superscript o, like the diminished 7th, but with a slash through the o, like this: 07 It's also known as a "minor seven-flat-five" chord, abbreviated "m765" (or "min765"), because it contains the same 3rd and 7th as the minor 7th chord, together with a lowered (flatted) 5th.
The augmented-major 7th is indicated in a similar way. The 3rd and 7th are the same as those in the maj7 chord, but the 5th is raised, so it's indicated with the suffix "maj7#5" (or "M7#5"). The 7th chord with a minor 3rd and major 7th has the clumsiest abbreviation we've seen so far. The suffix used is "m-maj7" (or "min- maj7"), indicating the triad first and then the 7th.
Figure 5-10. The suffixes "maj7#5", "m-maj7", and "m765" are used for the chord types shown.
INVERTING 7TH CHORDS
Because a 7th chord has four notes, it can be played in four different inversions: in root position or in first, second, or third inversion. The first and second inversions of triads have already been discussed in Chapter Three. When a 7th chord is played in third inversion, the 7th is the lowest note. The basic possibilities are shown in Figure 5-11.
The chord symbol abbreviations shown in Figures 5-6 through 5-10 don't include any information about which inversion to use. In many situations, the choice of inversion is left up to the player - and in fact, if several players are reading from the same chord chart, each may use a different inversion. This is a good thing: It helps listeners hear the chording instruments as distinct entities. What ultimately determines the inversion listeners will hear, in any case, is the note played by the bass player. As a result, chord symbols sometimes include an indication of which note should be played in the bass. This is normally done by adding a slash mark (/) after the chord symbol, and following the slash mark with the name of the bass note. For instance, the chord symbol Cmaj7/B would be a C major 7th chord with the B in the bass - a chord in third inversion.
Some arrangers prefer to use chord symbols with slash marks to indicate that two complete chords are to be played at the same time (a technique known as bitonalism, which will be discussed briefly in Chapter Six). If the arranger is using this approach, single bass notes will be indicated by adding the word "bass" - for example, "Cmaj7/B bass" In general, though, it's fairly safe to assume that a note mentioned after a slash mark is a bass note, not an indication that you're to play a bitonal chord voicing.
Figure 5-11. Three different 7th chords, each shown in root position (a), first inversion (b), second inversion (c), and third inversion (d). Note that the second and third inversions of the Amaj7#5 chord sound harmonically ambiguous, because of the prominent C# major triad contained within the chord.
In some situations, the bass note named with this type of symbol won't actually be part of the indicated chord. For instance, the arranger may use the symbol "C/B" to indicate a C triad above a B bass note. In this case, the result is a Cmaj7 chord in third inversion, but the chording instruments are more likely to be playing a straight C major triad rather than a Cmaj7 voicing. The bass may be the only instrument playing the B. If chording instruments add a B, they will likely do so in a lower octave rather than at the top of the voicing. The indication "C/B" is both easier to read than "Cmaj7/B" and gives a clearer indication of what the arranger has in mind.
This type of situation is especially common with descending bass line passages like the one shown in Figure 5-12.
Figure 5-12. Bass movement as it would normally be indicated by slash chord symbols. Note that the "C/B" chord is actually a Cmaj7, a fact not reflected in the chord symbol. Likewise, the chord shown as "C/A" is actually an Am7, but many arrangers will use "C/A" instead in this situation because it makes the movement of the bass line more apparent when musicians are reading from a chord
The augmented-major 7th is indicated in a similar way. The 3rd and 7th are the same as those in the maj7 chord, but the 5th is raised, so it's indicated with the suffix "maj7#5" (or "M7#5"). The 7th chord with a minor 3rd and major 7th has the clumsiest abbreviation we've seen so far. The suffix used is "m-maj7" (or "min- maj7"), indicating the triad first and then the 7th.
Figure 5-10. The suffixes "maj7#5", "m-maj7", and "m765" are used for the chord types shown.
INVERTING 7TH CHORDS
Because a 7th chord has four notes, it can be played in four different inversions: in root position or in first, second, or third inversion. The first and second inversions of triads have already been discussed in Chapter Three. When a 7th chord is played in third inversion, the 7th is the lowest note. The basic possibilities are shown in Figure 5-11.
The chord symbol abbreviations shown in Figures 5-6 through 5-10 don't include any information about which inversion to use. In many situations, the choice of inversion is left up to the player - and in fact, if several players are reading from the same chord chart, each may use a different inversion. This is a good thing: It helps listeners hear the chording instruments as distinct entities. What ultimately determines the inversion listeners will hear, in any case, is the note played by the bass player. As a result, chord symbols sometimes include an indication of which note should be played in the bass. This is normally done by adding a slash mark (/) after the chord symbol, and following the slash mark with the name of the bass note. For instance, the chord symbol Cmaj7/B would be a C major 7th chord with the B in the bass - a chord in third inversion.
Some arrangers prefer to use chord symbols with slash marks to indicate that two complete chords are to be played at the same time (a technique known as bitonalism, which will be discussed briefly in Chapter Six). If the arranger is using this approach, single bass notes will be indicated by adding the word "bass" - for example, "Cmaj7/B bass" In general, though, it's fairly safe to assume that a note mentioned after a slash mark is a bass note, not an indication that you're to play a bitonal chord voicing.
Figure 5-11. Three different 7th chords, each shown in root position (a), first inversion (b), second inversion (c), and third inversion (d). Note that the second and third inversions of the Amaj7#5 chord sound harmonically ambiguous, because of the prominent C# major triad contained within the chord.
In some situations, the bass note named with this type of symbol won't actually be part of the indicated chord. For instance, the arranger may use the symbol "C/B" to indicate a C triad above a B bass note. In this case, the result is a Cmaj7 chord in third inversion, but the chording instruments are more likely to be playing a straight C major triad rather than a Cmaj7 voicing. The bass may be the only instrument playing the B. If chording instruments add a B, they will likely do so in a lower octave rather than at the top of the voicing. The indication "C/B" is both easier to read than "Cmaj7/B" and gives a clearer indication of what the arranger has in mind.
This type of situation is especially common with descending bass line passages like the one shown in Figure 5-12.
Figure 5-12. Bass movement as it would normally be indicated by slash chord symbols. Note that the "C/B" chord is actually a Cmaj7, a fact not reflected in the chord symbol. Likewise, the chord shown as "C/A" is actually an Am7, but many arrangers will use "C/A" instead in this situation because it makes the movement of the bass line more apparent when musicians are reading from a chord
Similar Books
