Chord Labels

Stack diatonic thirds atop one another, starting on a major scale's fifth note until we get four notes.

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C D E F G A B C D E F G A B. . .

w
minor
seventh

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Starting from a root of G, this chord contains
a major third, perfect fifth, and minor
seventh. It forms our "default chord" which
minor
seventh
perfect
fifth
G7: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7
G B D F
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major
we call G7 or G Dominant 7.
major
third
triad

root

Extensions
We extend a chord by adding on additional diatonic thirds. This allows for 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths. The 15th is
not a valid extension since it just our root note.

G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Starting from a root of G, all of these chords contain the b7 G7: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7
degree of F. Since our seventh is a b7 by default, all 7's in
G B D F
1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9
chord names refer to a b7.
G9:
Extended chords must contain every note of their G B D F A
predecessor. G9 must contain all notes of G7. G11 must
contain all notes of G9. And G13 must contain all notes of G11: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11
G B D F A C
1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G11.
G13:
A G13 chord can be thought of as the Mixolydian scale being
played as a chord.
G B D F A C E
Modifiers
By modifying our default chord, we can create different types of extended chords.

Gm7: 1 - b3 - 5 - b 7
m or "min" G Bb D F
This label means the chord will have its third lowered to a minor Gm9: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9
third. The "m" sign does not refer the minor scale at all. Applying G Bb D F A
this to our default extended chords creates the following extended Gm11: 1 - b3 - 5 - b 7 - 9 - 11
minor chord. G Bb D F A C
Gm13: 1 - b3 - 5 - b 7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G Bb D F A C E

Maj or M or Δ GMaj7: 1-3-5- 7

This label tells us to raise the chord's seventh, which by default is G B D FB
a minor seventh. Doing this to our default chord creates extended GMaj9: 1-3-5- 7-9
major chords. G B D FB A
GMaj11: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11
G B D FB A C
GMaj13: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G B D FB A C E

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 Chord Labels
GmMaj7: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7
FB
Combining "min" and "maj"
We can combine the minor and major modifiers in a single chord. G Bb D
GmMaj9: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7-9
FB A
This tells us to lower our thirds to minor thirds, and also raise our
sevenths to major sevenths. Adding this label to our extended chords G Bb D
GmMaj11: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11
creates extended Minor Major chords.
G Bb D FB A C
These chords are all diatonic to the melodic minor scale.
GmMaj13: 1 - b3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G Bb D FB A C E

Aug or +
This label tells us to raise the chord's fifth. Applying this to our #5 instead of Aug
default extended chords creates Augmented Dominant chords. This We can use this label in lieu of Aug
is the classical way to name these chords. They can also be written or + to create the exact same
using the #5 label instead, which is considered their jazz name. chords with a jazz label instead.
GAug7: 1 - 3 - B5 - b7 G7#5: 1 - 3 - B5 - b7
G B DB F G B DB F
GAug9: 1 - 3 - B5 - b7 - 9 same G9(#5): 1 - 3 - B5 - b7 - 9
G B DB F A G B DB F A
GAug11: 1 - 3 - B5 - b7 - 9 - 11 G11(#5): 1 - 3 - B5 - b7 - 9 - 11
G B BDB F A C G B BDB F A C
GAug13: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13 G13(#5): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G B DB F A C E . G B DB F A C E
Any chord whose fifth has been changed will also be called an Altered Chord. In this case, we have altered our
dominant chord's fifth, so these chords are considered a type of Altered Dominant.

Combining "Aug" and "Maj" Maj#5 instead of AugMaj

Using both these modifiers instructs us to raise a chord's fifth and We can use this label instead to
also it's seventh. This create the following "classical" chord names. create the same chords but with a
newer "jazz" name.

GAugMaj7: 1 - 3 - B5 B- 7 GMaj7#5: 1 - 3 - B5 B- 7
G B D FB G B D FB
GAugMaj9: 1 - 3 - B5 - 7-9 GMaj9(#5): 1 - 3 - B5 - 7 - 9
G B DB FB A same G B DB FB A
GAugMaj11: 1 - 3 - B5 - 7 - 9 - 11 GMaj11(#5): 1 - 3 - B5 - 7 - 9 - 11
G B BDB FB A C G B DB FB A C
GAugMaj13: 1-3-5- 7B- 9 - 11 - 13 GMaj13(#5): 1 - 3 - B5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - 13
G B DB F A C E B
G B DB F A C E
"min" +"b5"
Combining these labels means we will lower the
b5 chord's third and fifth. This creates extended
This label means we lower the chord's fifth.
versions of half-diminshed chords.
Applying this to our default chord creates
another type of Altered Dominant Chord. Jazz Classical
G7( b5): 1 - 3 - b5 - b7
Name Name
G B Db F Gm7b5: 1 - b3 - b5 - b7 Gº7:
G9( b5): 1 - 3 - b5 - b7 - 9 G Bb D b F
G B Db F A Gm9b5: 1 - b3 - b5 - b7 - 9 Gº9:
G11( b5): 1 - 3 - b5 - b7 - 9 - 11 G Bb D b F A
G B Db F A C Gm11b5: 1 - b3 - b5 - b7 - 9 - 11 Gº11:
G13( b5): 1 - 3 - b5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13 G Bb Db F A C
G B Db F A C E Gm13b5: 1 - b3 - b5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13 Gº13:
G Bb Db F A C E
These are all very rare (except Gm7b5).

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 Chord Labels
"dim" or º
This label tells us to take our default chord and lower it's third, fifth, and seventh. Since the seventh is
already a minor seventh by default, lowering it again will move it to a bb7.

GDim7: 1 - b3 - b5 - bb7 GDim9: 1 - b3 - b5 - bb7 - 9 GDim11: 1 - b3 - b5 - bb7 - 9 - 11

G Bb Db Fb G Bb D b F b A G Bb D b Fb A C
We can not add a 13th since it is equivalent to our bb7 in another octave.

Suspended Variations
Suspended chords replace their third with a 2nd or 4th, allowing the following chords:

G7Sus2: 1 - 2 - 5 - b7
G A D FB
GSus2: 1 - 2 - 5 GMaj7Sus2: 1 - 2 - 5 - 7
G A D G A D F
GSus4: 1 - 4 - 5 G7Sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7 GMaj7Sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - 7
G C D G C D F G C D FB
Rare Suspended Chords
Using the concept of suspended can be stretched to form the following exotic chords. They are "theoretical
labels" that one may encounter.

GSus b2: 1 - b2 - 5 G7Sus b2: 1 - b2 - 5 - b7 GMaj7Sus b2: 1 - b2 - 5 - 7

G Ab D G Ab D F G Ab D FB
GSus#4: 1 - B4 -B 5 G7Sus#4: 1 - B4 B- 5 - b7 GMaj7Sus#4: 1 - B4 B- 5 - 7 B
G C D G C D F G C D F
GSus2 b5: 1 - 2 - b5 GSus4 b5: 1 - 4 - b5 GSus2#5:1 - 2 - B5 B GSus4#5: 1 - 4 - B5 B
G A Db G C Db G A D G C D
Additional Alterations
The following alterations can be included into most of our extended chords
#9 b9 #11 b13
Using the #9 label at the end of the chord tells us that any ninths in the chord will be raised. If the chord has
no ninths in it, then this label means we add it to the chord. For example, G7#9 means "G7 with an added #9."

"Add" Chords
We use the "add" label to indicate that we are excluding an extension. For example, Gmaj7(Add#11) indicates
a Gmaj7 chord with an added #11. This chord excludes 9th that normally accompanies an 11th chord. Multiple
notes can be included by separating them with a comma. Ex: GmAdd(b9,11)

6 and b6 Chords
Although the sixth is equivalent to the 13th, the 6 or b6 can be added in without using an "add" label and
instead just using 6 at the end of the chord name. By default, this refers to a natural sixth, allowing for the
following chord names:
G6: 1 - 3 - 5 6 Gm6: 1 - b3 - 5 6 G(b6):1 - 3 - 5 b6 Gm( b6): 1 -b3 - 5 b6
G B DE G Bb D E G B D Eb G Bb D Eb
These are the "jazz version" of sixth chords. In classical theory, "sixth chords" are chords that contain an
interval of a sixth between the highest and lowest note (like inversions of triads).

Slash Chords
A chord can have any note introduced to its bass by using a / sign. G/C indicates a G chord with C on the
bass, which is a much easier chord to read than Cmaj7sus2.

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