Music Theory

Understand uncommon chord names

Besides the categories listed above plus major and minor that are listed elsewhere, you may turn into some additional chords. To help you figure out rare chords the following examples with explanations will hopefully guide you.

CMin7 - alternative chord name for C minor seventh.
Gdom7 - alternative chord name for G dominant seventh (C7).
E△ - alternative chord symbol for E major.
A° - alternative chord symbol for A diminished.
Aø - alternative chord symbol for A half-diminished.

F(#5) - alternative chord name for F augmented.
Fno3 - F major with no third.
E/G# - inverted E chord with G sharp as the bass note.
E7/B - inverted E seventh chord with a B as the bass note.

C/D - C major with D as bass note.
F/E - F major with E as bass note.
C6/9 - C six-nine chord, usually written with the 6 and 9 in small letters over and under each other. Could also be written C6add9.

Abmaj7(#11) - A flat major seventh sharp eleventh chord.
Dmaj9(add13) - alternative chord name for Dmaj13.
Bm11 add(m2) - B minor eleventh with an added minor second.
B#9b5 - B sharp ninth flat fifth.
A#9#5 - A sharp ninth sharp fifth.

D7b10 - alternative chord name for D7#9.
D-7 - D minor seventh (minus are sometimes used for minor).
D-9 - D minor ninth.
D-11 - D minor eleventh.

C/C - This indicates a C major with a duplicated root on a lower octave.
Cm/C - This indicates a C minor with a duplicated root on a lower oct