Jazz Chord Symbols and Nomenclature

Jazz chord symbols provide a concise way to notate complex harmonic structures. Most commonly used jazz chord symbols and nomenclature.


Basic Chords

Major Chords

  • C: C Major triad (C-E-G)
  • CMaj7 or C△7: C Major 7th (C-E-G-B)

Minor Chords

  • Cm or Cmin: C Minor triad (C-Eb-G)
  • Cm7 or Cmin7: C Minor 7th (C-Eb-G-Bb)

Dominant Chords

  • C7: C Dominant 7th (C-E-G-Bb)

Half-Diminished Chords

  • Cm7♭5 or Cø: C Half-Diminished 7th (C-Eb-Gb-Bb)

Diminished Chords

  • Cdim or C°: C Diminished triad (C-Eb-Gb)
  • Cdim7 or C°7: C Diminished 7th (C-Eb-Gb-Bbb)

Extended Chords

Extensions and Alterations

  • 9th: C9 (dominant), Cmaj9, Cm9
  • 11th: C11, Cmaj11, Cm11
  • 13th: C13, Cmaj13, Cm13
  • Altered 5th: C(♭5), C(♯5)
  • Suspended: Csus4, Csus2

Tensions and Additions

  • Added tones: C6, Cadd9
  • Altered tensions: C7(♭9), C7(♯9), C7(♯11)

Ninth Chords

  • C9: C Dominant 9th (C-E-G-Bb-D)
  • CMaj9 or C△9: C Major 9th (C-E-G-B-D)
  • Cm9 or Cmin9: C Minor 9th (C-Eb-G-Bb-D)

Eleventh Chords

  • C11: C Dominant 11th (C-E-G-Bb-D-F)
  • CMaj11 or C△11: C Major 11th (C-E-G-B-D-F)
  • Cm11 or Cmin11: C Minor 11th (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F)

Thirteenth Chords

  • C13: C Dominant 13th (C-E-G-Bb-D-F-A)
  • CMaj13 or C△13: C Major 13th (C-E-G-B-D-F-A)
  • Cm13 or Cmin13: C Minor 13th (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F-A)

Altered Chords

Altered Dominants

  • C7♯5 or C7+: C Dominant 7th with raised 5th (C-E-G#-Bb)
  • C7♭5: C Dominant 7th with lowered 5th (C-E-Gb-Bb)
  • C7♯9: C Dominant 7th with raised 9th (C-E-G-Bb-D#)
  • C7♭9: C Dominant 7th with lowered 9th (C-E-G-Bb-Db)
  • C7♯11: C Dominant 7th with raised 11th (C-E-G-Bb-F#)
  • C7♭13: C Dominant 7th with lowered 13th (C-E-G-Bb-Ab)

Fully Altered Chords

  • C7alt: C Dominant 7th with multiple alterations (e.g., C-E-G#-Bb-D#)

Sus Chords

Suspended Chords

  • Csus4 or C4: C Suspended 4th (C-F-G)
  • C7sus4: C Dominant 7th Suspended 4th (C-F-G-Bb)
  • Csus2 or C2: C Suspended 2nd (C-D-G)

Add Chords

Added Tone Chords

  • Cadd9: C Major with added 9th (C-E-G-D)
  • Cmadd9: C Minor with added 9th (C-Eb-G-D)

Slash Chords

Chords with Alternate Bass Notes

  • C/G: C Major with G in the bass (G-C-E)
  • Am7/G: A Minor 7th with G in the bass (G-A-C-E)
  • C/E (C major with E in the bass)
  • Dm7/G (D minor 7 with G in the bass)

Quartal and Quintal Chords

Quartal Voicings

  • C4: Chord built in fourths (e.g., C-F-Bb)

Quintal Voicings

  • C5: Chord built in fifths (e.g., C-G-D)

Poly Chords

Two Chords Played Simultaneously

  • C/G: C Major triad over G Major triad (C-E-G / G-B-D)

Common Shorthand

  • △ = Major 7th
  • ø = Half-diminished ( Cø, Cm7(♭5) )
  • ° = Fully diminished ( C°, Cdim )
  • "+" = Augmented ( Caug or C+ )
  • ♭ = Flat ( C7(♭5), C7(♭9) ) //Lower a Key by a Half Note
  • ♯ = Sharp ( C7(♯5), C7(♯9) ) //Raise a Key by Half Note