDF to HTML so I can copy and paste it into a reply) Any other advise you have for a great guitarist in the making would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Rainer.]

Alright, I understand how it works now.

So generally, these are just the changes to each tune, no melody or lead to speak of. (which is why I really prefer The Real Book or other books)

Each box represents one measure. You play that chord in that measure. Some boxes are split in two, this means each chord takes up half the measure. The relative sizes of the boxes represents how long the chord is held in the measure. 1/2 of the box means that chord is for 1/2 the measure (2 beats, generally), 1/4 of the box means 1/4 of the measure (1 beat, generally), and so on. So each box is each measure, and you proceed through the boxes to form the chord changes for the song.

A dash or a similar series of dots means you repeat what was in the last box, or in cases of long series of boxes with dashes and a long arrow, you repeat what was in the last series of boxes.

[Notuproductions]

Thanks for the help. I also purchased a couple different editions of the real book when I purchased the anthology. Your input helped a lot. I pretty good at reading chord charts from lead sheets, any advice for increasing my sight reading. Maybe you know of some good books? I can read a staff but it takes me to long to convert what I see to guitar. I'm sure as I continue to practice I will get better but I'm sure there is a specific method that may increase my learning curve.


Thanks

notuproductions