Basic Lead Sheet Symbols - Music Theory at LearnMusicTheory.net

augmented. The symbols for seventh chords work similarly: A vertical slash indicates the note that should be played lowest. A horizontal slash indicat...

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LearnMusicTheory.net High-Yield Music Theory, Vol. 1: Music Theory Fundamentals

Section 4.6 BASIC LEAD SHEET SYMBOLS Lead sheet symbols for triads

Lead sheet symbols are written above a melody and indicate the chords to play underneath. They show the root of the chord and the chord quality. For triads, the common chord qualities are major, minor, diminished, and augmented.

C

C- or Cmin Cdim or Cminb5 or Cº Caug or Cmaj#5

& w w w

& bw w w

Major

Lead sheet symbols for seventh chords

& bbw w w

Minor

Diminished

C7

C^ or Cmaj7

& bw w w w

&

C-7 or Cmin7

w w w w

& bbw w w w

Major 7th

Cmin7b5 or CØ7

& bbbw w w w

Half—dim 7th

Minor 7th

Cº7 or Cdim7

& bb∫w w w w

Diminished 7th (Bº often spelled A§)

A vertical slash indicates the note that should be played lowest. A horizontal slash indicates one chord on top of another chord (often, two different triads).

E _ D

G7/B

w w w & w w See also

Augmented

The symbols for seventh chords work similarly:

Mm7 ("Dominant" 7th)

Vertical and horizontal slashes

& #w w w

B on bottom

#w w w & #w w w

E major triad D major triad

See Volume 3: Jazz and Popular Music Theory and Jazzology by Rawlins and Bahha. For roman numerals, see 5.2 Roman Numerals.