Typing Chord Symbols

Here is an example of what chord symbols look like when they are engraved in the theory line:

To enter a chord symbol you type text input that specifies the chord's root, quality and inversion.

Chord Roots

The chord root is simply the pitch the chord is based on:

chord root (pitch):	text input:
C	C
C♯	C#
C♭	Cb
D	D
D♯	D#
D♭	Db
E	E
E♯	E#
E♭	Eb
F	F
F♯	F#
F♭	Fb
G	G
G♯	G#
G♭	Gb
A	A
A♯	A#
A♭	Ab
B	B
B♯	B#
B♭	Bb

For the letter, type a lower or upper-case C, D, E, F, G, A, or B followed by an accidental # or b, if any. If you don't provide an accidental the pitch is natural.

• For the chord root's letter, type a lower or upper-case C D E F G A or B.
• If you don't provide an accidental the pitch is natural.
• For a sharp accidental, type sharp character '#'.
• For a flat, type the lower-case letter 'b'.
• For a double-sharp, type '##'.
• For a double-flat, type 'bb'.

Chord Qualities

The chord quality indicates the quality of the triad and the quality of the seventh-tone, if present:

	chord quality:	text input:
triad qualities	diminished	o
	minor	m
	major	M
	augmented	+
seventh-tone qualities	diminished	o
	minor	m
	major	M

• For a diminished chord, type the lower-case letter 'o' or a lower or upper-case 'd'.
• For a minor chord, type the lower-case letter 'm'.
• For a major chord, type the upper-case letter 'M'.
• For a perfect chord, type a lower or upper-case 'p'.
• For an augmented chord, type the plus sign '+' or a lower or upper-case 'a'.

Note that the diminished and augmented qualities will always be engraved as ° and + in the theory line.

Seventh Chord Qualities

For seventh chords you typically type two qualities, the first for the triad and the second for the seventh-tone. In cases where these qualities are the same, you can provide only one as long as you include a seventh-inversion. Note that C#7 is not a valid chord symbol because it is missing a chord quality.

This table shows the most common ways to specify seventh chord qualities, all using C♯ as the root:

diminished	C#oo, C#o7
half-diminished	C#om, C#/o
minor	C#mm, C#m7
major	C#MM, C#M7
major-minor	C#Mm

Note that the half-diminished chord (a diminished triad with a minor 7th) can be specified as '/o' to mimic the engraved symbol ø. One way to think about this is that the '/' is a mnemonic for half and the 'o' is diminished, so '/' + 'o' = half + diminished.

Chord Inversions

The chord inversion indicates which chord member is in the bass:

	chord inversion:	text input:
triad inversions	root	—
	first	6
	second	64
seventh-chord inversions	root	7
	first	65
	second	43
	third	42

The table provides the most typical way to specify inversion. It's also possible to provide longer versions, for example 53, 753 or 643, and even the shorter 2 for 42. Regardless of how you enter them the theory line will engrave inversions using the forms shown above.

Typing in the Theory Line

To type chord symbols in a chord symbol analysis assignment do the following:

1. Click on an entry box to open the theory line editor just beneath the theory line.

   

2. Type the root, quality and inversion of the chord as described above into the theory line editor. As you type, your input will be engraved in the theory line in proper music notation.

   

3. When you are finished typing, press Return or use the Tab key to move to the next entry in the theory line.